7 Wedding Invitation Etiquette Questions
There are many important rules that officially determine whether you’re planning your special day in the manner that’s traditionally dictated by wedding etiquette standards. Some of these age-old rules apply to writing and sending your elegant wedding invitations.
To ensure that you’re on track with this crucial pre-wedding task, here are 7 commonly asked wedding invitation etiquette questions that are likely to apply to you…
1. When do you send out wedding invites?
It’s essential to know when to write and send your wedding invitations to all of your VIP guests. Sending the invites too early could mean that your wedding day is overlooked or forgotten. Too late, and your guests may well have other social engagements penciled in their diaries.
Traditionally, invitations are sent six to eight weeks prior to the wedding date. This timeline gives guests plenty of leeway to plan their schedules and organize travel arrangements. If you’re planning to tie the knot at a destination wedding, your guests will require more time to decide and plan, so you’ll therefore need to post your personalized invites three months ahead of your wedding.
Sending save-the-date cards gives guests a heads-up on your wedding plans, and should ideally be sent six to eight months before the date of your nuptials.
2. What should you include in your wedding stationery suite?
Your elegant wedding invitations are the centerpiece of your wedding stationery suite, and they reflect the tone and theme of your special day. They are also only one of the important elements that you need to insert into the envelopes ready for mailing.
Your luxury wedding stationery suite should include:
• The outer envelope that is addressed
• An unsealed inner envelope that protects the contents
• The personalized wedding invite
• A reception card that includes important venue information
• A RSVP card with a self-addressed stamped envelope
You can additionally include:
• A printed map and information on hotels located close to your wedding venue
3. Where does the return address go?
Unlike many of the other wedding etiquette rules, it’s not obligatory to include a return address on the envelope of your wedding invite. But it is however a good idea. The return address is usually written on the back flap of the outer envelope. It should be the address of whoever is hosting the wedding – you and your beloved, or your parents.
If your invite doesn’t get delivered, you won’t lose it completely. The invitation will be returned to you so that you’re notified of the guest that hasn’t received it. You can then reach out directly to update them on the situation, and to request an alternative address to send the invite.
4. Does every guest have to have a plus one?
When you’re compiling your guest list, so that you can send your elegant wedding invitations in a timely fashion, you’re likely to need to consider assigning plus ones.
It’s not mandatory to give every single guest a plus one. If you’re inviting a friend who is single, it’s perfectly acceptable to send a solo invite. Your guests will know that it’s not the done thing to show up with a plus one if you haven’t extended the invitation. If however the majority of your guests are coupled up, it’s thoughtful to extend a plus-one invite to your single friends and family members.
As wedding invitations are non-transferable, it’s not acceptable for a guest to arrive at your venue with a new partner whose name isn’t included in the invite.
5. Can you include wedding website info?
The best place to feature the details of your wedding website is on the save-the-date cards that you mail out to family and friends six to eight months before your wedding day.
If you’re not planning to write and send these cards, it’s perfectly acceptable to include your wedding URL on an insert card that you add to your invitation suite.
6. What’s the RSVP deadline?
To allow sufficient time for your guests to decide and make necessary plans, giving them an RSVP deadline that offers flexibility is essential. You do however need to know whether they will be attending in good time so that you can finalize catering numbers for your big day.
Your RSVP deadline date should therefore be at least two to three weeks before your wedding date. Most couples opt to have an RSVP deadline that is three to six weeks before the wedding.
If some of your VIP guests still haven’t responded by the deadline, give them a call and ask them to notify you by sending their response in the post.
7. Can you uninvite a guest?
Once you write and send out your elegant wedding invitations, you’re officially requesting the company of the recipient. Wedding etiquette dictates that it’s not the done thing to uninvite a guest.
Even If you’ve fallen out with a particular guest, it’s impolite to revoke their invite. It’s best to go ahead as planned, and simply hope that they decide not to show up on your big day.
If you and your future spouse agree that someone’s company is no longer welcome at your wedding, it may be necessary for you to break one wedding etiquette rule on this occasion. Uninviting a wedding guest should be done face-to-face, and not via a message that is sent in a letter, email, or text.
