Invitations are one of the most essential parts of planning a wedding because they set the tone of what guests are to expect on the wedding day while, at the same time, helping them prepare for your event. In turn, it will keep them out of the trash and in the memory books. Below are a few reasons why invitations are so important and the information you should include on them.

Setting the Tone

Have you ever received an invitation in the mail and been able to envision the wedding day? Well, if your answer is no, then you’ve probably never received an invitation that properly set the tone. If your answer is yes, those brides and grooms did it right! The invitation to anything, especially to a wedding, should exude the theme of the event to come. A full-on extravagant bash, complete with a fireworks send-off should have an equally extravagant invitation.

Creating Excitement and Anticipation

Receiving the perfect invitation in the mail should make you ready for the wedding to arrive. If a bride and groom put thought into what their invitation looks and feels like, it is definitely conveyed to the guest. A fun-filled wedding with a circus theme should have an invitation that makes people chomp at the bit for the big day to arrive.

Providing Pertinent Information

Obviously, one of the most important reasons for having the perfect invitation is to include all of the proper information for your guests. They certainly won’t be tossing it in the trash if it is full of useful details! Below are some of the important things to include in your invitation suite:

Who? – This seems like a bit of a “duh” thing to add, but it is incredibly important to put who the invitation is coming from. Not only should you include the bride and the groom, but also the parents, if they are helping host the event. One other thing to think about is to make sure people know who the bride and groom are when they receive their invitation. Maybe the groom always goes by a nickname and no one would know who he was if it wasn’t included. Feel free to make it personal as proper etiquette doesn’t always apply to each situation.

When? – It’s important to do it properly. Always say when the event will start – not when the music will start. The time on your invitation should be the time your bridal party will begin to walk down the aisle. As a guest, you should always plan to arrive at least 10 minutes prior to the time provided on the invitation. Also, don’t forget to include when your reception will begin.

Where? – When writing the ceremony location you should include the full street address and the city. If many guests are from out of state, you can include the state as well. There is no need for the zip code; it’s not very appealing on the eyes to have an extra string of numbers on your formal invitation. You can follow the same rules for the reception information. Feel free to include directions on a separate, but matching card, especially if guests are coming in from out of town or if the route is tricky or may be under construction.

Dress Code? – Do you expect your guests to arrive in suit and tie? Be sure to tell them. Also, the big one people miss in this department is telling guests your event will be held outdoors. Outdoor weddings require different attire, especially for the ladies, so be sure to let your guests know on the invitation to wear their flats so they don’t sink into the grass and to bring a shawl to keep them warm. Don’t forget to include Plan B if the weather chooses not to cooperate.

Wedding Website

Have a wedding website that’s full of all sorts of useful information about you, your bridal party and how the whole love affair got started? Feel free to share that with your guests. Be sure you’re not using the crazy long link on your invitation suite though – it makes it almost impossible for guests to properly type it into the browser.

Remember, the more personal an invitation suite is, the more apparent it will be to the guests that you put your whole heart and soul into the event.