Wedding invitations often provide guests with a first glimpse of a wedding’s style. Invitations also may serve as the means by which distant friends and relatives find out about a couple’s pending nuptials if a formal announcement was not made.

Guests will learn not only the time and the place of the wedding from the invitation, but also the formality of the event and the scope of the party that will follow. Couples should keep certain things in mind as they begin to design their wedding invitations: Have a good idea of your potential guest list. Before shopping for wedding invitations, it is key to have a strong idea of just how big the wedding will be and how many guests will be invited. This way you will know how many invitations you will need.

Invitations vary in price, so cost may be a consideration if your guest list is extensive.

Decide on the formality of the wedding. Will you be hosting a black tie affair, or will it be a casual gathering at the shore? Guests infer many things about the wedding from the invitations, which should match the formality of the event in style and the sentiments expressed.

Dare to be different by playing with invitation sizes and shapes. Rectangular cards are standard, but you can explore your creativity by choosing more modern, artsy invitations. Circular invites or scalloped edges can add some whimsy to the wedding mood. Invitations that fold out or are embellished with ribbon or other decorations can be appealing.

Choose a legible font and text colour. Your invitation may look beautiful, but it may prove ineffective if it is difficult to read. Do not risk guests misinterpreting the date or the location because they cannot read the writing on the invitation. Steer clear of pastel or yellow text, and remember to have a high contrast between the colour of the invitation and the text.

Keep the invitation simple. It may be tempting to load it with lots of information, but all you really need are the key pieces of information, such as the “who,” “what,” “where,” and “when.”

Do some math. It is important to know your dates so you can receive the invitations on time, mail them out and give guests enough time to respond. A good rule of thumb is to mail invitations at least two months before the wedding.