Wedding Invitations – Save the Date to Share the Love
Aside from secret elopements, most weddings are announced to family and friends and planned well in advance. With location and vendor choices secured early, this allows plenty of time for any last-minute changes if necessary. The same level of importance given to arranging venues and vendors should also be given to the guest list. Wedding invitations being sent far ahead of the wedding day gives invited guests time to “save the date” as requested on the invitations. With careful planning, wedding invitations and RSVP cards can help couples as they finalize their wedding guest list and budget, as they look to begin a new life as newlyweds.
When it comes to creating a wedding guest list and sending out invitations, timing is not just everything, it’s often considered the most important thing. For weddings that are local to Indian River County (IRC), industry experts recommend that invitations be sent out six to eight weeks before the event, with an RSVP deadline of about four weeks before the wedding. For destination weddings—where the timing of wedding invitations is even more important because extended travel for many guests is to be expected—invitations should be sent out 10 to 12 weeks before the event, with an RSVP deadline of about six weeks before the wedding. Along with these suggestions, wedding professionals also caution against sending invitations out too far in advance of the wedding date, as guests may commit to attending and then forget or have a change of plans, which can result in an inconvenient and costly effect on seating arrangements and meals.
Considering the numerous designs of wedding invitations available, cost is often the deciding factor for budget-conscious couples. Recent statistics show that an average price for wedding invitations averages from $220 to $230 just for the invitations alone. By comparison, a complete “stationery suite,” which includes save-the-date cards, RSVP cards, and return envelopes, can average from $400 to $530 in total. Looking at a per-invitation set, costs can typically range from $1 to $8 per set for standard prints, and up to $15 or more for luxury options. All price ranges are also increased with the addition of extras such as envelope liners or customized wax-sealed envelopes, which require higher postage when mailing.
As such, many of today’s couples planning to send invitations for weddings to be held in IRC are embracing an endearing new trend that is quickly gaining popularity. The trend focuses on gathering friends for an afternoon of creating DIY scrapbook-like invitations. The crafty invitations include various pictures of the soon-to-be-married couple from the time they met to the time they became engaged. This allows each invitation to be unique to its creator, and encourages wedding guests to keep the invitations as “souvenir” cards.
Couples who chose this type of invitation are quick to point out not only how enjoyable the card-making process can be, but also the fact that the lower cost of DIY invitations allows more funds to be saved for honeymoon or first-home expenses. These simple but elegant DIY invitations are considered especially cost-effective for small guests lists of less than 50 people; however, for larger guest lists, bulk pricing often prevails as the better deal in many design options.
For IRC couples planning a destination wedding in Indian River County, a passport-style of invitation offers a clever way to invite guests to travel to the IRC destination. This invitation style resembles a passport with a guest’s name, as well as a plane ticket that includes the names of the bride and groom, the name of the destination city, and the date of the wedding. Similar in “travel” style, the post card-style of invitation is also becoming a popular way to gather invited guests to a wedding with a bit of “wish you were here” post card message nostalgia. The advantage of the post card-style of invitation is that it’s only one card with all the relevant information included, which offers convenience and cost-effective mailing options.
Regardless of what style of wedding invitations an engaged couple ultimately chooses, the most important thing to remember is what the invitation represents. It’s a special request from the soon-to-be bride and groom for family, friends, and loved ones to come together and share the love that brought two people together, as they look forward to many years of wedded bliss.
Photo courtesy of Zazzle
Photo courtesy of Corner House Photography
Photo courtesy of Little Noble Co.
