You know who you are. Officeworks sends you into a gleeful frenzy. Your desk drawers at work are a colourful playground of post-it notes, highlighters, heart-shaped paperclips and cutesy to-do lists. If this all sounds very familiar, then welcome to the best part of planning your wedding!! That’s right stationery geeks – it’s time to talk wedding invitations.
Canberra’s amazing wedding vendors offer a cornucopia of all things stationery. But before you head into their cave of treasures, let’s talk the when, how and what of all things wedding invitations.
There are several factors which will influence your decision on when to send your wedding invites out.
If you are having a destination wedding or guests will need to travel or stay overnight to attend, we recommend allowing as much time as possible so that no one misses out on this shindig. Likewise, if your wedding falls on a long weekend or takes place during school holidays (or any other time when people tend to plan holidays), it pays to let people know as far in advance as you can that they need to Save-The-Date. Aim for at least 6 months’ notice – but up to 12 months is not uncommon, given that Australian families tend to plan holidays quite far in advance!
If your wedding is at an easy to reach venue in or around Canberra, and your guests are all local, then you can get away with less lead time. Three months’ notice is probably suitable for weddings where guests will not need to factor in overnight accommodation or unusual transport arrangements. In this case, a Save-The-Date is not necessary, you can simply send your wedding invitations out 12 weeks prior to the event.
At an absolute minimum, your guests should receive the actual wedding invites at least 8 weeks before your wedding day.
One of the biggest decisions Canberra couples face when it comes to their wedding invitations is whether to go digital, or have hard copies printed.
Of course, there are a number of advantages to going with electronic invitations – they’re more affordable, take less organisation to send out in a timely manner, and RSVP’s can be managed with the click of a button. However, for guests who aren’t tech-savvy, an electronic invitation may be confusing. And let’s face it, getting an email alert is nowhere near as special as receiving a beautifully designed piece of stationery in the post.
Call us old-fashioned, but the team at Weddings of Canberra simply can’t resist the beauty of a paper invite. A custom designed invitation sets the tone for your wedding and creates a sense of anticipation for this wonderful event. Guests will admire your eye-catching invitation every time they open the fridge (because really, is there any other place to keep invitations?), ensuring your wedding stays front-of-mind in the months leading up to the event.
Are you one of those incredibly talented crafty folks who can knit, draw and have beautiful cursive handwriting? If you are, then making your own wedding invitations probably sounds like a super fun creative exercise. But for some people (including the team at WOC!), the idea of designing, creating and writing out 80+ wedding invites is a task left purely to the professionals. What can we say? We fear papercuts.
The good news is that regardless of how much (or little) creative control you want to have over the process, a specialist stationer can save you a ton of time and doesn’t have to be super expensive.
Having an designer means that your invitations, gift registry card and any other signage you need (such as menus, place cards etc) can all be done in one place and with the same design elements. Plus, a stationer can print the names and addresses of your guests on invites and envelopes, which means that no one will have to try and read your awful handwriting (last in class to get your pen license? We hear ya!).
Obviously, there are a few key logistical details that every wedding invitation should include, such as:
If you are having a gift registry, you may prefer to include these details on a separate slip of paper, so it doesn’t look as though you’re more concerned with pressies than with your guest’s presence. And if you find the whole gift thing a wee bit awkward, you can always ask one of your bridal party to communicate registry or wishing well details. Any other information which you would like to communicate (transport logistics, accommodation options near your venue etc) can also be provided separately.
If there is one thing you can rely on when it comes to wedding invites, it’s that there are ALWAYS a few people who forget to RSVP. Follow the golden rules of all good wedding planners:
Firstly, you need to set a deadline for RSVP’s that will allow you to finalise catering and event hire numbers in good time. Check with your wedding vendors to see when they need you to confirm final numbers. Depending on how (un)reliable your friends and family are, being this date forward by one or two weeks so that you’ve got time to wrangle replies and still meet your vendors deadlines. When asking guests to RSVP don’t forget to request any dietary requirements or allergies.
Secondly, make it as easy as possible for your guests (so they don’t have any excuses!) – include a stamped card they simply have to fill out, or better yet, include a link to your wedding website so they can RSVP with a click of a button. Check guests off your list as they RSVP so you know exactly which stragglers to chase as the deadline to RSVP approaches.
So, now that you’re across wedding invitation etiquette, it’s time to start checking out our amazing designers and stationers! Whether you are looking for something dramatic and bold, or a more subtle and classic approach, our team of Canberra wedding stationers will work with you to create beautiful wedding invitations to complement your unique style.
For more help in planning your wedding, check out our handy 12-month guideline and start browsing our awesome Canberra wedding vendors. When you’ve made your shortlist, get in touch with vendors directly. You can save notes, quotes and more in our handy planning section online.
