Yesterday we mentioned that invitation suites today have increasingly more pieces, so we thought it would be a good time to brush up on the pieces of an invitation suite!
1. Invitation: the main piece of the suite this is most often the largest piece in size. It includes the bride and groom's names, traditionally includes the name of the host of the wedding (one set of parents, both sets or neither if the couple is hosting) and also lets guests know the date, time and location.
2. Reply Card: the rsvp card includes the date you would like guests to respond by, a line for them to fill in their name or names (this traditionally begins with a printed "M" for a guest to include their title Mr. Mrs. or Ms.) and then the option to accept or regret. A more recent trend is to use a reply postcard - this saves you cost in postage (a postcard stamp is slightly less than an envelope stamp) and also is considered "eco-friendly" as you eliminate the paper of a reply envelope.
3. Reply Envelope: your reply envelope should include a pre-printed address for delivery (traditionally the replies go to the host) as well as a stamp. If you use a reply postcard, you will not need this piece but you will still pre-print the address on each postcard and include a stamp.
4. Outer Envelope: all of your pieces fit nicely together inside your outer envelope. The invitation piece should be the first item that guests see when they pull the "package" out of the envelope, so the auxiliary pieces should go behind that.
Not pictured: Inner Envelope - the inner envelope was traditionally used to include any guest names, possibly the first names of the invitees, etc. Today it is often omitted to save paper.
In addition to the basic pieces above, there are many extra pieces that can be used to provide your guests with additional information - and they are fun!
5. Accommodations: if you are setting up a room block for your out-of-town guests (or local guests who plan to party the night away!), an accommodations card is a good way to let them know where you have secured special rates. Be careful - "accommodations" is the most commonly misspelled word in invitation suites!
6. Map: Our custom maps are a signature piece of Laura Hooper Calligraphy, but they are also an excellent way to tell your guests what you love about the area they are visiting! You can include maps on their own, printed on the reverse of your accommodations card or paired up with directions. Directions can also be included with the accommodations card if you are not using a map.
The accommodations, map and direction "extra" pieces are also a good place to include your wedding website if you have created one. If you are sticking to the basic pieces of an invitation suite, you can include your wedding website on your invitation itself.
Your invitations can be as traditional, modern or creative as you want them to be and can be created in nearly any combination of pieces. Visit our website for more etiquette details and tips!
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