Common Wedding Invitation Mistakes
Creating wedding invitations is an exciting process, as you solidify the details of your special day. However, setting this information in stone is also daunting. Once you mail out your invitations, there are no do-overs, meaning you need to get it right the first time. Keep reading to learn about the most common mistakes couples’ make when designing their wedding invitations. Hopefully it will help you avoid them!
Going Overboard on the Design
When it comes to designing your wedding invitations, keep in mind that less is more. While there is no harm in using vibrant colors or patterns and so on, remember that the purpose of an invitation is to deliver important information. Many times, brides and grooms get lost in the joy of designing and end up distracting from this information. It shouldn’t be a strain on the eyes!
Incorrect Start Time
One of the most important and commonly incorrect pieces of information on wedding invitations, is the start time. Wedding guests tend to arrive early, often up to thirty minutes. This is great as you want to ensure that everyone is seated well before you walk down the aisle. However, couples often opt to list an earlier time than the actual start date, assuming people will be late. In doing so, you will actually leave your guests waiting much longer than they had anticipated.
Grammar and Spelling
Even if you believe yourself to be a top notch editor, it never hurts to have an extra pair of eyes look over your work. When it comes to a wedding invitation, there should be no mistakes. It would be incredibly embarrassing, not to mention offensive, if you were to accidentally misspell your fiance’s last name. A wrong letter or number in the location for either the ceremony or reception can seriously throw grandma for a loop.
Out of Place Information
A wedding invitation is meant to be formal and straight to the point. Don’t try to fluff it up with unnecessary information, or try to save money by forgoing the accompanying stationary – instead opt for online invitations. Templates for the content of a wedding invite are easy to find online, so stick to it. Going off script will add clutter and make finding the important bits a chore.
Sending Invitations Too Late
In the late stages of wedding planning, things can slip through the cracks. It’s only human! However, we urge you to be diligent in sending out your wedding invitations. For a non-destination, they should be mailed out eight weeks from your wedding date. This allows plenty of time for delivery, as well as delivery issues, returning RSVPs, and making travel arrangements. Any later and you could be setting yourself up for disappointment in terms of attendees.
Not Putting a Stamp on the RSVP Envelopes
Purchasing and applying the stamps to the RSVP envelopes for your guests is simple wedding etiquette. Not doing so adds an extra step to the return process, meaning many of your guests may put it off until it is too late. This leads to preventable last minute phone calls and potentially serious issues with vendors who need a tentative head count. Do your guests and yourself a favor, and pay for the stamps.
Not Clarifying Who the Invitation Extends To
A pet peeve of many former brides and grooms, is the appearance of unwanted or uninvited wedding guests. To prevent this occurrence and the accompanying frustration, be sure to clarify who the invitation is directed to, and who it is not. Do not rely on who it is addressed to. Instead, in the space that you leave blank for the number of guests, write an ‘X’ for guests who you are not allowing a plus one. For example, a close family of five will receive an RSVP with a blank space. Your distant cousin who you haven’t seen or spoken to in years will receive an RSVP with an ‘X’. It’s that simple!
At Pine Lake Ranch, we are proud to offer couples’ space for both their ceremony and reception. In doing so, we not only make your lives easier, but that of your guests as well. With only one destination to locate, arranging travel accommodations is more simple and affordable. Should you need to clarify the directions to our venue on your wedding invitations, as it is relatively remote, we are glad to assist you in doing so. To learn more about the other perks of our beautiful venue, contact us today to book a tour. Hurry, availability is limited!