Introduction to Wedding Invitations

So your wedding date is set, and your venue is booked. Now you’re starting to think about how to share information about the most important day of your life with your loved ones. It’s time to start looking for wedding invitations!

Read on to learn all about invitations: where to buy them, what kinds there are to choose from, and when you should plan to start looking!

WHERE TO BUY WEDDING INVITATIONS?

The first question you may be asking yourself is where the heck should I be looking for wedding invitations? 

When it comes to invitations, there are 3 main ways to shop;

• READY TO BUY - Invitations in this category are standard designs, ready for purchase. On some sites (like Minted), you can choose from small variations such as card size or color theme before the invitations are printed and mailed to you. On other sites (like Etsy), you can simply purchase the rights to the design and print it yourself at Fedex.

  • Who is this for? - This is a good choice if you like to do your own research, be fully in control of all details, and are looking for a more transactional way to shop. You would be the one in charge of finding, assembling, and mailing your own invites!

  • Where to Buy - Sites like Minted, Zazzle, and Etsy are a great place to shop for options

  • Investment - $

• SEMI CUSTOM - Invitations in this category are existing designs that have a greater flexibility for modifications. Semi custom suites typically pair an existing artwork with custom calligraphy styles, illustration options, or paper/print methods.

  • Who is this for? - Semi custom is a good option if you have an artist whose style you love, but you’re not looking to go all out and invest in custom invitations.

  • Where to Buy - Etsy is a great place where you can find independent artists & calligraphers offering semi custom suites. OR if you are already following a designer that you love, you may find semi custom designs directly on their website. If not - you could always reach out to ask whether they have any semi custom invitations for sale!

  • Investment - $$

• FULLY CUSTOM - Invitations in this category are created from scratch just for you, based on your unique personality and style. These invitations are highly unique, personalized and an investment. 

  • Who this is for - This is a good choice if you like managing big decisions but prefer not to be tied up with minute details, if you are searching for something very unique and haven’t fallen in love with anything you’ve found; if you prefer investing in quality; OR if you just want to take your wedding experience to the next level!

  • Where to find - Ask your wedding planner, venue, or even photographer if they have any local suggestions. You can also look online at Instagram or Pinterest - browsing for wedding invitation inspiration can lead you to discover the many amazing stationers, and you may find one you want to work with!

  • Investment - $$$

Which option you decide will depend on your priorities when it comes to your wedding! There is no right or wrong choice - simply the best choice for you. 

As a custom designer, I specialize in working one-on-one with my couples to create beautiful and custom designs for each and every person. Many of my couples are individuals who value their time, and not only are they paying for my creative brain and ideas - they also are investing in white glove service (i.e. assembly, postage, mailing) so that they can spend their time managing other aspects of their wedding!

When should you start looking for wedding invitations?

One of the biggest misconceptions of custom wedding invitations is the time it takes to create them. For a custom design, you should plan on reaching out to your designer at least 6-8 months before your wedding date - even longer if possible! I generally prefer to take on clients that book a year out.

A couple reasons to reach out early:

• Custom work takes time. When you hire a designer to create a custom suite, you are hiring an artist to dream up a design for you that has never been created before! This process takes time - not only for your designer to develop ideas, but for you to review their work and give feedback.

• Design calendars book up FAST. Believe it or not, invitation design calendars can book up a year in advance. Even if you’re still on the fence about custom, it’s better to inquire with your dream designer sooner rather than later - so you don’t miss out on the opportunity to work with your top choice.

For ready-to-buy and semi custom invitations, you’ll want to check with the respective seller and sits (Minted, Etsy, etc.) to understand more about their policies and lead times. Keep in mind that wedding invitations should be MAILED to your guests ~8 weeks prior to your wedding date (even earlier if you’re having a destination wedding, to give your guests more notice on travel & accommodations). 

All I can say is - don’t sleep on your wedding invitations. Get started early!

HOW TO GET STARTED?

Now that you’ve decided to move forward with evaluating options for your wedding invitations, what’s next? 

Check out my guest blog about how to uplevel your wedding invitations on Chicago wedding planner Sustainable Soirées’ website!

Cheers,