You have booked your venue and decided on the style of your wedding? Now you can begin thinking about your stationery and define your exact needs. How important is that? Living in an era that any visual message is so powerful, the wedding invitation automatically becomes a very important element of your wedding. It is actually part of the couple’s aesthetic signature that sets the tone to the whole event rather than a consumable item for operational use only.
Let’s first define the stationery needs for a wedding:
- Save- the- Date cards. They are a must if the wedding takes place at a destination that guests need to be noted several months in advance in order to book their flights and accommodation. Nowadays, it may seem more practical to be sent out via email, however the traditional way is still much appreciated.
- Invitation cards. This is the place that will announce the ‘who’, ‘what’, ‘when’ and ‘where’ information.
- Envelopes. They should be matching with the invitation cards in terms of color, design and paper quality.
- Reception cards. A small enclosure with the party details, reception style and dress code information- an optional choice, since the reception information can be included in the invitation cards.
- Maps. They should be considered in case of a destination wedding, a remote venue location or if the guests are not familiar with the area.
- Accommodation cards. Very useful, especially for destination weddings, that may include information about the hotels in the area and transportation options.
- Reply cards. They usually come with a stamped envelope inside the invitation envelope so that guests can reply in written whether they will be attending the reception or not. Reply cards are not within the Greek wedding traditions, as RSVP is done through phone giving the opportunity to the guests to have a chat with the families and give their wishes before the wedding.
A Matter Of Style
Just in the same way you plan to invest certain time and energy in order to choose your wedding decoration and flowers, your bridal dress and styling, your wedding cake and play list for the party, you should also dedicate time to research on the right design and printing services for your invitations. Every detail, from the phrasing to the font and the printing process as well as the type of paper to the lay out and the colors, should contribute in giving your guests a first glimpse of what to expect. Choosing your invitations and every detail related to that is actually one of the first decisions you will need to make for your wedding. Discuss with your potential designers about your wedding vision, make a shortlist of your sources of inspiration and browse various samples before you make your final choice. Do you plan a wedding with a modern touch? Then opt for vivid colors, dare an unconventional pre-wedding photo session and prepare your guests for an amusing party. Would you rather go for a more traditional, romantic ceremony? Then choose a pastel palette and find an elegant illustration design that fits the total concept. Whatever your wedding style is- formal, nature inspired, rustic, island style, by the sea or destination- try to achieve a custom-made result and avoid the mainstream preset templates. It’s YOUR unique wedding, after all!
What About The Content?
The invitation should combine a concrete message with all the necessary practical information along with a touch of your personal voice as a couple. Keep in mind that the recipients must know who the invitation is coming from (the couple or their parents), when and where the ceremony and the reception will take place and the basic accommodation info for those who are going to travel in order to attend the event. For practical reasons, consider creating also a webpage or a secret facebook page dedicated to your wedding, so that every update will be communicated to all your guests.
How To Choose Your Design
First of all, you should decide or discuss with your wedding planner about the overall style you envision for your wedding. Your invitation can be a means of communicating to your guests the type of wedding that will follow and show your style. The wedding concept must be clear and concrete, so that guests get a feeling of the event to expect. Pick a motif that will match the character of the event, choose the printing process that will best represent your personality (letterpress, engraving, flat printing, thermography), apply your wedding color palette, consider calligraphy and add some special elements like die-cutting or wax seal for the envelopes. Don’t forget that small details do all the difference and make your event stand out, so consider a few options beyond invites like escort cards, place cards, menus, wedding programs, table numbers and thank you cards.
Some Useful Tips About Addressing the Envelopes
Eventhough you have addressed an envelope before, sending wedding invitations is a little different as some rules need to be followed. For example, when you address the envelope to a married couple, you would use ‘Mr. and Mrs. x,. If you are addressing it to a couple with different last names (whether they are married or not), the male’s name must be first if it is a Greek couple, whereas the female’s name goes first if it is an American couple. How about children? If you address the envelope to ‘Family x’, then children are invited, as well. If you plan to exclude children, then you may consider friends and relatives to spread the news.
At Style Concept we collaborate with a team of selected and talented design professionals that specialize in bringing into life your wedding vision.
Moreover, we stay close to you during the entire wedding planning procedure by listening to your dreams and needs and proposing what suits best to your wedding concept.
Don’t hesitate to contact us in order to help you put your vision in print!
Photo Credits: MarthaStewartWeddings.com (left image) & Style Concept Collection (right image)