Choosing your wedding invitations can be overwhelming. From selecting the design, composing the phrasing and trying to remember all the different types of wedding stationary you will need – it’s easy to not know where to start.

To help you navigate it seamlessly, here’s a step-by-step guide to planning, designing, and sending your wedding invitations:

Establish a Timeline

There are a lot of philosophies around this topic, but here is my recommended invitation timeline.

• 9-12 months before your wedding – Send Your Save the Dates (with your wedding website link)
• 5 months before your wedding – Finalize your invitation Design
• 4 months before your wedding – Print and address your invitations; This gives you time for errors or slow shipping
• 3 months before your wedding – Mail your invitations
• 6 weeks before your wedding – Your RSVP Deadline (I believe you should have your relative final guest count numbers at least 30 days before your wedding. This deadline gives you a couple weeks to hunt down the silly guests who have not responded to your invitation.)

Finalize Essential Details

It is a best practice to have all the basic details you want to communicate in your invitations organized in one place as you start to look into invitation templates and components. Here is a short list of details to consider gathering before you begin the invitation design process:

Names of the Couple

Including the full names of the couple is a must. It’s usually the bride’s name followed by the groom’s, but variations exist depending on personal preferences and cultural traditions.

Wedding Date, Time & Location

Clearly state the date and time of the ceremony. Consider the format that will be most easily understood and elegant.

Venue Details

 Provide the full address of the wedding venue. For ceremonies and receptions held in different locations, you’ll need to specify each venue.

Dress Code

If the event has a specific dress code, this should be communicated clearly in the invitation to avoid any potential faux pas when guests are selecting their attire.

RSVP Details

Include a method for RSVPing, such as an email address, phone number, or reply card with a deadline. This helps with planning and seating arrangements.

Additional Information

Consider including additional cards or inserts with your invitations if there are more details guests should know. This might include accommodation details, a map, wedding website, or schedule of events.

Choose Your Invitation Components

Now that many couples use a website to communicate most of the details for their wedding to their guests, the invitation suite has become much smaller. Many couples now opt to keep the majority of their wedding details to “one page” with potentially one or two “detail cards”. However, these choices are all up to you. 

Here are the elements of an invitation you can consider to include for your invitations. (Keep in mind, the less pieces you include, the more money you save on invitations. My advice is to only create what you REALLY need.

Main Invitation Card

The main card is the heart of the suite. It contains the key details about the wedding ceremony such as:

• Names of the couple
• Date and time of the ceremony
• Venue name and address
• Names of the hosts (traditionally, these are the bride’s parents)

One Page Option to Consider

This “main invitation card” is the card that can be designed as the “one page” invitation. If you want to go this route, just be sure to include all the information above, as well as a link to your website and/ or online RSVP link.

Reception Card

If the reception is at a different location from the ceremony, a separate reception card is often included to provide guests with additional details like the reception venue and its timing.

RSVP Card

This is the card the guests will return when they RSVP to your reception. This can also be a card with a link to your online RSVP form. Here are elements to include on this card:

• A request for response by a specific date (Your RSVP deadline)
• A space for guests to write their names
• Menu options if needed (Be sure to ask the guest to specify who wants what entree, etc.)
• Return address (often printed on an accompanying envelope) (If mailing this as a separate card)

If you are opting to collect your RSVPs online (which I STRONGLY recommend), here are a few other questions you might ask during your RSVP process:

• Attending the Rehearsal Dinner/Welcome Reception? (If invited)
• Attending the Post Wedding Brunch?
• Where will this guest be staying for the wedding (If traveling for the wedding)
• What date will this guest be arriving and departing for the wedding (if traveling for the wedding)

Directions or Map Insert

Providing a small map or set of directions helps guests navigate unfamiliar areas and find the venue with ease. This can also include parking information if applicable.

Accommodation Card

For out-of-town guests, this card offers information about nearby accommodations. It might also list any negotiated rates (room blocks) and contact information for booking.

Wedding Website Card

Many couples now include a card directing guests to their wedding website, where they can find further details about the schedule, registry, and more.

Budget Tip: I find more and more – this is the only additional card couples add in addition to the Main Invitation Card listed above. If you are using your website to help communicate details for your wedding – it is a good idea to keep it simple and direct your guests to your website to RSVP and all other details for your wedding. Just printing these two cards will save you quite a bit of time and money for your wedding invitations.

Design Your Invitations

As with all the design aspects of your wedding, explore Pinterest and other sources of inspiration to see what invitation styles you like best. It is always a good idea to know what invitation designs you are drawn toward. This will help as we move through the invitation process. 

Here are a few elements to consider:

• Select a Format: Choose from flat, folded, pocket, or layered styles.
• Typography and Colors: Pick fonts and colors that match your wedding vibe.
• Personal Touches: Add monograms, embossing, or illustrations for personalization.

Work with a Designer or Print Service

Once you identify the style you like best, I highly recommend either working with a design professional or printing your invitations through a professional online printing service. Here are my two favorite online wedding template companies:

• Minted.com 
• BasicInvite.com

If you opt to work with a professional designer, check out this guide to help you know questions to ask during the hiring phase.

Order Sample Prints

Before placing your full order, it is always a good idea to order a sample of your invitation suite. This will allow you to double check for errors – but also to make sure you like the overall look and feel of your invitation. You can still easily make adjustments if the samples are not quite to your liking.

Prepare for Mailing

Here are a few components to navigate as you prepare to mail your invitations.

• Address Envelopes: Handwrite or hire a calligrapher for addressing, or use printed labels.
• Postage: Weigh a sample invite at the post office to determine postage and consider custom stamps for a distinct touch. 

• Protect your design: If you’re opting for fun design upgrades for your invitations, please be sure you cover all the elements with a smooth, standard outer envelope. Elements like wax seals and belly bands are beautiful but they can get caught in the mail feeders and cause your invitations to be rejected by your local postal service. Outer envelopes will solve this problem.

Send Your Invitations & Monitor Responses

As I mentioned above, I think mailing your invitations 3 months before your wedding with an RSVP deadline of 6 weeks before your wedding is perfect. This will allow you to have enough time to wrangle your “maybe” guests and still give you plenty of time to manage the final details of your wedding. 

Final Thoughts

By following these steps, you can plan, design, and send wedding invitations that beautifully represent your style and provide guests with all the essential details for your special day. With careful planning and attention to detail, your invitations will create excitement and anticipation among your guests, setting the stage for a memorable celebration.

I hope this guide helps you create the perfect wedding invitations and ensures a smooth and stylish start to your wedding celebrations!

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Casey Green Weddings, LLC | 2501 S Village Drive, Cottonwood, AZ 86326