If you’ve been itching to cross one huge to-do off of your list, consider it done! Selecting your wedding invitation is a big step in the planning process, and I want you to cross it off your list with confidence. Today I’m bringing you six of the most common wedding invitation mistakes to avoid so as to avoid a disaster. From selecting an invitation to deciding your budget—even assembly and postage. You may even save some money in the process!
Wedding Invitation Mistakes
Mistake #1: Absence of a theme.
You know who cares about a theme? Guests! Give your guests something to get excited about, whether it is a traditional ballroom dinner, a cocktail soirée, or a rustic-vintage inspired wedding, complete with barn reception. Your save the date or wedding invitation is an excellent first impression for your guests. Set the tone for the day, establish the mood for the evening. Use your invitation to your advantage…let it showcase your selected theme, then extend those details throughout other areas of your day to tie it all together.
Mistake #2: Not setting a budget.
Wedding invitations are a custom product, which means if you’re hiring Jamie Lynne Creative, anticipate spending 3-5% of your wedding budget on your stationery. I offer plenty of fresh, stylish designs in a variety of budgets to suit your needs. A small budget can mean a stylish invite—with a little creative cost-cutting. For example, instead of a reply card with, consider a response postcard instead. It will cut costs a bit and save money on postage (since a postcard stamp costs less than a standard envelope).
Mistake #3: Waiting too long to place an order.
Because wedding invitations are a custom product, you should anticipate the process taking 2-3 months. Once you’ve your budget and requirements for your stationery package, put down that deposit. I’ll with you to establish a timeline that works with your schedule as well as my own, leaving a little leeway just in case for assembly, addressing, and delivery to the post office.
Mistake #4: Incorrect postage. (This one’s a doozy.)
Mother knows best. When we were preparing my sister’s stationery in 2011, she asked her friendly graphic designer (me!) if postage would cost more because we were mailing pocketfold invitations. I took one of the wedding invitations to the post office, fully assembled, to find out the amount of postage. We were in the clear, but the post office lady informed me that if I hadn’t brought in a sample, every invitation would have been marked ‘insufficient postage’ with an ugly red stamp and returned to my parents address days later. Every. Last. One. What a nightmare! Disaster averted—and if you have concerns with your own invites, I’ll be happy to make a pit stop to the post office before completing your job to verify your postage rate.
Mistake #5: Proofread? Oops.
PROOFREAD. Proofread like there’s no tomorrow. Read it over in the morning, post-coffee; read it over on the train; read it over when you’re trying to fall asleep. Ask your honey to read it over. Your mother. Your best friend. Your boss. Get everyone to read it over before you send your little check mark approval back to me. I majored in graphic design. While I credit myself for my grammar skills, I’m by no means an expert, nor am I familiar with the names and details of your big day. Nothing would be a bigger bummer than a misspelling, an incorrect address, wrong time, date, or names.
What to Do If It’s Too Late
Mistakes happen! If you notice an error with your invitation, assess the situation. Is it a small, almost-non-existent error, such as a misspelling? Let it go. If the mistake is essential to the event—such as the location, date, or time—you could send stylish postcard notices to fix the error. If you have a wedding website (or Facebook), update it with the correct information. However, don’t rely on your website to share the news, as you may not reach all guests. Finally, don’t freak out: at the end of the day, you’re still marrying the one you love…the wedding will still go on!
Mistake #6: Who needs a sample, anyway?
If you walk away with one nugget of wisdom from today’s post, let it be this: always request a sample. It might add an additional fee (if minor) to your total but if you’re anything like me, visualizing is one thing, but holding your ‘invite’ helps make that final decision, and gives you a feel for the quality of the invitations. A few dollars spent will be worth it in the long run, especially if you receive the invitation and decide to go with something else (which would cost more than a cup of coffee).
Happy Planning!
♥J
