1. QUANTITY

You may think that the amount of guests coming equates to the amount of invites needed, but remember you’re only going to need one invite per couple or household.

It might sound obvious, but this can often be overlooked.

It’s also a good idea to get a few extra just in case you have forgotten someone, you have made a mistake on your envelopes (if you handwrite them) OR you want to keep one for yourself as a keepsake.

2. DESIGN

Nothing ruins an invite quite like over-designing it.

This can be anything from including more than 2 fonts, too having many colours, being overzealous with your embellishments or trying to squeeze a lot of information into a small space.

Have a clear idea of what your wedding day vibe is about, stick to 1-3 colours and avoid going into a diamanté frenzy!

If you have a lot of information, adding a separate ‘Details’ card is best and can include: RSVP, Dress code, Gift, Accommodation, Transportation, Map.

3. MATERIALS & PRINTING

Whether you’re doing the printing yourself or taking a design to a print shop, there are a couple of things you need to do first.

Discuss with a print shop first what they require. Some may let you bring in your own card stock, some won’t.  

If you’re printing the design yourself, be familiar with your own printer. All printers are different and some might only have the capacity to print on thin paper and not be able to print on card at all.

Colours print differently than they look on screen & between various printers, so always test it first.

4. INCORRECT INFO

This sounds really obvious but is very common! Proofread for spelling errors.

If you’ve spent the past few hours staring at your design, you’re probably so used to it that you might not spot them yourself. Get a few other people to read it – your partner, parents or bridal party – they are much more likely to pick up on errors with fresh eyes.

It’s always a good idea to get a sample printed before the final order – you’d be surprised what you miss from the screen!

Main inclusions: Your Names, Date, Venue, Time.

5. PRODUCTION

Regardless of whether you’re making the invites yourself or not, you need to allow plenty of time for this process.

Planning well in advance ensures they get sent out by the deadline you intend to send them on. 

You need to consider the design itself, the print production time-frame, plus how long it will take to assemble.

You should be sending your invites out no less than 3 months before your wedding. No less than 1 month for RSVP which is approx 1 month before your wedding.