When sending out customized wedding invitations, you need to consider carefully the way in which you wish to present the event within the card. Everything from the font to the color and formatting should be tailored to yourself and your spouse, as well as to the nature of the upcoming wedding as a whole. Keep in mind that the number of people that are going to respond positively to your customized wedding invitations, unless they are your family or close friends, will be heavily influenced by the way in which you present the event. Think about the image you want to portray to people. Is this going to be a small and intimate wedding, or are you renting a large venue and inviting everyone in your address book? Are the guests allowed to bring a plus one? Do they need to send an RSVP and if so, in what time frame?
Perhaps the most important consideration, and one that is overlooked quite often, is to make sure that all the postal addresses of the people invited are up to date. You can circumvent this problem by sending out electronic invitations simultaneously to the mailed letters, although some people feel that this ‘cheapens’ the feel of the event. If you are ordering your wedding invitations from a professional card design company, make sure you confirm their estimated delivery time, especially if some invitations are being sent overseas. Most companies will offer expedited delivery upon request, but this will seriously increase the cost if a large number of invites are to be sent. You also need to confirm that your custom invitations are sent with a matching envelope. If you are requesting an RSVP, it is a good idea to include a pre-printed reply envelope with postage already paid.
A lot of letter design companies will allow you to edit the text in the invitations to your specifications. Make sure you approve these before purchase, as you do not want to have to deal with returning the invitations, considering the time factor involved. Some couples like to separate the wedding invitation card styles for the bride and groom. If you would like to include some creative content, such as a poem, a lot of companies will have pre-written templates ready for you. Some people like to include additional objects with the invite, such as an audio cd, photographs, or personalized gifts. It is possible to order your wedding invitations on specially embroidered or engraved material. You can also request a unique seal to lend a historical tone to your event. However, keep in mind that not all guests may appreciate the extra expense that this will entail.
One detail that is often forgotten is that your cards should be designed with the season of the upcoming wedding in mind. A winter wedding will have a significantly different ‘feel’ to a spring wedding. If you are ordering a large quantity of customized cards, you can ask the designer for a discount on bulk purchase. Remember that they are working in a competitive niche and are not likely to turn down a sale, as they know you can readily buy from a competitor who will be willing to offer you the same merchandise at a lower price.
