After an internet search, I have concluded that the "traditional" wedding invitation includes:
- Outer envelope with address
- Inner envelope addressed to exactly who you want to come (example: if you want John and his girlfriend to come, address it to both. If you want Jane to come to the wedding but aren't sure if she'll have a boyfriend by that time, address it to Jane and Guest.)
- Invitation to the ceremony with date, time and location. If the reception is at the same location, say "reception to follow."
- The reception card if the reception is at a different location
- The response card (otherwise known as the RSVP card)
- Extras: map and directions card / accommodations card / website card
- Apparently it's taboo to include your registry info now?
Now originally I was just going to put in the invitation with the website on it and call it good. Now I'm second guessing my idea. Do I really need an inside envelope, directions card, accommodations card and separate website card? And what happened to including information about your registries? I know for a fact Keegan's grandparents aren't technologically savvy enough to hop onto our website and find our registries.
Our wedding honestly isn't all that fancy. I would like to think of it as a 15 minute ceremony and then a big party with our friends and families. We're not having a sit down meal but little appetizers and snacky-things instead (sorry, I don't have $10,000 to shell out on the food alone.) We are trying to get a block of rooms set up for out of town guests, so I guess it would be good to tell them that, no? And what about those darn registry cards? Is it totally tacky to include the cards that stores have given you? What about one card with all of the stores together so that guests aren't bombarded with 6 tiny cards telling them to buy us stuff?
So I ask you, dear bloggy friends (and secret friends,) what did you put into your wedding invitations? With other invitations you have received, did you appreciate getting 6 different cards in one envelope? What information do you feel is absolutely necessary to have in a wedding invitation? I don't want to get overly fancy with the invitations and trick my guests into thinking that the wedding is going to be as fancy, but I don't want our invites to look like a Facebook message for a college kegger.
Help?!
Oh, and I know I've had a recent uppage (yes I'm making up words now,) in my blog views thanks to the stats tracker, so people should leave comments, and be my friend. I'll follow back! I love reading new blogs and finding new friends. I'm really friendly and not as wedding crazy as I may seem (now I just feel like I'm making a online dating profile so I'm going to stop begging now.)
Thank you so much for your comment! And I totally stole the chalkboard idea from some ladies who are MUCH more creative than me!! :)
ReplyDeleteAbout the invites, I was kind of like you. I did a lot of wedding stuff DIY, but didn't go super fancy on the invites. I ended up buying them because it was just easier and I got an awesome deal. I used to work for a wedding invite company (carlson craft) and didn't even follow all of the etiquette! The invites I used did not have an inner & outer envelope, that is just silly. I had a main envelope that folded and inside it I had a response card/envelope & reception card. On the reception card I crammed TONS of info!! I didn't feel the need for 5 different cards just to have the extra paper... I had the usual "Reception, dinner & dance to follow ceremony at..." but then I added info about our backup location ("In case of rain, ceremony will be held at..") and I did put our registry info on it. I don't know who says that's tacky, but how else are they supposed to find out! I'm not a fan of the little cards that the stores give you, so I just added it in... you could also just put "A block of rooms have been reserved at..." so they have all the info in one spot!
We made a website also and I think people used it for info, but almost NO ONE rsvp'd on it. I was so shocked! Even all of the young people sent back the rsvp cards... which made me feel really bad because I didn't put stamps on them (I figured all of our tech-saavy family would use the internet, but nope!)
Sorry about the long comment! But hope that helps! Just do whatever you like the best because it's your day!