Top 7 Wedding Invitation Mistakes to Avoid
Congrats! You’re engaged! After you’ve secured your wedding date and venue, it’s time to start thinking about invitations! In my opinion, this is one of the most fun parts of wedding planning. However, there’s a lot to coordinate from design to postage to etiquette, which means there’s a lot that can go wrong. The good news is that I’m going to tell you my top 7 wedding invitation mistakes to avoid so that you can send them out with confidence!
Mistake #1: Not proofreading the invitation more than once
Mistakes happen. Nobody’s perfect! But it’s essential to proofread your invitations more than once, and ideally to get more than one person to look them over! It’s easy to miss something especially when you are looking at it all the time. Pro tip: Looking at a printed copy of your invite is a good way to to help you notice any errors you might have missed before!
Mistake #2: Not clarifying who is invited
Whatever your stance on plus ones, children, and families, you need to make it clear on the invitations who is specifically invited. Typically, your outer envelope can be more generic (i.e. “The Smith Family”) while your inner envelope will list the specific names of those invited (i.e. “James and Georgia / Luke, Sadie, and Thomas” if the children are invited or just “James and Georgia” if the children are not invited). (Learn more about inner and outer envelopes here.) Whenever possible, try to get the name of plus ones rather than writing “and Guest” – although that is perfectly acceptable as well.
Mistake #3: Not providing RSVP instructions
Be sure to leave clear instructions regarding how they should RSVP and when they need to RSVP by. Neglecting this information causes confusion, unnecessary conversations, and may even affect the caterers. Your caterers will typically need to know 1-2 weeks in advance, so if you don’t get an accurate RSVP count by that time, then you may not be able to have enough food for your guests.
Mistake # 4: Including registry information on the invites
Whatever you do, never mention the words “gifts” or “registry” on your invitation. You are welcome to say “Head to [our wedding website] for more details and information,” but it’s impolite to state where you are registered directly on the invitation itself, as it looks like you are asking for gifts.
Mistake #5: Not using enough postage
Did you know that square envelopes require more than one stamp? Or that envelopes thicker than 0.25 inches also require more postage? Be sure to measure and weigh your fully assembled invitation beforehand so that you don’t get them sent back to you for insufficient postage! And, don’t forget to put a stamp on your reply card – it’s common courtesy to pay for your guests’ postage.
Mistake #6: Not ordering the right quantity of invitations
It may seem obvious thinking it through now, but don’t forget that you don’t need an invitation for every single person attending your wedding. Why not? Because invitation are sent to households, not individuals. So, make sure you don’t over order by ordering for each individual! On the flip side, you will want to order extra invitations to have on hand (I recommend 20% extra) for various reasons. Sometimes a guest changes their address, a mistake is made on an envelope, you realize you forgot to invite a very important person, etc. Again, mistakes happen! And that’s okay. So prepare for them by ordering extra.
Mistake #7: Using pre-printed mailing labels
Invitations set the tone for your wedding, and you’ll want them to reflect how special and unique this event is! Printing labels is an easy way to get out of hand addressing all your envelopes, but I assure you, it will not do your wedding justice! Of course, as a calligrapher, I am biased, but I would encourage you to consider hiring a calligrapher to address your envelope. This gives your guests the special treatment they deserve, and I guarantee they will remember and save those envelopes, and with them the invitations! Check out this post to learn more about the benefits of hiring a calligrapher!
Are you considering hiring a wedding calligrapher?
I’d love to see if we’d be a good fit! Learn more about my custom wedding calligraphy services or hit the button below to schedule a FREE consultation! Even if we don’t work together, don’t forget to download my FREE Wedding Stationery & Sign Guide to help you keep track of all your stationery & sign needs for your wedding!
