A wedding invitation card tells guests who is marrying, when and where the ceremony happens, and how to reply. Order your cards about four months before the wedding date and mail them six to eight weeks ahead so guests can book travel and request time off. The card itself holds the core details; response cards, reception cards, and directions go in the same envelope as supporting pieces.
Before you order
- Confirmed date, start time, and full venue address
- A final guest count plus 10 to 15 spare cards for last-minute additions
- A budget per invitation suite, including postage
- Decisions on wording: who hosts, dress code, and whether children are invited
What the invitation card must show
The main card carries the names of the hosts, the names of the couple, the date and time, and the venue with city and state. Formal wording uses third person and spells out everything, including the year and the words "request the pleasure of your company." Less formal cards can drop titles and use first person. Keep the card to a single panel of text. Reception details, lodging, and registry information belong on separate enclosure cards, not squeezed onto the invitation.
How to order wedding invitation cards
- Draft the full wording in a plain text document and read it aloud to catch errors.
- Ask two people to proofread the draft, including spelling of every name and the venue address.
- Request paper samples from two or three stationers so you can compare weight and finish.
- Choose the printing method: digital, letterpress, foil, or thermography, based on budget and formality.
- Place the order with your final guest count and confirm the proof date in writing.
- Review the printer's proof line by line against your draft before you approve it.
- Order envelopes, response cards, and postage in the same purchase so nothing arrives late.
How to assemble and mail the suite
- Stuff the response card and any enclosure cards into the main envelope with printed sides facing the guest.
- Seal, then hand-address or print addresses in a consistent format.
- Weigh one complete suite at the post office and buy enough postage for the heaviest piece.
- Add a return address to the back flap and a stamp for the response envelope.
- Mail the full batch on the same day, six to eight weeks before the wedding.
Wording questions that come up
Divorced parents who both host are listed on separate lines, with the mother's name first. If the couple hosts, their names lead the card. Adults-only receptions are handled with a spoken explanation or a clear line on the response card, not with a note on the invitation. A dress code line goes in the lower corner of the reception card. When a guest list grows after mailing, send a supplemental invitation in the same style rather than a phone call alone.