Planning a wedding is one of the most exciting times in a person’s life. You’ve finally found the one you want to spend the rest of your life with and are ready to celebrate your love with the people who matter to you most. But with all that excitement comes a lot of planning, preparation, and questions, too.
Invitations are the first piece of your wedding that your guests will see, so you want them to be perfect! And we know you probably have a lot of questions about wedding invitations. That’s why we decided to ask one of our favorite invitation designers, Rachel Brewer, to share some of her best tips to make the wedding invitation process as seamless as possible!
Finding an Invitation Designer
There are a ton of online options when creating a wedding invitation, but there is something special about working one on one with a designer. Rachel suggests speaking to wedding planners and friends to find a local wedding invitation designer that fits your style. She says, “If you are working with a planner or stylist to plan your day, they will have vendors that they love to work alongside and can recommend the best ones for your style and budget!” And if you’ve seen a designer’s work online via social media or Google search, don’t be afraid to send them an email.
The Wedding Invitation Process
The typical wedding invitation process takes 4-8 weeks, depending on the number of details. Rachel says she will first create a basic sketch and design boards to make sure the bride-to-be likes the overall design. Once the design is approved she begins working on the invitations! Rachel says, “open communication about what you love and don’t love is so important!” So be honest with your designer or you might regret it later!
Save the Dates
Is it important to send out save the dates? Rachel says it really depends on your timeline and budget. They are definitely helpful for out of town guests, as they will need to make travel arrangements, but if you simply don’t have the time or money, the invitations take priority. If you do choose to send out save the dates, keep in mind the cohesiveness of your wedding stationary. “It’s a good idea to work on your save the dates and invitation suite with the same designer,” says Rachel. “That way they all flow together nicely and photograph well on your wedding day, too!”
Details Cards
While details cards are not an essential part of your wedding invitation suite, they are a great way to add in those details that you don’t necessarily want printed on your invitations. Information about the attire, local hotels, restaurant recommendations and a URL for your wedding website are perfect pieces to add to a details card.
When to Send
As a rule of thumb, wedding invitations should be sent out 8-12 weeks before the wedding. And if you’ve sent out save the dates, you can cut that timeline to 6-8 weeks. But its important to ask yourself questions about how much prep time your guests will need. Are you having a destination wedding? Is it a black tie affair? Will people be traveling on a holiday weekend? Rachel points out that all of these questions will dictate how much time your guests will need to prepare for your big day.
The Big Takeaway
At the end of the day the most important part of the invitation process is finding a designer you trust. Sarah says to “find someone whose work you truly love and feel confident in so that you can let them handle the majority of the process. It takes some of the wedding planning weight off you and gives you time for other things, like spending time with your fiance!”
Want to see more of Rachel’s work?
Website: rachelanne.co | Instagram: @rachelbrewer | Facebook: @rachelannecalligraphy
Are you embarking on the wedding planning process? We hope you found these invitation tips helpful! Let us know what you thought in the comments below.
Happy Planning!
