There are lots of things to think about when deciding upon your wedding invitations. In fact, there may be some things that you didn’t even know about yet! Here at The Watermark, we are in love with the history and details of how invitations have evolved over the years. And we are more than happy to answer your questions and help guide you in deciding exactly what needs to be included so that your guests are not only able to understand all of the important information, but also get truly excited for your event!

Below we have summarized the history and purpose of an invitation and all of the additional pieces that may be included. Read on to see what YOU will need!

1. The Invitation:
The invitation is really the centerpiece of…. your invitation! It is the piece that announces to your guests what the occasion is, who is hosting, the date, time, location and any other vital details. Your invitation should be a reflection of the style and formality of your event.
Having a barefoot beach wedding? Then perhaps a more casually worded, textural piece would suit your needs. Maybe instead you’re having a black tie, evening affair? Then a more formal, engraved invitation might be your style. Either way, the invitation is really what sets the tone not only for the rest of the pieces included in the envelope, but for the event itself. Typically, a wedding invitation is an invitation to the wedding only… as in, the ceremony. Read on to find out if you need a reception card as well.

2. Reception Card:
If your wedding reception is in the same location as the ceremony, you do not need a separate reception card. Instead you can include the words “Dinner and Dancing to follow” or “Reception immediately to follow” or some version of that. However, if your reception is in a different location, it merits its own invitation of sorts on a reception card. Wording for this might be something like, “Please join us for a celebration following the ceremony” with the time and location below.

3. Response Card or R.S.V.P. Card:
It may surprise you to find out that response cards are somewhat of a new trend. In past years, when an invitation was sent out the invitee would get out his or her own stationery to write a note to the host on whether or not they would be able to attend the event. However, as the practice of using personalized stationery decreased, event hosts found a solution in providing the paper, envelope and stamp for the the guests to use in their response. (Anyone who receives an invitation should look at the response card as a courtesy extended to them and reply with it as quickly as possible so the host can know how many to prepare for.) Response cards can include such information as how many in your party are attending, their names, and even what meal they would prefer. Response card deadlines (which really shouldn’t be necessary at all since a guest should respond as soon as they receive their invitation) are typically scheduled two to three weeks before the event to allow for follow ups and getting a head count to the caterer.

4. Accommodations Card:
This card is mainly used when a host is expecting a large number of out-of-town guests that will require accommodations during their stay. Typically, this means that the host or hosts will reserve a block of rooms under their name at a nearby hotel and include that information on the card. (Sometimes, because of the large amount of rooms that will be reserved, the hotel will include a discount of some sort.) It is important to include the date that your guests will need to reserve their rooms by, as the hotel will most likely open up any unreserved rooms to other guests a week before.

5. Directions Card:
This card is really only necessary if your wedding or reception is taking place in a particularly difficult to find location. Because we are in the age of googlemaps and GPSes, a simple street address with the town name will usually do the trick. However, this card is something to consider if you have many guests that are unfamiliar with the area or the venue is difficult to find.

6. Inner Envelope:
Have you ever received an invitation that had TWO envelopes? Well, that actually used to be standard practice, believe it or not. Years ago, when invitations were delivered by hand (by footmen!), the hosts would place the invitation in an outer envelope that was meant to protect it from the dirt and dust that would occur from handling and travel. Once the invitation reached its intended destination, the outer envelope would be removed and the inner envelope with the invitation inside would be presented to the head of the household. These days, this still holds some practicality. Even though we do not have footmen delivering our invitations, envelopes can sometimes get quite roughed up in the mail. An outer envelope shields your beautiful invitation until it reaches its intended receiver. Another item to note, is that typically the outer invitation is addressed with the formal titles of each guest while the inner one can have more familiar titles.

7. Envelope Liner:
An envelope liner is typically a colored or patterned piece of paper that coordinates with the invitation and is laid on the inside of an inner envelope. The exciting presentation that occurs when opening an inner envelope, seeing the beautiful liner, and pulling out an exquisitely coordinated invitation is actually very exciting! It tells the guest that they have been invited to a very special event and that the host is taking every step possible to make sure that this event will be one to remember.

8. Tissue:
Tissue was typically included with invitations years ago when inks took much, much longer to dry. Laying a delicate tissue on top of the invitation protected the ink from smudging or getting on other invitation pieces during travel. These days, tissue can still be included in your invitation as a formality, but the practicality of it is gone as inks dry much faster and are very unlikely to smudge.

Whew! Well, that was a lot of information, but we hope you found it useful in deciding what is necessary for you and your guests. We have a passion for invitations and stationery and would love to help YOU find what is right for your wedding or event. We’d love to answer any questions you may have! Call us today to set up your appointment!

P.S. Click here for more information on how to budget for your invitations and here to see how you can prepare for your invitation appointment!

Pretty much everyone these days has a budget for their wedding. (And being a saver myself, I applaud them!) However, getting married for the first time (or even the second) can sometimes be an overwhelming experience with costs that you may not have thought of… And why would you have? It’s not like you’ve done this before!

So here is a little breakdown of what to think about when budgeting for your wedding invitations. Sure, your wedding invitation is “just a piece of paper”…but it is the piece of paper that is really going to set the tone and give your guests their first insight into what your big day will be like. Have you ever received a sloppy invitation in the mail? Or {GASP} an evite? How excited do you get for that event? Usually, not much. Alternatively, have you ever received a well done, put together, beautiful invitation suite with your name handwritten on the front? What’s your reaction then? What are your expectations of those events? It changes drastically depending on the invitation, doesn’t it!

Anyway, take a look at the pointers below and hopefully, you’ll feel a little more prepared to choose an invitation you love, at a price that works. ♥

1. Price per Invitation: Sounds easy right? Well, it gets a little more complicated than people think. So many people ask, “How much does this invitation cost?” And the answer can be several different prices. It depends on HOW MANY you are ordering. Invitation companies typically decrease the price per invitation as the quantity of invitations increases. (That’s why it’s a good idea to know approximately how many invitations you’ll need before coming to your appointment. Read more tips on how to be prepared here.)

2. Pieces (also known as Inserts): These are the little “extras” that sometimes come with an invitation. Back in the day, invitations were truly just that: an invitation. These days however, you might include reception cards, response cards, accommodation cards, directions, inner envelopes, envelope liners and more. Each additional piece that you add to your invitation suite will increase the cost slightly. It all depends on what will make most sense for your wedding and your guests. (See our post here for a breakdown on what each of these pieces is for and why you might need it.)

2. Proofs: A proof is sort of a preview of your invitation. Because we can customize so many of our invitations with different paper colors, inks, fonts, and more… getting a proof allows you to “see” what your invitation will look like and allow you to make any changes before actually getting them printed. Although a proof typically costs between $7 and $22 dollars, the more proofs you get, the more that price will be multiplied. However, this cost will be worth it when you get an invitation back that is exactly what you wanted. (And not have to send out corrections after the fact. Yikes!)

Now that you have a little more knowledge about what goes into ordering invitations, we hope you stop by soon! We are always more than happy to answer any other questions you might have and talk you through the process while showing you some beautiful invitations that are sure to match your vision.  Call today to make your appointment!