Do I need to send invites to family or the bridal party?

As a gesture and a memento invitations should be sent to members of the wedding party and family. The celebrant should also receive an invitation.

Should I send invitations to people who I know cannot attend?

Yes, even if they are abroad, unwell, unable to travel etc, you should still send them an invitation to make them feel included.

Our guest list is growing, is it ok to send out invites in a second batch?

Yes you can send a second batch provided it is not more than 1 month after the first. Be careful that the R.S.V.P. date is still valid. We advise that you order enough invites (10% extra) at the start to cover a reserve list and there by reducing any delay in sending out more.

I don’t want to invite children, can I stipulate this on the invite?

To put this in print may offend. Simply writing the names of only the people who are invited will get the point across that their children are not invited.

Should I include gift list information?

It is inappropriate to mention gifts on a wedding invitation, even to say that the preference is not to receive any. This information should be spread by word of mouth via wedding party members and parents.

What if I don’t know the guest’s name?

Where possible, try to find out the names of all the guests rather than inviting "John plus guest"

What date should I ask guest’s to reply by?

An RSVP date should give guest’s a minimum of 2 weeks to reply. However 4 weeks is the norm so make sure that once you decide what date you plan to send the invites that you stick to it. Order in plenty of time.

Should I ask evening invitee’s to reply? 

Normally these guest are not asked to respond as they are not invited to dine, therefore you will not need to know numbers.

My guests have not responded, what should I do?

If a guest does not respond by the reply by date that is printed on the response card, it is perfectly acceptable to give them a friendly telephone call to ask them if they are coming. You will need to do this especially if you have ordered printed place cards or table plan.

One of my guests has asked can she bring her new boyfriend but I have never met him - what should I do?

It is inappropriate for guests to reply that they are bringing along more people than were actually invited or to directly ask you to include other people in your invitation. It should be explained that as much as you'd like to, you simply can't accommodate more people than you've budgeted for. Explain that you would love to meet up with her and her new boyfriend when you get back from honeymoon.

Should my stationery be formal or informal in tone?

Is it a traditional church wedding or an informal affair? Is it abroad or in a castle? Is there a dress code? All of these factors will determine the tone of the invite.

What are dress codes?

Dress codes let people know what you expect them to wear. Here is a list of examples:

• White Tie - Men in evening tail coat & trousers, white shirt, white vest & white tie. Women in long gowns.
• Black Tie – Men in tuxedos. Women in cocktail dresses, long dresses or dressy evening separates.
• Morning Dress – the morning time equivilant of White Tie. Women in frocks – hats often worn.
• Semi-Formal (also known as Informal Attire)- Men in business suits. Women in frocks or dressy suits.
• Smart Casual – Men in a blazer or a sports jacket with an optional tie. Women in frocks  or dressy suits. 

Should we have a dress codes?

Some guests will like knowing what you expect of them and a dress code ensures that everybody is at the same standard of formality. However if your dress code involves the rental of a suit, then you should bear in mind that it will be an extra expense for your guests. 

Should we put the dress code on the evening invites?

If you are having, for example a black tie wedding  and you don’t ask evening guests to wear tuxedos etc, then they may feel uncomfortable as they will stick out from the crowd. On the other hand you may not want to ask these guests to go to the expense of renting a tux. A good solution is to print; Black Tie Optional.

Who is Hosting the Wedding?

The host is the person/people who are paying for the wedding. Traditionally the bride's parents act as hosts. As more couples are now financing their own wedding, they may prefer to act as host themselves. This will dictate how the invitation is worded.

Should we put in a list of people involved in the ceremony into the Order of service booklet?  

This is optional but if you do, make sure that the celebrant is at the top of the list. Include any musicians or singers (even if you have hired them).

Should we put a thank you message in the booklets?

Again this is optional but can be a nice way to end the service booklet.

Apart from the ceremony can we print anything else in the booklet?

If you have space to fill you could include a romantic quote or poem.

Should we include titles such as Mr. and Mrs. on our place cards?

It depends on how formal the event is. First name and second name are fine too. Using only first names is not ideal as this will lead to confusion.

We are still not sure about all the names of our guests and now it is time to print the place cards, what should we do?

Again try to find out but if you can’t simply put “Guest of John Smith”.

Should we handwrite individual messages or pre print a standard message on our Thank You Cards?

Etiquette dictates that each card should be handwritten, thanking each guest for the individual gift. Having said that pre printed cards are very convenient for modern brides.

When should we send the thank you cards?

As soon as possible but no later than 3 months after your wedding.