Wedding invitations make for beautiful keepsakes. Though easy in theory, you will quickly realise that crafting (and sending out) the perfect wedding invitation can be a little tricky. There’s a lot more to it than just putting a card in the mail. For starters, there are etiquette rules that you need to navigate.
But don’t worry – we got you covered. Here’s a guide to wedding invitation etiquette to follow when crafting and sending out wedding invitations.
When to Send Your Invitation
Wedding invitations should be sent out at least six to eight weeks in advance of the wedding. That gives guest time to clear their schedules, request a day off, and make travel arrangements if they don’t live in town.
If it’s a destination wedding, you must give your guests more time and send invitations out three or four months ahead of the wedding. You want to give guests enough time to hunt for good accommodation and air fair deals.
Don’t forget to check out the vast array of accommodation options available before your big day. From standard accommodation opinions on the Gold Coast to romantic country cottages in the Scenic Rim, there is a variety of amazing places to stay for yourselves and your guests.
It’s also best to ask your guests to RSVP on time so that you’ll have a final headcount and can create your seating plan in time. If necessary, call your guests who haven’t responded within your requested time-frame and get their RSVP.
Mention the Attire
It’s crucial to be clear about the level of formality you want your wedding to have. Mentioning cocktail attire, black tie, or casual attire is a good idea to manage expectations. If the wedding ceremony will take place on grass, you can inform your guest to make footwear choices accordingly.
The attire information must be put at the lower right-hand corner of your invitation where it’s visible. The design of your invitation can also clue guests in. A formal, traditional invitation with calligraphy and letterpress will give your guests a hint to the event’s formal nature. In contrast, an invitation with a playful font and bright colours would fit a much more casual style.
Also read: How To Theme Your Wedding Venue
Who to invite?
Determining a guest list is seemingly one of the first things that you need to do when planning a wedding. The guest list will affect your choice of venue and how you allocate your budget. If your wedding is small and intimate, you can cull your guest list and invite only those closest to you. It’s important to be specific and quite strict when trying to keep the numbers down. Decide where you’ll draw the line and stick to it. Then make sure the addressing is precise when you are sending out the wedding invitations.
According to the standard rule, the names on the outer envelope indicate exactly who is invited to your wedding. For couples, Mr. and Mrs. followed by their name is standard. For singles, just put their name alone. Most of your guests will understand that without “and Guest” or another name on the wedding invitation, they aren’t invited with a plus-one. If you are still worried about unexpected guests showing up on your wedding day, you may want to add a kindly-worded note about keeping your wedding intimate to guests only.
Also read: How to Plan a Wedding During a Pandemic
Rules on Kids
It’s completely up to you (the couple) whether kids are invited to the wedding or not. You need to decide whether you want kids to attend or you would prefer an adults-only celebration.
If you don’t want kids to attend the wedding, the invitation should only include the names of the couple or the guests’ full names. You don’t have to indicate that kids shouldn’t tag along. But if your guest reply with their children’s names added, give them a call and explain you’re having an adults-only wedding and that you hope they can still attend.
Vineyard and Garden Weddings at Cedar Creek Estate
Wedding invitations are the first impression you will make on your guests.
If you need help with arranging your wedding, Cedar Creek Estate offers wedding packages that come with an extensive array of complimentary inclusions, from a professional wedding coordinator to a wide selection of table centres and accessories to suit all budgets and requirements.
We also have different wedding ceremony and reception venues you can choose from to make it the wedding of your dreams.
Contact Cedar Creek Estate today on (07) 5545 1666 and let’s work together to plan your dream wedding.