Chicago Wedding & Party Resource 2018 Spring / Summer

INVITATIONS, STATIONERY, GIFTS

58 | SPRING 2018

CHICAGO WEDDING & PARTY RESOURCE

How 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. Amber Harrison, style and trend expert at

Wedding Paper Divas, explains exactly what to say.

“The wedding invitation is your opportunity to communicate with

your guests before the big day,” she says. 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.