Rules of Wedding Invitations

I get asked all kinds of questions about invitations. Here are a few simple tips:

1. You should start thinking about your invitations 9-12 months in advance of your wedding and order them 6 months in advance

2. Have your guest lists ready and accurate before placing any order (how do you know what to order if you don't have a guest list??)

3. Make sure you can see several versions of your proof (not just one) before going to final print.

4. Your invitations need to be mailed out min 2 months in advance of the wedding.

5. If you are mailing a Save the date card, this should be out about 6 to 8 months in advance.

6. RSVP cards are a must and please, please, please, have lines for the exact names of who is coming. For example if you invite Mr. & Mrs. Shah and Family and they only RSVP for 2, which 2 members of the family are attending? What are their names? The lines on the RSVP cards which ask for the names will avoid you having to call Mr. & Mrs. Shah and ask.. get it??

7. Before you begin addressing envelopes, take at least 3 completely stuffed invitations to the post office & have them weighted to determine the correct postage! You don't want them coming back to you!!!

8. It is customary in a formal wedding invitation TO SPELL OUT EVERYTHING! So, it is not 6:00pm but six o'clock in the evening that is appropriate. It is not July 4, 2009 it is The Fourth of July Two Thousand and Nine which is the correct way.

Remember, wedding invitations are much more than just the date, time, place and who is getting married.. it is the first impression of your wedding!