SUITE & SIMPLE

The Rachel Invitation Suite, from Sweet Floral.

It wasn’t until about 3 years ago, when I first got into the wedding stationery business, that I first came across the term ‘Invitation Suite’, and to be perfectly honest it seemed a little pretentious. To put it more simply it is a set of matching stationery pieces which have evolved over time to become the normal etiquette of sending out your wedding invitations and receiving replies. So the typical Invitation Suite will include; Invitation & Envelope, a smaller Details Card, a Reply Card, (usually titled R.S.V.P.) and a Reply Envelope. It also often is held together with a strip of paper often called a ‘Bellyband’. (You can also use a ribbon, a pouch, a pocket fold or a lovely vellum wrap, there are lots of options of how to hold it all together.)

Stacked invitation from the new Simple Botanical Range.

Now there is a whole host of advice out there about how wedding invitations should be worded, exactly what information needs to go on all your stationery pieces and in what order and how it should all be presented to your guests. I am going to try and simplify this process a little for you as it can be a little daunting at first.

Some couples (by this I generally mean brides!) will come to me with a very no-nonsense approach. They will want a simple, single invitation that will include all their information. This will be a straightforward, ‘Time’, ‘Date’, ‘Venue’, ‘RSVP details’ and a ‘Please inform us of any special dietary requirements’. And that is perfectly fine and it works.

Often, however, at this point in the consultation I will be asked the question. ‘What do people normally do about The RSVP?  Do they just put the address/telephone number/email address on the invite or do they do a separate RSVP card?” Then you will see a little uncertainty creep in as we start to discuss whether this is the right approach or do we have to think of perhaps some of the older guests who are not that familiar with replying by email or telephone or who really just like the old fashioned approach of sending a Wedding Reply Card by post.

I would suggest a number of solutions to this;

Option 1 You are sticking to your simple, single card invite but you include an email address to reply to and  a Postal Address. This gives your guests the choice of how they want to reply. Many guests will be very happy to reply by email and many will be just as happy and maybe more comfortable to go out and buy that Wedding Reply Card and post it to you. It really was the done thing not so many years ago and a lovely part of the whole experience.

Option 2 Have a smaller number of Reply Cards printed to accommodate those guests who you feel will be more comfortable replying to you by post and include these with their invitations. The wording on the invitation can remain to allow for both means of reply. You will need to include an envelope with this reply card. It is also a nice touch to have these envelopes already addressed and even nicer to have a stamp on it.

Option 3 Ok, you’re not comfortable with the idea of an invitation suite involving lots of separate cards but like the idea of a folding invitation that has lots for space for all the necessary information including accommodation and directions. We have a range of folding invites which have a detachable RSVP card which can be pre-addressed or detached and posted in an envelope. This covers all the bases and is also makes for a very attractive invitation style.

A lot of couples, however, will really be attracted to the Invitation Suite and all its matching individual elements. It may be that they want to give their guests as much helpful information as they can to make the whole process of getting to the wedding and perhaps booking accommodation as stress-free as possible. This is a good reason therefore to include a Details Card. I have read advice online that even in the age of Google Maps and Smart Phones it really is still a great back up to include detailed directions, or a map on your wedding invitation, especially for guests who are not familiar with the area and you just never know when technology might let you down! It is also a lovely touch when someone has taken the time to research local accommodation and put together a list of recommended Hotels and Guesthouses with the contact details all included.

Remember that this is your wedding and if you want to mark this day with something really special then a beautifully designed “Invitation Suite” reflecting your style and carefully detailed and considered by you is a lovely way to build the excitement among your guests for your day.

Equally, a single, simple invitation card is a beautiful thing and at Foxglove, whatever option you choose, we will ensure that it is everything you hope for in terms of design and quality.

Get in touch if you want any help or advice and have a look at our range of design options on www.foxglovestationery.com.