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INVITATIONS
76 | FALL & WINTER 2018
CHICAGO WEDDING & PARTY RESOURCE
CHICAGOWEDDINGRESOURCE.COMHow to Craft the Perfect Invite
An expert how-to guide for creating your wedding invitations
By Jill Jaracz, CTW Features
You said ‘Yes!’ and you’ve got the ring –
now it’s time to let everyone know about
the big day. So, what exactly do you
say?
The perfectly written invitation tells your
guests what they need to know about
your big day.
The wedding invitation is your
opportunity to communicate with your
guests before the big day. So don’t
skip the important details, or you’ll be
bombarded with calls, emails and texts.
Start with the basics: Who, what, where,
when. You must include the couples’
names and the date, time and location
of the wedding.
After that, tell other helpful information,
like dress code or whether the ceremony
will be outdoors.
Should you include your parents’
names? Traditionally one or both sets
of parents are listed on an invitation,
but today families come in all shapes
and sizes, which can make wording a
wedding invitation trickier than ever.
Choose what works best for your
situation. Some tried and true phrases
include: “Together with their families”
and “Please join us for the wedding
of…”
When listing times, either follow
traditional etiquette and spell out all of
the numbers, or use an informal
style depending on the tone of your
celebration. “The most important rule?
Keep it consistent.”
Don’t forget to ask for an RSVP to get
an accurate guest count. Whether you
include the RSVP line on your invitation
or just include a self-explanatory
response card, make sure that you list
the ‘reply by’ date.
Enclosure cards give you flexibility to
share important information without
distracting from the main message.
Use them for directions, travel
arrangements, accommodations,
hashtags and websites.
One important thing to leave off: the
registry. Listing registry details on your
invitation is akin to demanding gifts.
Instead, let your family, wedding party
and website spread those details.
© CTW Features
Don’t forget to
ask for an RSVP
to get an accurate
guest count!