What a wedding invitation card contains
A wedding invitation card carries six facts: who hosts, who marries, the date, the time, the place, and the reply date. The card is the main piece. Other paper items go in the same envelope.
Standard size is 5 by 7 inches (12.7 by 17.8 cm). That fits an A7 envelope, 5.25 by 7.25 inches. Common paper weight is 110 lb cardstock, about 300 gsm.
Wording order
Read top to bottom:
- Host names. "Mr. and Mrs. John Reyes request the pleasure of your company."
- Couple names. Use full names on a formal card.
- Date and time. Spell out the day and the month. Write "four o'clock in the afternoon."
- Place. Venue name, street address, city, state, ZIP code.
- Reply line. "R.S.V.P. by May 3" plus a name or address.
Hosts who pay for the wedding appear first. If the couple pays, the couple's names go first.
Formal compared to casual
Formal cards use third person and no contractions. Casual cards use first person: "We're getting married." Both need the same six facts. Body text runs 10 to 12 points. Names run 18 points or larger.
Enclosures
- Reply card and stamped return envelope, A2 size, 4.375 by 5.75 inches.
- Details card for lodging, parking, and dress code.
- Map card if the venue is hard to find.
Do not put registry text on the invitation card. Put it on a separate card or a wedding website.
Postage and mailing
USPS prices First-Class Mail by weight and shape. A 2 oz letter costs more than a 1 oz letter. Square envelopes cost more than rectangular ones. Take one assembled invitation to a post office and weigh it. Buy stamps after that.
Ask for hand-canceling at the counter to avoid machine marks on the envelope.
Timeline
- 12 months before: save-the-date cards.
- 6 to 8 weeks before: invitations in the mail.
- 4 weeks before: reply deadline.
- 2 weeks before: final head count to the caterer.
Common errors
- Missing ZIP code or venue name.
- Reply date later than the caterer's deadline.
- Ink that smears. Use a laser printer or a print shop.
- Two invitation cards for one household. Send one per household, not per guest.
Order 10 percent more cards than the guest list count.