Anatomy of a Wedding Invitation
Soooo it’s not every day you shop for fancy wedding invitations, right? Although I’m guilty of telling my husband multiple times that we need to get married again so I can design another set of invitations for us based on you-name-it style…his answer is always a polite, “No”.
Anyway, stationery lingo like “detail card” or “digital calligraphy” probably leaves you saying, “Huh?”.
So with that said, I put together this fun little post to explain all the pieces that will potentially go into your dream invitation suite.
The Basics…
Invitation Card
Let’s start off with an easy one. Your invitation card contains the most important details of your wedding day. Basically, it’s the star of the show and I like to treat it that way ;)
Reply Set
This little card and envelope your guests mail back to you saying whether or not they’ll be attending your big day.
Detail Card(s)
The catch-all for any other important information — hotel accommodations, directions, transportation details, and your wedding website.
Inner Envelope
Yes, your invitation may get tucked inside TWO envelopes. There’s a method to this madness, I promise. More on this here.
Outer (aka Mailing) Envelope
The outer envelope is the one your guests first see when they open their mailbox. It contains the address and stamps and protects your gorgeous invitation from all the postal handling.
Guest Addressing
There are two options here — hand calligraphy (penned by hand) or digital calligraphy (uses a font and a printer).
Extra Details…
Reception Card
We may decide to include a reception card if your ceremony takes place at a location separate from your reception venue.
Schedule Card
If you’re planning any additional events like an after party or farewell brunch, I recommend including these details within your invitation suite so your guests can plan accordingly. Sometimes we include a cute illustrated map to act as a fun guide for your guests.
Rehearsal Dinner Invitations
This beautiful little card kicks off the official wedding festivities. They can be mailed within your wedding suite or as a separate invitation. I’ll help you decide which option is best for you.
Stylish Embellishments…
Wax Seals, Ribbons, Twine
A few of my favorite things! Depending on the style of your suite, we may decide that one (or more) of these beauties would be the perfect compliment.
Bellyband
I know, I know, the name sounds funny, but the intention is good. A bellyband is a thin band of paper, ribbon or twine that wraps around your invitation holding all the pieces together.
Custom and Vintage Stamps
Add these to the list of things that make my heart beat a little faster.
CUSTOM STAMPS can include a special detail from your story — your monogram, a sneak peek of the floral illustration inside or even a photo of your dog!
VINTAGE STAMPS are exactly what they sound like — out of circulation stamps that are generally arranged in a unique manner on the outside of your envelope. I like to curate sets of the same style or color palette to enhance you wedding suite.
Pocket
A folder or sleeve made from heavy paper and/or fabric with a slot to corral all your cards (reply, detail, schedule, etc).
Whew! While the options and embellishments are endless, these particular details are some of the ones I cherish the most when designing a suite.
Keep in mind, each couple is unique and so is each wedding invitation so I’ll help guide you to the pieces that compliment your vision best.
xo, Katie
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