Wedding invitations come in all sorts of shapes and sizes...they can be colorful or traditional...whimsical or classic...casual or elegant...the choices are unlimited! Typically wedding invitations are the first items your guests will be receiving to your upcoming nuptials so remember they should set the tone for your event. They should give your guests a sneak peak to what is to come.
If you are ready to start shopping for invitations, here are few questions to ask yourself before walking into a stationery store and a few helpful hints:
- How many households are you mailing invitations to?
It is very expensive to order more invitations so get the quantity right on the initial order.
- What is your invitation budget? On average, we tell our clients $10 per set. A set includes an invitation, reception card, response card, response envelope and an outer envelope with return address. Invitations can cost much more than the average but it is a great starting point. Items that increase an invitation cost are paper quality, multiple paper layers, accents such as ribbon, printing method, etc.
- Discuss with your Fiancé prior to the meeting about the wording for your invitation. An invitation invites your guests to your wedding but the question is...who is inviting your guests? The Bride's Parents? Both sets of Parents? Just the Bride and Groom? Or everyone? Traditionally the person(s) inviting is the person(s) paying for the wedding but contemporary weddings are evolving from years past so traditional invitation etiquette does not always fit in today's society. So it is important to discuss the wording with the important planning members prior to ordering so the right choice is made.
- What additional information do you want to tell your guests? Do you have room blocks set-up? Is there guest transportation? Is there a helpful map or directions to the ceremony and reception?
- When finalizing your response card wording, remember to think about your dinner reception...are you offering a choice entrée? Do you need to ask about dietary restrictions? Are kid's invited? Is your single friend invited with a guest? A great item to include on the response card is "number of persons attending."
- Always receive a proof for every piece
- Stationery stores have different lead times for invitation orders...I would recommend to start thinking about your invitations 5 to 6 months prior to the wedding.
- Invitations are mailed, according to traditional ettiquette, 6-8 weeks prior to the wedding. If your wedding is a destination or holiday weekend wedding and you have not mailed Save the Dates, I would recommend 10 weeks prior to the wedding.
A few collections that we carry are:
Checkerboard, BT Elements, Monique Lhuillier, Encore Studios,
Carlson Craft, McPhersons, Paper Duvet, and more!
Please let me know if you have any questions. Have fun! Enjoy the process! Mailing your invitations is an unbelievable feeling...it makes everything that you have planned and worked on for months the ultimate reality that the big day is just around the corner!
As a wedding planner, I typically love all things wedding...from movies to books to TV specials, we like to see how "Hollywood" depicts the planning process and the wedding itself. Who could forget Father of the Bride or The Wedding Planner?! Both classics with a different spin on what exactly the "wedding planner" takes care for the clients. At a recent final meeting with one of my May clients, my client raved about a book series she is reading; Nora Roberts, The Bride Quartet. She has read the first two books of the series and has absolutely loved them! The story involves four childhood friends that own a wedding planning company together. Each book highlights one of the four women, their love life and their career...Photographer, Florist, Caterer and Wedding Planner/Business Manager. So to those that are not famliar with the book series, check it out! It sounds like a great read especially now that we are in wedding season! Enjoy!
The 2010 Wedding Walk has come and gone but was once again a huge success! Brides visited downtown Hinsdale from all over Chicago and surrounding suburbs. They were delighted to receive great goodies from all of the vendors along with informative information to assist in the planning of their big day. 25 lucky brides walked away with fabulous raffle prizes donated from the various businesses! One extremely lucky bride was given one of the best gifts a bride could receive...a honeymoon to Riviera Maya courtesy of Viking Travel, Funjet Vacations and Classic Vacations. I was honored to make the call to the lucky bride and I can tell you she was very ecstatic to be the big winner of the day! Congratulations to all the brides! 
