Pre-Invitation Order Checklist
So you’ve researched your options and gathered all the necessary information, and you know what you want. Now it’s time to sit down and place your order. Before you send your invitations to print, there are a few more questions you’ll want to consider.
Consider the following and have your answers on hand before beginning the order process:
1. Which wedding invitations are you going to order? Click here
2. Which enclosures do you need? Click here
3. Which colors will you be using?
4. What typestyle do you like best?
5. What printing process are you going to use? Click here
6. How many invitations do you need? Click here
7. Do you have all your wedding day information on-hand? (Location, Time, etc.)?
8. What wording do you prefer? Click here
How Many Wedding Invitations to Order
Here’s where you’ll have to do some calculations. Once you can determine exactly how many invitations you will need, play it safe and order extra. Wedding invitations are generally sold in quantities of 20 or 25. We recommend rounding up and, for example, ordering 150 invitations if you have estimated you’ll need 123. In this example, ordering 125 will only leave you with 2 extras…not much of a safety net. From our experience, the following situations frequently demand backup invitations:
The mailing gets sent back to you with the wrong address and you need to resend
Some invitations get lost in the mail and need to be resent
You add someone to your guest list at last minute
You send copies to yourself to see how long the mailing takes
You want copies for scrapbooks or your wedding album
How can I estimate how many wedding invitations I’ll need?
If you have to order your invitations before your guest list is complete, you’ll need to do some estimating. Here are some guidelines:
Married couples and families only need one invitation
Children over the age of 18 should receive their own invitation
Friends living in the same house together should each receive their own invitation.
Do I need to order extra envelopes for my wedding invitations?
Especially if you are choosing to address envelopes by hand, it’s wise to order plenty of extra envelopes. Save yourself the additional hassle that comes from making errors to names or addresses and running out of matching envelopes to make necessary corrections.
When and How to Order Your Invitations
If you haven’t already done so, start browsing wedding invitations or announcements to get a feel for the styles that appeal to you. Save anything that catches your eye in your My Own Gatsby folder.
The next step is to review the items you’ve chosen, and get an idea of what each invitation and coordinating items will cost per person. Take that number and multiply it by the estimated number of guests on your guest list. Now you’ll have a good idea of what the total costs for each of your chosen options will be and you’ll be one step closer to deciding which combination of items is right for you.
How much of my budget should I spend on my invitations?
Of course this is a very personal decision and the answer will be different for every bride. A good rule of thumb is to create a list of priorities for your wedding and start there. Is your cake more important the dress? Is the dress more important than the flowers? Figuring out where your invitations fall on this list of priorities will help you as you make you decision.
In our experience, brides can expect to spend between 2-5% of their total budgets on invitation basics (the basics include the wedding invitation itself, the inner and outer envelopes, response card with envelope, and reception card).
If you believe, like we do, that the wedding invitation is an important priority because it sets the tone for your event, you will want to take that into consideration and increase the percentage of budget you are looking to spend.
Don’t forget to consider additional items like direction cards and maps. There are also additional options like ink color and envelope lining that will help set your invitation apart. If you are interested in these fun and elegant options, you’ll want to increase your budget. While you’re at it, you will want to consider the other printed paper products you’ll need, such as Thank You cards, seating cards, and more. Having all your paper products printed at the same time by the same printer will save you time and ensure everything is consistent in style and quality.
When should I order my wedding invitations?
You’ll probably want to work backwards to figure this out. Traditionally, wedding invitations should be sent about six weeks before the date of the wedding. You’ll want to order the invitations as far in advance of this date as possible in order to allow plenty of time for assembly and addressing. Do yourself a big favor and get your mailing list in order now. This will save you lots of time when it comes to addressing and getting them in the mail! If you’re like most brides, you’ll find that you get busier and busier as your big day approaches. The sooner you can decide on your invitations, get them ordered, and get them sent, the sooner you can check this important element off your list of To Do’s!
