Invitations and wedding stationery can be a little intimidating, as it’s usually relies on not only information from other people and vendors, but CORRECT information from other people and vendors. Gathering physical, snail-mail addresses, head counts, to A/B list or not to A/B list… the list goes on. I’ve created a quick page of FAQs, helpful cheat sheets and templates that will streamline the process of ordering your invitations.
Templates + Cheat Sheets
Addressing tips
Address excel sheet
Address Word doc
(this is what you will need if you want Five Dot Design to print your mailing addresses)
Invitation Wording Suggestions
If you like the excel sheet, but need to use the Word doc for addresses : Delete the “Name + Address” column and change “Inner Envelope Name(s)” to “Guest Names” to keep track of your number of guests attending.
FAQ
How much should I budget for my wedding stationery?
A safe bet is to budget around 8% of your overall budget to your wedding stationery.
What information is essential on my Save the Dates?
Save the Dates are truly that : asking guests to block their calendar for your wedding. This is a great opportunity to provide travel and accommodation information (in the form of an insert or by providing a wedding website) and, more importantly, to show your personality! Your invitations will be more formal in nature, so have some fun with your Save the Dates. The best information to include is
- Couple’s Name (first and last if you don’t include a photo)
- Wedding Date
- Wedding Location (city and state work just fine)
- Wedding Website (at minimum, even if your site only has hotel information and the addresses of your venues)
- Accommodation/Travel insert (optional)
How many Save the Dates or Invitations should I order?
Invitations should be ordered based on number of households receiving an invitation and not number of guests. Most guests are paired off into couples or families. We then suggest you order 15%-20% over that amount to account for last minute invites, returned envelopes and/or mistakes while addressing your envelopes.
What in the world do I say on my invitations?!
Download the “Invitation Wording Suggestions” PDF you see up above the FAQ. If you’re still stumped on the best wording, feel free to email us.
Do I really need to include directions and accommodation information?
These are great pieces of information to provide your guests, but not essential to your invitation suite. Direction/Accommodation cards are handy for guests to take with them while traveling to the wedding to reference addresses and to assist in booking travel plans.
What is an envelope liner? Do I need one?
An envelope liner is a slip of text weight paper that slides in the envelope, covering the inside of the envelope and the inside of the envelope flap. It’s a great spot to add a pop of color or a complimentary pattern. As far as do you absolutely need one? No. Envelope liners are extra, pretty details.
What is an outer envelope and do I need one?
An outer envelope essentially becomes your mailing envelope and your original mailing envelope becomes your inner envelope. These two envelopes are used to distinguish who in the household is invited to your wedding. For instance, if you are inviting your Uncle Jimmy and Aunt Sue, you would address the outer envelope with “Mr. and Mrs. James and Susan Long” and the inner envelope would be labeled, “Jimmy and Sue” or “Uncle Jimmy and Aunt Sue” The inner envelope allows you to be less formal in addressing your guests.
What sort of etiquette do I need to know to address my envelopes?
Download the Addressing Tips PDF above the FAQ – will give you all the different ways to address each guests’ envelopes.
Do you offer calligraphy?
Yes! We work very closely with Marcardin Calligraphy. This service is subject to her availability, so please email me to find out if she’s able to assist you. This is a process we will handle for you and will bill you separately for this work. If Marcardin is booked, we have other calligraphers we can recommend!
I would really like my reception pieces like my programs, menu and place cards to all coordinate. Are you able to accommodate this for me?
We are! Though these pieces are not listed just yet, we’re happy to work with you on your reception pieces.
Once I order my save the dates or invitations from you, how long will it take for me to receive them?
Please allow 2-3 weeks from the time you send your approval email. If you have chosen to have your envelopes digitally printed, please allow 3-4 weeks.
I can’t wait that long! Is it possible to rush my order?
Yes! Just send us an email giving us the date you need your order in-hand and we’ll provide you with a “final order due” date.