Wedding Invitations
Wedding invitations are your guest’s first glimpse of what your wedding theme may be!
Firstly your invitations or whole stationery packages should reflect you the bride and bride groom. More and more people are looking to have their invitations personal screaming this is us! It should show your personalities and style.
Many moons ago traditional was the way to go, not to say that it is not the way to go now if that is what says you. Traditional invitations are pretty set in there colour with gold or silver wedding invitation written on the front. In today’s world wedding invitations come in a vast array of colours and styles not to mention prices.
So before you begin there are a few things for you to consider when choosing your invitations.
- What is your budget?
- Do you want a full stationery package?
- What are your colour themes?
- What is your style? Fluffy and glittery, plain and simple, bright and bold, funny?
- Do you have a theme that you would like throughout the wedding carried from the invitations?
What is your budget? Some people don’t look at the bigger picture when it comes to weddings. Then again some people don’t care. That is what it will cost and that is it.
Look at your finances and set aside an amount for your stationery. Always look at sites to get an idea of what you would like and price it up on more than one person’s site as there is always someone out there that will be happy to help meet your budget.
If you have seen an Invitation to die for and that is what you want but it is not in your price range, why not email the person and explain your situation and maybe they could work something out for you. On the other hand if your feeling a little creative why not try to make it yourself to cut the costs a little. Then sometimes these things are more hassle then they are worth if you don’t have a creative bone in your body!
Do you want a full stationery package? Another major player to your budget is do you want a full stationery package. Money money money. Definitely worth it in my opinion. I personally love to see a full matching stationery package as once you get to the wedding in brings you back to when you received the invitations. Not everyone thinks this though and it is all cost dependent. The cost is a large factor in weddings these days with the average wedding costing about £16,000 which is beyond me. I can see how it is done though!
OK back to the full whammy!
Firstly you can have save the date cards to tell all your guests as soon as you have a date to keep it free.
Then we move onto Day Invitations and Evening Invitations, these should be sent out approx 6 – 8 weeks prior to the wedding but if you’re having your wedding away from home and guests need to sort out accommodation I myself would send before the stated 6 – 8 weeks.
OK so moving on you have Order of Service with all the wedding ceremony and hymns printed inside but your church, chapel will provide hymn books for you.
Then you have the Menu’s. If you have the money and you want to keep the themes going these are great to pretty up your tables, again these may be supplied by your hotel or caterers not essential but if you have the cash why not.
Table names and Numbers a must to let all your guests know where to sit. You could buy these plain and write the names on them yourselves to save on cost or you could have them printed to save you writing the names you could also have them decorated to your theme.
Table Planer will cost a lot but sure should look good and will also tell all your guests where to sit. Again this should also be supplied by your hotel if your wedding breakfast is there or you could just print out a list and place it on tables around the room for guests to look at while waiting for you to arrive.
Last but not least you have the Thank you cards. To say a huge thank you to all your guests for the lovely gifts that they have sent to you. One of the most important things to get I would think! Although if they are too much to buy for your budget you can buy them from any high street shop at any cost to suit you.
What are your colour themes? Have you decided on you dress colour? The Bridesmaids and flower girls? Your Bridegroom? Since us women make all the decisions!
Once you have made the decision you may want to incorporate your colour theme onto your Invitations. You may have seen an invitation that you like and that makes you decide on the theme. You may even decide that you want them to be plain and simple, a little elegant and to ensure that your guests have no idea what type of wedding there are in for. Leaving it a big surprise. In saying that you might want your whole wedding simple and elegant anyway. You will most probably end up with a theme wither it be purple and pink, or brown and yellow to red and Ivory or just white and silver. There will always be your theme.
What is your style? Fluffy and glittery, plain and simple, bright and bold, funny? Along with the theme you will have your style. Traditional, Classic, Bespoke, there are many different words out there for different styles but amongst it you will find yours.
Do you want flowers, feathers, crystals, toppers, embellishments, bows, bells, doves, confetti, pictures you name it, it is possible. You just need to use your imagination and think what says you.
Do you have a theme that you would like throughout the wedding carried from the invitations? Some people have a theme that they would like to carry throughout there wedding. It might be just colours or as much as dressing up for the occasion. What have you got in mind?
Do you want a Robin Hood and Maid Marion theme or do you want all your guests to be wearing something purple?
Just another little thing for you to add to your thinking list!
My top tips for choosing your invitations. Most of all just have fun. That is what it is all about. You’re sure to find what you’re looking for and as soon as you see it you will know that is the one for you. It is a bit like buying that wedding dress. As soon as you see it and try it you will know. So as soon as you see them ask for a sample and you will know.
Good Luck with all your plans.