Anatomy of an Invitation Suite
WELCOME TO THE THREE PART SERIES!
Yes, I know..you know what an invitation suite is! Who doesn’t?! The gorgeous pieces of paper, fun printing details like letterpress or watercolor art, the envelope with the wedding guest name and address…. And stamps! Don’t forget the stamps. But I’m here to give the full run down of each piece of the invitation suite - what goes on it and why it’s there.. There’s a reason for everything and with so many options of how to put it all together, it can get overwhelming - but it doesn’t have to be!
So let’s talk about:
- Main Invitation Card
- RSVP card
- Details Card
SO FIRST UP… THE MAIN INVITATION CARD
The star of the show! The main invitation card houses are of the most important information. More than likely, out of all the cards you may have in your suite, this is the card that is going up on the fridge! When I am working with my clients, I send them my Stationery Wording Guide, that helps guide them through each part of this card. I am there to give tips and answer questions about etiquette, but ultimately the wording is up to them. The sections include:
- Header: aka the first line on the invitation. This could include the crowd pleasing “Together with their families…” or more traditional “Mr. and Mrs. Dan Smith and Mrs. and Mrs. John Adams request the pleasure of your company at the marriage of their children.” This header sets the tone for the rest of the card. The wording you choose will determine whether your invitation sounds playful or stays true to traditions. The good news..it’s up to you!
- Names: Obviously we need to include your names right? Of course! You can include just first names.. first and middle names… or first, middle and last names! I personally love using first names only because it opens the design door wide open and I can do a lot.
-Wedding Day Info: We want to make sure we get your guests to the right place at the right time…right? This is the section that includes the day of the week, date, year, time and location of the wedding! If you are getting married at one location and moving to another location, you will want to list the ceremony location only (we will get to where you list your reception location).
- Footer: Finally, we have the information at the bottom. This could include the phrase “reception to follow” (or some version of that) to let people know this is a wedding and reception, not just a ceremony, as well as required attire. Attire is important because if you have guests coming from out of town or guests who just aren’t familiar with the venue, you’ll want to make sure they are confident and comfortable in what they can wear!
Now, I’m not here to tell you that this is the end all be all of what should be on your invitations. But, if you’re struggling and don’t have a designer by your side, this will certainly help guide you.
