Whether it was through your Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Snapchat, save the date or good ol’ fashioned shouting it from the rooftops, everyone knows you’re getting married. You’ve booked your Crest Hollow venue, and now it’s time to hire a photographer, pick centerpieces and make all the other decisions that go into a wedding—but first thing’s first: You need to know just how many guests you’ll have.
Follow these six tips before dropping your wedding invites into the mailbox:
1. Set your wedding’s tone.
Your invites aren’t only an efficient way to let people know when and where you’ll be getting married, but they also let guests know what kind of wedding you’re having. Design your invites to coordinate with your wedding colors and formality (or lack thereof!), your guests will know what attire is proper and whether they can expect a classic and chic, or casual and laid-backed, celebration.
2. Include the day, not just the date.
Whether it’s because you’re tight on space, you like the way it looks, or you plain forgot, it’s always a good idea to put the day of the week on your invites. You chose the day carefully and have likely been thinking of nothing else since then, but that doesn’t mean your guests will consult their calendar for something that’s months away. Putting the day of the week on the invite will alert them of any conflicts that need to be remedied, like taking the day off work or booking a babysitter—particularly if you have a weekday wedding.
3. Make RSVP’ing quick and simple.
Now more than ever, it’s important to make your wedding easy to RSVP to. If you’re requesting a physical RSVP, it’s good form to include a self-addressed, stamped envelope for convenience. Or, you may want to go a more modern (and environmentally friendly) route with an easy e-RSVP—just make sure you set up a system to keep the guest list organized!
4. Don’t assume one stamp will suffice.
Depending on the cardstock and whether you’re including an RSVP envelope or other additions, the price to mail your invites can range greatly. Visit your local post office to have them weigh a sample invite, so you know the postage cost—or better yet, mail them in person. If you don’t, you may come home to 200 insufficient-postage surprises.
5. Request they be “hand canceled.”
“Canceling” is the marking of a stamp to ensure it’s not used again, and is done by running envelopes through a machine in bulk. Now, you’ve spent a lot of time, money, and consideration into creating the perfect wedding invite for your perfect day—why risk having them marked and potentially ripped? The post office will perform this process by hand if you request it in person. Just remember to be considerate and go during off-peak hours, or call ahead first to see when it would be most convenient.
6. Have extra, just in case.
Life happens: Things get lost in the mail, rain or snow soaks through envelopes, kids draw on things, dogs chew on everything and, sometimes, people just misplace things. Prepare for the unexpected by having a healthy quantity of backup invites on hand.
With your invites in good shape, it’s time to get the rest of your wedding day details finalized. Contact the wedding experts at Crest Hollow Country Club for additional tips and assistance.