ANATOMY OF A WEDDING INVITATION | Gilded Swan Paperie

vintage botanical wedding invitations stationery

MAIN WEDDING INVITATION

This tells your guest, who, what, when and, where. No information is ever printed on the back because

guests will not know to look for important information there. Order a separate Details card to list your accommodations, web link, attire etc.

REPLY CARD

Very traditional and a must for getting your guests to reply. Set your date 3-4 weeks ahead of your wedding date. You can add meal option choices for guests here as well. QR codes for replies are incredibly ugly and I prefer not to use them as they detract from your lovely invitations and many people, including the elderly have trouble using them. Many couples are doing a link on this card for guests to reply to instead of sending the reply card back through the mail. You will get more responses from a physically mailed reply card than an online QR code or weblink. If you choose the link or QR code, you will be making more follow-up phone calls.

DETAILS CARD

This is literally anything you want it to be. You might just have one card, you might have a few. You will probably have more information than will comfortably fit on the main invitation. You only need the bare basics on the main invitation because we want to keep it timeless and classy. Details cards can have:

-- accommodation information

-- dress code

-- directions (only if you have elderly guests not comfortable with GPS or have a very hidden venue)

-- shuttle or bus to venue information

-- reception location and details if it is different from the wedding venue

-- your web url

-- brunch or cocktail information or any other weekend festivities

SMALLER DETAILS-WEB CARD

If you do not have enough wording to fill the Details card from above, this little card can be printed to include a weblink for your website. It can also hold your QR code if you must have one. QR codes do not ever go on a formal invitation so this is an option.

REPLY ENVELOPE

This smaller envelope will hold your reply card and get sent back to you from your guests with their reply. I can print your return address on the front of this envelope. You should add the postage stamp.

INVITATION ENVELOPE

This is the main envelope that holds your invitation, reply card, reply envelope, and details cards. I can print your return address on the back flap and your guest addresses on the front of the invitation envelopes.

POCKET FOLDERS

My luxurious folders hold your invitation, reply card, reply envelope, and details card.

BELLY BANDS

These are lovely and can tie your invitations, envelopes, and cards together in a decorative way. I can print belly bands, but to be honest with you, my designs are very intricate and colorful and most of the time, a pretty velvet or hand-dyed silk ribbon works best. I routinely go to flea markets and craft stores looking for gorgeous ribbon and little findings to secure my invitations for styled shoots. Go on Etsy and search "hand-dyed silk ribbon" and gush.

STAMPS

Nothing sets your vintage wedding invitations off better than colorful stamps. My go-to shop for unused vintage stamps is Verde Studio on Etsy. I love grouping a few different stamps to make my envelopes look really vintage. If you don't want to go that route, the usps has dozens of historic designs

WHEN SHOULD I ORDER MY INVITATIONS?

Your wedding invitation should be received by your guests two-three months before your wedding, earlier for destination weddings. I email you proofs within 24 hours of your deposit purchase and receiving your wording, printing your custom invitations can take three full weeks. And what happens if your Officiant changes the wedding time and we have to reprint? Moreover, sometimes your envelope or paper choice could be on backorder during busy times. The point is, order as EARLY as you can. Do not wait.