Wedding Invitation Frequently Asked Questions

1. When should I order my wedding invitations?
2. How many wedding invitations should I order?
3. How many Thank You notes should I order?
4. What is a response card?
5. What is a map card and what information does it provide?
6. Should I include a rain card for my outdoors wedding?
7. How do I determine the amount of postage required to mail my invitations?
8. How do I know what typestyle to choose?


1. When should I order my wedding invitations? 
You should order your invitations generally 3 - 5 months prior to your wedding date. At this time all of the details of the ceremony and reception, such as time and location should be confirmed. (If you are panicking because it is well past that date, don't fear because some of our card manufacturers offer 48 - 72 hour printing.) Ordering your invitations in advance will allow you sufficient time for assembling and addressing the invitations as well as providing extra time should a mistake occur or you unexpectantly find you need additional invitations.  back to top
                               
2. How many wedding invitations should I order?
You and your fiancé should sit down and make a list of all family members, friends and work associates you would like to include in your wedding. Then have each of your parents make a list of friends, family members and work associates they would like to include. Remember that married couples will only receive one invitation and that single children under the age of 18 may be included on their parent's invitation. Single children over 18 still living with their parents, should receive a separate invitation. Compile each list into one mailing list and you will have a good estimate of number of invitations needed. Entering all of this information on to a computer will help considerably. We also recommend that you order additional 25 invitations to cover any mistakes made in addressing or last minute guests you may want to invite. Reordering the minimum 25 wedding invitations is much more costly than ordering a few extra with your initial order. Make sure you count the number of actual invitation not persons invited when ordering invitations. back to top

3. How many Thank You notes should I order?
We suggest that your order at least the same amount of Thank You Notes as you do wedding invitations. However, ordering 25% to 50% more would not hurt, because these notes will be blank inside, you can use them for the many different gifts you will receive. You can plan on using these notes not only for gifts you will receive at the wedding but also gifts received for your engagement, showers before the wedding and the many gifts you will receive up to a year after the ceremony. back to top

4. What is a response card?
A response card is a card that is included with each invitation and is a means for each guest to accept or decline the invitation to the wedding. Traditionally in formal weddings a hand written note from the invited guest indicated the response to an invitation. However, today it is very acceptable to include a response card with your invitation so that the guest is not required to respond with a hand written note. The response card is generally in the same style and card stock as the wedding invitation and includes a space for each guest to write the names of each person who will be able to attend the wedding. You will want to request a response date several weeks before the wedding so that you will have enough time to notify caterers and such the estimated number of attendees. Placing a stamp on the return addressed envelope will increase the percentage of response cards you will receive back. back to top

5. What is a map card and what information does it provide?
If you are inviting a lot of out of town guest or are planning your ceremony in an out-of-way location, you may want to include a map card with your invitation. This card should include an easy to follow map and/or driving directions to your site from major nearby landmarks. On the card you should also have hotel information for you're out of town guests; including the reservations phone numbers and rates for a few different hotels. You may need to include directions to the hotels and reception from a major highway or airport as well.  back to top

6. Should I include a rain card for my outdoors wedding?
Yes, if you are planning an outdoors wedding, you may want to include a rain card with your invitation. This rain card will include information such as an alternate location and time change of your wedding ceremony in case of inclement weather.
Suggested wording:
In case of inclement weather
the ceremony will be held at
TIME
LOCATION
ADDRESS
CITY, STATE   back to top

7. How do I determine the amount of postage required to mail my invitations? Have I changed the wording??
We suggest that you take a complete invitation set to the post office and weigh it for proper postage. At the same time weigh an invitation with all of the inserts and an invitation without the inserts so that you will put the proper amount on each one. If you make the wrong assumption on the postage amount without weighing your invitations, they will be returned to you for insufficient postage and delay your whole schedule.  back to top

8. How do I know what typestyle to choose?
You will see hundreds of different fonts or lettering styles to choose from on our website. We suggest that you choose a style that reflects both your own taste and the formality of your event. Also, when reading through your on-line proof, check to make sure all characters are readable and clear. Choose a font that is both beautiful and readable for your guest.
If you are deciding between a paneled or paneled card, first choose the font style you prefer the most. Generally, calligraphy or script styles show better on plain cards and block or print styles look best inside a panel. back to top

Please send us any questions you may have and we will try to answer them promptly and possibly add your question to our list.  Our e-mail address is: info@affordableweddinginvitations.net