When I first started planning my wedding, I realized fairly quickly how easy it would be too make mistakes throughout the process because most of tasks were being completed for the first time. “You don’t know what you don’t know” is extremely accurate.
Invitations were such a fun part of the planning process but I learned a few really important things that I hope can help you based on personal mistakes that I made.
- Don’t feel like your theme has to be 100% set in stone before you send them out. As long as you have a general color scheme or foundational idea of the style, you can decide on your invites. While these should support your overall vision, it doesn’t need to be exact. Some people wait too long feeling like every detail needs to be ironed out and they get invitations out later than they should. It’s not worth lower headcount on your big day just so it’s perfect.
- Order more than you think you’ll need. You WILL have last minute additions to your list that you’ll need to either mail or personally hand out. Ordering a whole new smaller second batch will be much more expensive than just ordering 10-20 extra with your first purchase.
- Remember that invitations are piece of paper that will eventually get thrown away. Sorry, I know that doesn’t sound very romantic! While invites are what might make it feel “real” to you and your spouse, don’t go overboard. Details like lace or ribbon can be nice, but can also add to the final cost of the wedding. Keep this in mind when you’re selecting the style and weighing your options. Speaking of weight…unique sizes or thicker card stock can add to shipping costs. While a few cents or even a dollar doesn’t sound that bad, if you’re having a big wedding then this will really add up.
- Do your research to compare vendor prices, both online and in local businesses. I personally got my wedding invitations from Wedding Paper Divas (who have now partnered with Shutterfly) and I’m so glad that I did. The invites came in a beautiful box (that I still have) and the team was professional every step of the way. But after my wedding, I started to realize how many options are available. Get recommendations from married friends. Search on the internet and social media hashtags. And take advantage of coupons and seasonal sales !
- Your invitations don’t HAVE to be “wedding invitations.” There are tons of invitation types available and usually more specific themes will increase in price. Look around at regular event and party invites that can be personalized for a wedding invitation, instead of solely looking at things in “wedding” categories. Most of these items have a premium, just because the retailers can.
With love,
Girl with a Diamond Ring
GIRL WITH A DIAMOND RING 