Invitation Information

The next post on our series regarding invitations is just some basic information that you should keep in mind while planning. We also hope that you find some inspiration in the pretty invitations that are included from local vendors!

Lined Goods. Instagram: @linedgoods

Lined Goods. Instagram: @linedgoods

Adult only weddings
Weddings aren’t always the most “kid friendly” occasion and when couples start including children, the guest count (and budget) can increase drastically, which is why some couples opt to have an adult only wedding. When addressing the invitations (we will get into that on the next post in the series), make sure to address the invitations just to the parents. Only the names who are on the invitation should be invited. If you are finding that guests are RSVPing for their children, it is okay to contact them and let them know that while you still love their children, you have chosen to have a wedding that is adult only.

Plus-ones
If most of your guests are couples, it might be nice to extend a plus-one to some of your single guests to make them feel more comfortable. In addition, if you have a guest who might not know anybody many others in attendance, they too might feel more comfortably bringing a plus-one. If a guest has a serious significant other, you should also put their name on the envelope instead of “and guest.” If you do not extend a plus-one to someone who has RSVPd that they are bringing a date, it’s okay to let them know that while you would love to have their guest join; unfortunately there is no more room at the reception.

Reception start time
If you are planning on having your ceremony and reception at different locations, it is important to state on the invitation where the reception will be and what time it will start. This will help guests to manage their time between the ceremony and reception so that they don’t show up to the reception too early, especially if you’re planning on having quite a bit of time between the ceremony and reception. If you’re planning on having your ceremony and reception in the same place, it is acceptable just to write “reception to follow” or “dinner and dancing to follow” on the invitation.

Lined Goods. Instagram: @linedgoods

Lined Goods. Instagram: @linedgoods

Wedding Website
Wedding websites seem to be more popular as it is a great way for couples to let guests know where they are registered, hotel and travel accommodations and wedding weekend activities all in one place without having to put all of that information in with your invitation. You could opt to do a small enclosure card that just says “for more information, please see view our wedding website” along with your site address. This is also something that could be included on the save-the-dates.

As always, we hope that you have found this to be helpful! We have one more in this series on invitations which will cover how to properly address them. Keep your eyes out for that next month! 

Rain on Your Wedding Day Can Bring More Than Just Good Luck

Worried about rain on your wedding day? Don’t be! Not only is it said to be good luck, but in our experience, beautiful and unique pictures can often come of it too. Check out just a few of our favorite, captivating rainy day photographs below.

Photo by Grace Pulver.

Photo by Grace Pulver.

Photo by Ashley Dru and bouquet was by Camille's Floral.

Photo by Ashley Dru and bouquet was by Camille's Floral.

As you can see, this clear umbrella gets quite a bit of use! 

Photo by Bekah Taylor.

Photo by Bekah Taylor.

However, some of our brides opt for indoor photos when the weather refuses to cooperate. We think our friend Bekah of Bekah Taylor Photography said it right when she talked about having a well lit, beautiful indoor space that allows for great pictures even if you can’t go outside:

“The best part about Bread and Chocolate is their indoor space. It rained the whole day and it didn't even matter. There were so many beautiful places to shoot indoors that we didn't even need to go outside.”

Like Bekah said, it literally rained the entire day for this early June wedding. You can see one of the outdoor pictures that Tyler and Rachel took above but as you can see below in these other rainy day weddings, you really don't need to go outside to get great pictures, especially for portraits and wedding party shots. 

Photo by Bekah Taylor and florals by My Simple Soirée.

Photo by Bekah Taylor and florals by My Simple Soirée.

Photo by Ashley Dru.

Photo by Ashley Dru.

Photo by Grace Pulver.

Photo by Grace Pulver.

Another thing to keep in mind is that just because your wedding day starts out stormy, doesn’t mean the rain won’t let up. A post-storm setting can create the perfect lighting and background for a wide variety of breathtaking photos!

Photo by Sweet Lemon Drop.

Photo by Sweet Lemon Drop.

Keep in mind that it is Indiana and the weather changes quite frequently; however, there is no need to stress for rain on your big day! 

Invitation Timeline

We are excited to be starting a series with what you need to know regarding invitations—timeline, etiquette, inspiration. For many of our couples, it’s about that time where you will need to start thinking about what you want to send to your guests. It’s especially important to think ahead if you want to send out save the dates as well as invitations.

Design by Maddie Laidig, owner at Lined Goods.

Design by Maddie Laidig, owner at Lined Goods.

Before you start worrying about the style and design of your stationery and what information you’d like to include on your invitations, it’s important to have a timeline in mind so things don’t sneak up on you.

Save the dates:
If you’re planning on sending out save the date cards to guests, you should plan to send them out about 6-8 months before the wedding. Save the dates are great if you have a lot of guests coming in from out of town as it gives them plenty of time to make arrangements for travel or if you have a longer engagement.

Designed by Brook Krabill, owner at Smitten with Bliss.

Designed by Brook Krabill, owner at Smitten with Bliss.

Invitations:
If you decide you are not sending out save the dates, we recommend sending out invitations approximately 3 to 4 months before the wedding. Again, this gives guests plenty of time to make arrangements for travel. If you are sending save-the-dates, we recommend sending the invitations out about 2-3 months before the wedding. Regardless of when you send out the invitation, the RSVP by date should be set for about 5-6 weeks before the wedding. This will give you plenty of time before the wedding to contact those guests who have not sent in their RSVP as well as give you plenty of time to create your seating chart.

Designed by Jordan Santos, owner of Jordan Santos Designs.

Designed by Jordan Santos, owner of Jordan Santos Designs.

We hope that you have found this to be helpful. We would also like to note that all of the invitations we will be featuring in this series are from local artists, we highly recommend checking them out! Now for some more invitation inspiration....

Lined Goods. Instagram: @linedgoods

Lined Goods. Instagram: @linedgoods