Invitation Guide

Weddings can be overwhelming as there are so many areas which require in-depth planning. Even when you have an event planner, there are still decisions to be made and so many options to consider. As the invitation is your guests’ first impression go the wedding, it is an important part of your wedding and there are some things to consider when planning for an invitation suite.

Timeline - Begin with your wedding date and location then work backward to determine your stationary timeline. Invitations should be sent 8-12 weeks in advance and Save the Dates 8-10 months in advance. A custom invitation suite design takes 2-3 months to create and print, so booking your stationary designer/calligrapher one year in advance is completely reasonable. Timeline in bullet-point form:

  • 1 year ahead - book stationary designer and begin save the dates.

  • 8-10 months - mail save the dates.

  • 5 months ahead - design invitations

  • 2-3 months - mail them.

  • 6 weeks ahead - finalize design of day of stationary (menus, place cards)

  • 3-4 weeks finalize guest seating assignments

  • 1-3 months after wedding mail thank you cards.

Guest count - To estimate how many invitations and envelopes you will need to order, use this calculation: Guest count/2 + 25% (So, for a guest list of 200 people, it is safe to order 125 invitation suites).

Costs/budget - The budget for invitations can vary greatly depending upon the number of inserts needed, embellishments chosen, and printing method selected. Find a stationer that will guide you on how to get the best look for your budget. I usually advise to choose one special detail that elevates the invitation instead of trying to do a little of everything. Less is more is usually the more elegant way to go!

Curate your style - Go crazy creating mood boards, searching instagram pinning things! Look at the stationary pins and determine what they have in common? Are they all done on handmade paper or crisp and clean? Do they have a similar color palette? What calligraphy and font style are you drawn to? Delete the saves that don’t match. Take it a step further and ask yourself: What do you want your wedding experience to feel like? How do you want your guests to feel? Curate further and delete pins that do not fit the adjectives.

Find a good fit - There are many choices when it comes to a stationary designer, both in style and in budget. Select someone who fits the look you created and the dream you have for your wedding. Also, hire someone that you get along with! You will be with them for at least the next year, so choose someone both talented and likable!

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Invitation Guidelines

Offering tips and further help for your invitation suite or addressing, give me a call (818)309-6027

Karen Farnsworth