Wedding Invitations

FAQ’s About Wedding Invitations

• What Should I Include on My Wedding Invitation?

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  Weddings are often considered a part of life that are stuck in time. Traditional elements such as white dresses, exchanging rings and using the correct naming conventions can often feel somewhat old-fashioned. That being said, over the last couple of years weddings have become a little more flexible and free-thinking. No part more so than wedding invitations.

  While the times have changed and you will no longer be looked down on for not following outdated traditions, it's still important to include specific information on your wedding invite.

  Here are important elements you really should include:

  • Your Names: Kind of important really let's be honest. While you really don't need to include titles and status anymore, it's still kind of important to let your guests know who is inviting them!

  • Wedding Date & Time: Again, same as above… If you want your guests to turn up on the right day, at the right time, it’s imperative they know when it is.

  • Venue, Addresses & Directions: While you know you need to provide a venue and address, it’s also worth including directions and best routes to take. Many venues can be quite tricky to find and lacking in good cell phone connectivity. Adding directions to either your wedding invitation or detail cards is an important aspect to include.

  • RSVP Information: If you are including a separate RSVP card, no need to include this information on your invite. However, if not, you should add information on when and how guests RSVP to let you know they will be attending your day.

  • Additional: While many couples include an invitation, RSVP and enclosure cards to let guests know all the relevant info. However, if just choosing an invitation, you may need to include more rules and help, such as dress code, food choices and information about gifting/donations.

  One final note, be clear and concise in your wording, the last thing you want is Auntie May turning up to the ceremony late and missing your first kiss. Speaking of traditions, if it really is your first kiss, wow!

• How Long Before My Wedding Should I Send Invitations?

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  Let’s get straight to the point. You should send your wedding invitations out at least four months before your wedding date. This will allow guests time to plan accordingly, whether that's arranging child support, booking travel and accommodation or most importantly, finding someone to look after the dog for the day!

  In all seriousness, our number one rule when it comes to wedding planning, is to allow time for issues. This is a big event, there is bound to be a few hiccups along the way but provided you have allowed enough time, your wedding planning journey will be stress-free and enjoyable.

  Finally, if you are planning on having a destination or out of town wedding, add a little more wiggle room to your schedule. The more complex it is for guests to attend, the more time they need to make the appropriate arrangements. The same can be said for guests visiting from out of town. If you know your third cousin is flying in from Europe, give them a little heads up about the plans in advance. This way they save on flights and ensure everything is planned in good time.

• Do You Put Last Names on Wedding Invitations?

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  Traditionally, yes. It’s customary to include the full name of the bride and groom on the wedding invitation. However, it's the 21st century! If your guests know exactly who Tom & Kelly are, just use your first names. Your wedding, your way.

  Having said that, including formal names does add an element of clarity to the invitation, there is no room for mistakes and your guests should know exactly who is inviting them. In addition, we find the wording on the invitation should really depend on your style of wedding. Getting married in a beautiful traditional hall with a very classic, formal vibe to the day? Use full names. Planning a laid back barn wedding in the countryside? Feel free to be a little more casual in your wording throughout your wedding decor.

• How Much Should I Spend on Wedding Invitations?

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  The cost of your wedding invitations will generally depend on how much you want to spend and your wedding budget. In addition, the more guests you are inviting, the more you will spend.

  Generally speaking, for professional, high quality invitations as seen on Story Amour, you can expect to pay between $1-$2 per invite. If you want to go all out, with all the bells and whistles, expect to pay a little more.

  We like to consider invitations as part of both the wedding invitation suite (Save The Dates, Thank You Cards, Enclose Cards etc) and overall wedding decor (wedding signs, menus etc). Generally speaking, couples spend around $200-$1,000 on their invitation suite and up to about $3,500 on general decor. This can of course vary greatly depending on what you order.

  One further consideration is the choices you make in your invitation. Want something a little fancier such as letterpress? Expect to spend quite a bit more. Paper and processes can really add up in the cost.

  Remember, budget safely and within your means but remember you only get married once!

• Is It Cheaper to Make My Own Invitations?

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  We get it, the idea of printing your own wedding invitations to save does seem like a good idea. However, as you would likely expect from a wedding invitation business, we are here to tell you that while you can save on invites, diy wedding invitations might not be the best way to go about it.

