An engagement, followed by wedding planning, is such an exciting time in life. A date is picked, a deposit on your dream venue is put down, and the guest list is organized. Now, it’s time to let all your friends and family know about the upcoming special occasion! This is where it can get tricky. Do you send out a save the date? Do you skip that and go straight for the formal wedding invitation? How do you politely do both? Follow along with our blog to discover the answers to all your burning wedding invitation questions!

Save the Date

Summed up, save the date cards should only include the bare minimum information. You don’t want to overwhelm your guests. Short and sweet is the route you want to take when it comes to your wording and designs. Simply give information on the date, time, and place. This is a necessity if your guest is going to need to make travel arrangements or take time off work. Let them know if they can bring a plus one and if children are welcomed. Don’t cram information that isn’t going to help your guest decide if they can make it or not. You don’t want to prompt for an RSVP at this point either; allow them time to make an accurate decision. We also suggest leaving out your registry information. The best time to send this information is once you have it all sorted out.

Formal Wedding Invitation

A formal wedding invitation is designed to be more personal. Many formal invitations have an RSVP portion that allows the bride and groom to interact with the guest. A separate card may ask guests to include a song they would like to hear, a drink they want to be included, or simply the name of their plus one! Your formal wedding invitation is also a good opportunity to add your registry information, along with any other requests you may have for your guests.

What’s the Difference?

Now, you may be wondering, “What’s the difference?” Well… a few things! You always want the save the date card to come before the invitation. They are encouraged if you have a date far in the future, a destination wedding, or specific guidelines you’d like to be followed. This means that if you’re having an adult-only wedding, no plus ones, or out-of-pocket expenses are expected, a save the date card is a great way to deliver this information. It is a courtesy to your guests that is not necessary, but always appreciated. A formal wedding invitation is something that is going to be more detailed. Allow your creativity to take over so that the invitation is unique, just like you! The color of your wedding can be debuted on your invitation as well as the decided theme. You can also interact with your guests! Now is the time for expected responses. This is your chance to request an RSVP and include your registry!

Conclusion

During this joyful time, the last thing you want to stress about is how to invite your guests. At the end of the day, you should choose whatever is easiest and most fun for you! Are you not feeling too sure about your designs? Head on over to the Forever Friends website to explore custom wedding print options!