Wedding invitations are an essential part of wedding planning and require a lot of attention to detail to get them done the right way. Follow these 6 best practices for your wedding invitations to ensure the process goes as smoothly as possible.
1. Proofread! Proofread! Proofread!
The last thing you want to do on your wedding invitations is include an error. Whether it’s spelling, dates, venue address, or RSVP information, it’s essential to get these details correct.
Try reading each word on your wedding invitation starting at the end and going backward. Your brain is more likely to catch a spelling error if you focus on each word individually, rather than what the phrase or sentence says.
Triple check everything – yes, EVERYTHING – on your wedding invitations. And just in case you plan to use the fancy word for delicious appetizers on your invitation, the correct spelling is “hors d’oeuvres.”
2. Add Wedding Guest Names to the RSVP Card
If you plan to send RSVP cards that guests need to fill out and return, you might consider adding guest names to the card. Too many brides have sent RSVP cards to guests only to get them returned with the “I plan to attend” box checked, but no names listed on the card. Tracking RSVPs get a lot more difficult when you don’t know who it is that plans to attend and how many are in their party. It’s an extra step, but will help tremendously in your preparations, especially if you plan to have a seating chart at your reception.
3. Use QR Codes
If you plan to send printed wedding invitations, use QR codes instead of text links. A QR code is a quick and easy way for your guests to follow specific URLs by scanning the code with their smart phones without having to type the entire link into their browser. You can use a QR code for things like your wedding website, an RSVP page, or your wedding registry. Free QR code generators are available online.
4. Request a proof of your Wedding Invitation
If possible, see if your printer can provide you with a proof of your wedding invitation to confirm you are happy with them before placing your order. The last thing you want to do is get stuck with hundreds of wedding invitations that have an error on them or don’t turn out how you expect. This will help you avoid costly re-prints if the invitations aren’t quite up to your standards. Here are a few things to check on your proof:
- Type of paper
- Print quality
- Color quality
- QR codes (Don’t forget to scan and test them yourself!)
- Information/Details (It never hurts to quadruple check!)
5. Order 1 Invitation Per Household NOT Per Person
This is one of the most common (and costly) mistakes when it comes to wedding invitations. But ending up with too many invitations and wasting money on invitations you don’t need can easily be avoided. Get your actual quantity by counting each household each that needs to receive an invitation. Don’t forget to add a few extra to your count if you want to save one for your scrapbook or have a few backups.
6. Include Postage In Your Budget
Wedding budgets have a tendency to creep up, and postage can be one of those hidden costs. Calculate your postage costs by multiplying the cost of postage per invitation and how many invitations you plan to mail.