  Generally speaking most major wedding invitation printers will have partnerships with paper companies. This means they will get highly reduced costs when it comes to purchasing paper. It’s likely you will be paying a lot more if visiting your local store. You then need to take into consideration the ink cost. Depending on the design and number of guests, you will likely have to pay the same in ink as in paper. That’s before you’ve even dealt with the dodgy printer that’s been hidden in the back wardrobe and only pulled out in emergencies.

  In terms of a money and time saving exercise, there are many better ways to save money on your wedding over invitations. Our advice would be to use a professional company like ourselves, but be cautious when choosing additional elements such as premium paper stock. All of our addons are price listed at the point of addition. There are no hidden costs at our end.

• How Far in Advance Should I Order?

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  From our side you should order at least 2-3 weeks before you plan to send out your invites. Generally speaking, all orders will be processed within 12 hours with a design proof sent across within that period. Once the proof is confirmed, the design will be sent to print and usually shipped within 48-72 hours.

  All that being said, you need to consider shipping times. Shipped from ourselves to you then shipped from yourself to your guests. When sending a large number of invites out, it's likely one or two might get lost in the post. Whether that's by your local office or your guests' local delivery company.

• What’s Included When I Order Invites?

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  When ordering invitations from Story Amour you can expect to receiving the following:

  • High quality invitations printed on professional standard paper stock using top level printing techniques

  • White envelopes for mailing to your wedding guests. Colored envelopes are available at an additional cost.

  • Comprehensive concierge service throughout the design, print and delivery process

• How Should I Address Wedding Invitations?

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  As we mentioned when discussing what to include, you should address your wedding invitation to match the style, theme and most importantly, feel of your wedding day.

  If you are looking to have a more laid-back, relaxed wedding, address your invitations however you like. Provided the invitee knows it's for them, it’s all good. That being said, if following the more traditional route and looking forward to an exquisite, classical affair; there are several etiquette rules you should follow:

  • Use both titles and the recipients for name, for example “Mr. Thomas Smith”

  • Use full words when including the actual address, for example “Street” rather than “St.”

  • If inviting a family, list as “Mr. and Mrs. Smith and family”

  • If inviting an unmarried couple, use separate lines for each invitee

• Can You Rush My Order?

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  We don’t offer rush orders as an additional service however the majority of orders are processed within 12 hours and sent to print within 48-72 hours. In emergencies, please contact us via our email ([email protected]) and let us know your situation. We may be able to jump your order to the front of the queue if you are on a particularly tight deadline.

• What If My Wedding Date Changes?

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  Sometimes unfortunate circumstances arise and you may have to adjust your wedding date. If this is the case and you are waiting on an order from ourselves, get in touch as soon as possible. Reach out with your details and order number and we may be able to delay the print process and adjust your design.

  If you have already received your invites, we would encourage you to inform your guests via alternative methods as soon as possible. Give them as much time to make adjustments and amendments to their plan.

  There are many alternative ways to notify your guests of a change of circumstance. You could send an email, make an announcement on social media or send a smaller, more simple invitation update to each guest. Many of our smaller invites are cheaper in cost, perhaps adjust your title to something along the lines of “We’ve changed our date!”

  Remember to update your guests on the new date plus any changes to the original plan.

• What Is the Most Popular Wedding Invitation Size?

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  The standard invitation size is 5x7” although in modern times, couples are opting for many different sizes and shapes. Whether it's a sleek DL shaped invite, an alternative square design or perhaps just a little smaller 4.25x6” to reduce postage costs.

  We would always recommend a 5x7” invite with perhaps a stylistic adjustment such as an arched-top or a funky silhouette. You can then choose a range of different sizes to add variations to your invitation suite, maybe a smaller Save The Date or different sized enclosure cards.

• How Many Invites Should I Order?

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  When ordering invites it's important to include a safety margin. Some of your guests won’t be able to attend and you may want to invite other guests. Moreover, some of your invites may get lost in the post. A safety margin of around 10-15% should account for any of these discrepancies should they occur.

  Finally, one very important mistake to avoid is ordering invites for all of your guests. Remember, many of your guests will make up part of the same household. You do not need to send an invite to every member of the same household. One per household is enough.

• When Should I Request My Guests RSVP By?

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  You may find many wedding blogs and planners suggesting between 2-4 weeks before the wedding date. For us, provided you have sent your dates out nice and early, we recommend at least 1 month (4 weeks). This will provide enough time for you to update your wedding venue allowing you to finalize the seating plan. You will also be able to provide your wedding vendors with all the important information well in advance.

  If for some reason a guest hasn’t responded, you can always put out a social media post reminding guests, or contact the invitee directly. It’s important to finalize your numbers as soon as possible.