You've finalized the guest list for your wedding. You've agreed to include members of your family you've never met, you successfully negotiated with your future in-laws, and you even agreed to give your brother a plus-one if he didn't just meet them on Tinder the night before.

But, now what? You're not alone if you're not totally sure what to send to your guests.

After spending hours on Pinterest, you've probably noticed that there are lots of stationery choices. There aren't any hard-and-fast rules you have to follow, which is great, but it can also be overwhelming!

I, too, was once overwhelmed but the sheer number of styles, designs, and options that can go into bridal and wedding invitations, so I decided to do some research on what pieces are typically included in a wedding suite. That's what I will break down for you here!

SAVE THE DATES

Your 'Save the Date' is pretty straight forward. It should include the couple's names, the date of your wedding (duh), and the location of where you're getting married. Typically, this is just the city & state or city & country (if you're having a destination wedding), however some couples choose to include the venue as well. Most couples also include their website, but NOT the registry. Your registry will be on your website, so you don't need to directly ask for your Le Creuset just yet!

Tip: These should get sent out 6 months prior to the wedding. Consider sending even earlier if you're having a destination wedding, your wedding falls on a holiday weekend, or it's going to be during a busy time of year.

THE WEDDING SUITE

To see examples of wedding suites, check mine out here! 

INVITATIONS

Your invitation should essentially re-iterate the information that was on your 'save the date' with slightly more detail. It should include couple's names, the date and time of the ceremony and the ceremony venue location.

You'll also need to decide if you want to include the parent's or hosts names of the couple (i.e. "Mr. and Mrs. Jones invite you to celebrate the marriage of...") or you want to say something simpler (i.e. "Together with their families..."). This is 100% personal preference.

Tip: Invitations are usually sent 8-12 weeks in advance of the wedding. I like to send on the earlier side to get a better idea of final headcount - which you will most likely need for your caterer, florist, etc etc.

RSVP CARD / REPLY CARD

The reply card is very important. This is where you get your guests to interact and let you know if they'll be attending or toasting from afar. It also gives you the opportunity to see who understands that you either did or did not give them a plus one...

The RSVP card should include the "reply-by" date, a line for your guest to write in their name(s), and a place to check off yes or no to their attendance. 

Some couples also choose to include meal choice (for seated dinners), allergies, song requests, etc. Again, there is opportunity to customize what information you choose to gather!

To make reply cards easy for your guests to return, most couples include a pre-addressed and pre-stamped return envelope.

Tip: Make your 'reply-by' date 4-6 weeks out from your wedding date. Again, I like to stay on the earlier side and usually set this date 6 weeks before the wedding date. This will give you time to track anyone down that "forgets" to respond on time.

DETAILS CARD / ENCLOSURE CARD / GUEST INFO INSERT

The details card is an additional card that provides more details regarding the wedding. The information on a wedding details card may include information about the welcome party, dress code, reception, accommodations/hotel blocks, your registry (now you can out-rightly tell people where to find your choice of Le Creuset color), website information, etc. 

A details card can be a great way to get guests excited for your wedding by including fun details, but what you decide to put on yours is totally up to you. Some couples decide to simply use it as a place to tell guests to head to their website for more information. Include whatever you want on the details card - the world is your oyster!

AND THAT'S IT!

Of course there are lots of additional things that couples can include, but that's the bread & butter of a common wedding invitation suite. 

Tip: The more pieces you include, the more expensive your postage will be. Something to be aware of if you're watching your budget!

ANY QUESTIONS!?

If you have any additional questions, Just ask!