Wandering Events

When looking at wedding photos, one that is always aesthetically pleasing is the flat-lay, detail shot, usually composed of your wedding invitation suite, maybe your beautiful wedding shoes, perfume, or your sparkling rings! The invitation suites are an eye-catching touch, but what all goes into an invitation suite anyways?! In this post we will be breaking down a wedding suite.

Between the paper, the postage, and anything else you might decide to include, the cost of invitations adds up quickly, so start with your BUDGET! Decide how much you have allotted to spend on invitations and tally up how many invitations you will need based on your guest count. Doing this will help give you an accurate idea of how much you can spend per invitation suite!

Photo: Ashley Ice, Stationary: grey meets gold

Necessary parts of an invitation suite include:

Wedding invitation

As the most important piece of an invitation suite, the official invitation will give your guests the details of your big day, including the bride and groom’s names, the date, time, location, and required attire!

Envelope

The envelope holds all the pieces of the invitation suite. The outside of the envelope will have the guests’ names and addresses either hand-written, written by a calligrapher, or printed on the outside of the envelope. Make sure to also include a return address in the top left-hand corner and a stamp in the top right!

Postage

This is one of the most overlooked pieces of the puzzle when it comes to creating and sending wedding invitations. Jump in the car and head to your local post office with a completed invitation suite in hand. You can have it weighed at the post office to make sure you have adequate postage on your invitations. You can also browse their selection of stamps at the post office to find one that matches your suite aesthetic.

RSVP Card

This card allows your guests to respond to your invitation and let you know if they will be able to join in the celebration. Include a deadline to ensure you have a proper count for your vendors. If you have options for meals, this is a perfect place to ask for that information as well. Make sure to include a pre-addressed envelope with postage for your guests to conveniently respond to your invitation!

If you wish not to include the RSVP card and return postage, you can opt for a card that directs your guests to a wedding website where they can RSVP. If you choose to go this route, make sure to keep in mind your guests, who may not be as tech-savvy.

Pro-Tip: Write a number on the back of your invitations that correlate with numbers for your guest list, so if you have any RSVP cards returned without a name, you will know who sent them!

Some fun extra add-ins to complete your invitation suite include (but are not limited to):

Reception Card

The reception card indicates to your guest what to expect following the ceremony! This is especially helpful if your reception is being held somewhere different from the ceremony location or requiring a different formality level.

Accommodations

If most of your guests are traveling from out of town, it is a nice touch to add accommodation options. Include one or two lodging options as well as details about transportation to and from the venue.

Weekend Events/Local Things To Do

If your wedding festivities span a few days, it is a good idea to give your guests a timeline of the activities. If your guests have downtime between wedding festivities, you can include recommendations for local places to visit, including coffee shops, boutiques, restaurants, bars, dance halls, etc. Your guests will appreciate the extra time and attention you spend to make sure they have a clear timeline of activities as well as ideas to make the most of their trip!

Belly Band

A belly band is a gorgeous addition to your wedding invitation suite that holds everything together. This can be a piece of silk ribbon with a jewel to clasp it together or a piece of paper with a custom wax seal. Adding a belly band is just one more way to make your invitation more personalized and beautiful!

Map

While most of us use our phones to get directions to a venue, it is helpful to include a map so your guests can pinpoint exactly where to enter, where to park, and even surrounding landmarks and streets. If you have decided to include an insert that gives your guests local places to visit, if any of them are close enough to the venue, you could include those on the map as well!

While there are endless options to choose from when creating your wedding invitation suite, don’t forget to have fun with it! This is one more way to let your creativity and personality shine through! So, while you need to include the necessary information for your guests, don’t be afraid to think out of the box and show your style!