The Ultimate Wedding Invitation Guide

From what to write to when to send

Compared with choosing a venue, finding the dress, planning the honeymoon, wedding invitations may seem like one of the simpler tasks to organise in the run up to your big day. But there’s lots to consider when it comes to these small but very special pieces of paper. Along with your save the dates, your invitations set the overall tone for the big day and give your guests a taste of what’s to come. It’s important to make sure that your information is clear and the design reflects the personal style of you, your other half and the day you’re about to share together.

From what to write and when to send to addressing envelopes, here’s everything you need and might want to know when it comes to your invitations.

Your guide to wedding invitations

What to include in your wedding invitations

As much as beautiful design is a priority, there’s no getting away from the fact that your invitations are there to serve a purpose – to share essential info about your wedding with your guests. How much detail you add is up to you, but there are certain facts you must include to make sure your guests are fully informed and arrive on time.

Essential info to include:

There’s a wedding and you’re invited!

Whether you ‘request the pleasure of their company’ or simply tell guests you’re ‘tying the knot’, let your guests know you’re getting wed with invitation wording that suits the vibe of your invitation and your wedding that’s to follow. Traditional wedding ceremonies require more formal wording, whilst modern weddings can be introduced with a fun, casual tone.

Names of the happy couple

Of course, you’ll need to include the name of you and your husband or wife-to-be so that guests know whose wedding they’re attending. Traditionally, the bride’s name comes before the groom’s, but, nowadays or for same-sex weddings, names can be also arranged alphabetically or in whichever order looks or sounds best.

The venue and location

The name of your wedding venue and an additional evening venue (if applicable) are a must. You don’t have to state the full address if you’d prefer to keep text minimal as possible, but you do need to share the name of the venue and the city/country it’s in so guests can look up its exact location.

The date and time

Let guests know when your big day will take place and what time they should arrive. For destination weddings, be clear about how many days the celebrations will go on for if you’re inviting guests to attend more than one day.

Reception info

If your evening do will be taking place at a different venue, state this on the invitation and let guests know whether there will be transportation provided or if they’ll be expected to make their own way there. And if you’re inviting someone to the evening celebrations only, make sure this is clear on the invitation.

RSVP details

Don’t forget to include info on how to RSVP at the bottom of your invitation, or you can also do this on your info card. Give a 4-week cut off so you can update caterers or your venue with final numbers.

(If you want to see examples, from the traditional to the modern, of how to word your wedding invitation, read our guide to wedding invitation wording)

How to write (or type) a wedding invitation

After you’ve decided on the information you’re going to include, it’s time to decide whether you’re going to format it. You can experiment around with font types, text size and colour using our easy online editor. Use the alignment buttons, letter spacing and line height to play around with presentation until you’ve found a look and layout you’re 100% happy with.

If you’re still struggling to fit all of your text onto your invitation, then consider moving some over to an info card. This is a place for information such as additional directions to your venue, gift list, dietary requirements – anything extra you’d like to add.

You can also choose to leave blank space on our designs so you can handwrite some of your text yourself. Most couples choose to leave a gap for the guest names and type the rest of the information. If you’re going to handwrite names, we recommend investing in a calligraphy or fountain pen so you can really make an impression. Practise on paper until you get the lettering right and be sure to double check the spelling of your guests’ names. Or if you have enough budget, you can source a professional calligrapher to do this for you.

How to address your wedding invitations

The envelope of your wedding invitation should include the name and full address of your guest(s). But deciding on how to address the envelopes for each person can be tricky. From single guests with plus ones and unmarried couples that live together, to families with children and those with special titles, there are lots of different situations to consider. Our easy guide to wedding envelope etiquette covers exactly how to address invitations to each of your guests.

Inner envelope & outer envelopes

Some couples choose to place their wedding invitation and envelope within an outer envelope to protect it from getting damaged in the post. If you’re choosing to do so, the outer envelope should feature your guests’ full name and address, while the inner envelope can be more personal and just show their first name, their last name and title or initials.

Our recipient & return addressing options

We offer envelope addressing here at Papier. You can upload your guest address to the front of each envelope as well as a return address, the date of your wedding or your initials to the back. We’ll print everything neatly and send your beautifully addressed envelopes in the post along with the rest of your order.

RECIPIENT ADDRESSING – $0.50 PER ENVELOPE

You can upload your guest addresses by downloading and filling in our handy spreadsheet or add them manually one by one, if you prefer.

ADD YOUR RETURN ADDRESS/MESSAGE – $0.50 PER ENVELOPE

Add a return address, your initials, a memorable date or special quote for a sophisticated touch. Whatever you write will show across the back of all your envelopes.

When to send wedding invitations

We recommend sending your invitations 2-3 months before your wedding. For destination weddings – when you’re asking guests to travel further afield – it’s polite to give as much notice as possible. 3-4 months is a good amount of time for guests to prepare travel and accommodation.

Wedding invitations - frequently asked questions

FAQ - Papier wedding invitation FAQ