The wedding stationary comes with many aspects besides just the wedding décor. Sending out RSVP and response cards, deciding where all your guests will sit, designing the wedding invitation, creating a menu and making place cards are all a part of the wedding stationary. This checklist will address all the aspects that are necessary in making a beautiful and overarching design that you can fit into these guest accommodations.
Whether you’re a fan of the chevron pattern or you want to show off your new letters in your name, the stationery will be what your guests will see on their invite cards and what they will be greeted with when they sit down for the reception. Having a design or pattern that is both eloquent and personal brings another dynamic to the overall aesthetics of your wedding.
It might seem simple, at initial take, but as you add more layers to your invite (fonts, embossing, stamping, typeface) it will become more difficult to find the optimal look so we’ve laid out what and how you should format your invite. The first line of the invitation should be for the host of the wedding, or who is funding the wedding, if the wedding is being funded by the couple then the host line can be omitted or if the wedding is funded by the parents of the couple you can list both parents’ names. The next two lines are where you will be requesting the attendance of the person who is receiving the invitation and informing them about what they are attending (e.g. “At the marriage of their daughter”) and the wording of these lines can match the formality of your wedding. The couples name, date and time, and the location of the wedding will be listed under the action line, or what it is that you’re inviting people to, followed by the reception line that will inform your guests on the events that are occurring after the ceremony.
Of course, the card suppliers who will print the invitation cards will also have templates you can use.
The RSVP cards should be mailed along with the invitation so that your guests receive the RSVP card with enough time to reply. Proper RSVP etiquette is an essential and helpful to step that is not only helpful for the host to finalize the guest list, but it is also helpful for the guests attending the wedding to plan accordingly. The meaning behind the inclusion of an RSVP with the invitation is to politely let the guests know that you, the host, are requesting their response as to whether they are attending or not. An RSVP should be sent at a specific time during the months leading up to the wedding, normally six to eight months is enough time for guests to secure their spot. The card should include the date in which the wedding is taking place on, a date that a response is expected to be due, a blank line where the guests will list the names of each member that will be attending, a line where the guests will simply report their reservation status (I.e. “will attend” or “will not attend”), as well as a selection of entrees for the guest to choose from. With a completed wedding guest list and design scheme you will be able to choose the wedding stationery that reflects your unique style.
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For guests who will be travelling to attend your wedding, out-of-state or in-state, an address of the church/reception venue/ceremony venue must be included in the stationery. If you know that some of your guests do not use GPS, you should provide directions as well. If you are planning on having a carpool lot that your guests will meet at instead of arriving to the actual venue, be sure to make this type of information clear. You will also want to accommodate your out-of-town guests with information on local bed and breakfasts.
Evening invitations are reserved for the guests that may be unable or did not make the final list to attend the ceremony. This invites guests to join the reception ceremony and the celebration only.
A layout of the floorplan including the table numbers and place cards should be available at the entrance of the reception for guests to know where they are to be seated. As you start to receive your RSVP cards, you can begin to create your seating plan with an organized guest list.
A menu card will inform the guests on what the selection of entrees will be ahead of time. This will provide information for the guests to align the meal they choose with their dietary choices. If you will be having a buffet style food choice catered or you are only providing appetizers, a menu card will not be necessary.