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Developing your perfect wedding can sometimes be a struggle.
Not only are you preparing to enter into a new phase of
life with your fiancé but you are joining two families
together as well; two families that may have very different
ideas about what your wedding should be. In the midst of
all the planning and decisions that must be made. Be sure
to make time to focus on one of the first and most important
items that should be checked off the list: your invitations.
Determining the number of people you can realistically
afford to invite and attend your wedding is actually the
first step to starting the invitation process. Your attendance
number will greatly affect the cost of your special day
and is crucial to establishing and maintaining a realistic
budget. Keep in mind that not everyone you invite will attend
and that some will want to bring a date. Factor both types
of people into your attendance numbers, being most careful
to consider the “plus ones”, as they could easily
double your attendance if they are not included in your
headcount. A strategy for handling this dilemma is expanded
upon later in the RSVP section.
Once you have a feel for the number of guests that you
would like to attend, the next step is to send Save the
Date cards. These should go out shortly after the wedding
date is set, and preferably after the location is confirmed,
to prevent any changes. Save the Date announcements notify
your guests of the date of your wedding in a way that does
not require you to spell out all the details that you may
not have determined quite yet. Furthermore, they are a common
courtesy and have become proper etiquette for the wedding
invitation process. As people get busier, save the date
cards allow them to pencil in the date of your wedding and
keep that date and time free of any conflicts.
Once the Save the Date cards are out, it is time to develop
the actual invitation. Invitations reflect your wedding
style, the event as a whole, and your expectations for the
day. A good invitation will outline all the details and
times of the event as well as provide information about
proper attire. Strive to send these out to your guests with
as much time in advance as your schedule will allow. You
will need to carefully address the invitations, keeping
in mind the number of people you want to attend. Including
an RSVP card is a critical portion of the invitation because
it will confirm an accurate headcount of who will be attending
and allow you to plan the seating arrangement if your event
is that formal. Etiquette suggests if you invite a friend
you know they will want to bring a significant other; include
their name on the invitation as well or provide a place
for the guest to write in plus one.
Lastly, in the invitation you will want to include any
supplemental items such as maps with directions to your
wedding and reception or lodging suggestions for your out
of town guests. Don’t forget the details that will
help make this a smooth and pleasurable event for all of
your friends and family.
With a little planning, sticking to proper wedding etiquette
and staying on schedule, your special day will be as wonderful
as you’d hoped and dreamed. |
