Our Favorite Wedding Invitation Tips
Photo by Perry Vaile Photography. Stationery by Hark Creative Co.
You just got engaged - now what? At this point, you’ve probably already received countless messages from family and friends requesting every detail of a wedding that you just barely started planning! If that’s the case, it might be time to start thinking about invitations!
Wedding invitations are your guests’ first glimpse into your wedding day, so it’s important to make a good impression. Lucky for you, Team Brilliant has you covered! Below are our top 5 tips for your wedding invitations!
Photo by Sophie Kaye Photography. Stationery by Ipanema Press.
1. Choose a design that matches your aesthetic.
When designing your invitation suite, it is important to consider the high-level details of your wedding. You want the invitation to be a reflection of what is to come - a sneak peak that gets your guests excited and leaves them wanting more. Here at Brilliant Event Planning, we recommend pulling design inspiration from your love story, venue, season, and color palette of your wedding.
Photo by Francisco Bravo. Stationery by Champagne and Ink.
2. Use proper invitation etiquette.
Keep in mind that the invites are not just for design - they're also a crucial logistical element for your wedding weekend. As a result, it is important to be aware of standard invitation etiquette guidelines before sending your stationery out. We recommend utilizing resources such as Emily Post to help aid in this process. From important content to proper addressing, these resources are a great tool to reference when working on your invitations.
Photo by Stephanie Vegliante. Stationery by Gus and Ruby Letterpress.
3. You can never give too much advance notice.
Typically, couples aim to send out their save-the-dates approximately six to eight months before the wedding. This allows guests to pencil the date into their calendar before receiving all of the nitty-gritty details. However, if you already have a date and venue solidified, there is never any harm in sending them out early!
Invitations, on the other hand, typically go out about 8-12 weeks before the wedding, sometimes earlier if it is a destination wedding. This timeline gives guests plenty of time to clear their schedules and make travel arrangements based on the final timeline you provide. Don’t forget to factor in production time - stationers typically need a minimum of a month to create your invitations!
Photo by Christian Oth Studio. Stationery by Gus and Ruby Letterpress.
4. Remember that it is not as simple as sending a birthday card.
After all of the time, money, and effort you spent crafting the perfect invitation suite, it is important to pay attention to the method of delivery. Wedding postage can be complex and sometimes expensive! In order to determine the required postage, our team highly recommends bringing your invitation to the post office in advance. This Brides article does a great job explaining the ins and outs of wedding postage!
Keep in mind that USPS locations do not always have a full inventory of stamps. If there is a specific stamp or color palette that you have in mind, we recommend ordering them in advance. If you are doing vintage postage, you will need to begin curating it when you first begin to working on your invitations.
Photo by Elizabeth LaDuca. Stationery by Hark Creative Co.
5. Save an invite for yourself!
Don’t forget to order an invitation for yourself! We know it sounds a little silly but trust us when we say that you will want it! Not only is it a fun keepsake, but it is also great to bring with you on wedding day so that your photographer can include it in your photos! For our clients, we also always order a few extra flowers from the florist to include in the detail shots.
Photo by Sophie Kaye Photography. Stationery by Hark Creative Co.