Don’t be “SuperBride”

The “superbride”. The one who thinks she can do it all. Until it’s two weeks to the wedding and there are place cards to be printed, programs to be designed, invitations that didn’t get stamped or sent, and the list goes on. Your family, your friends and the professionals in the industry are all here for you. When picking DIY (do-it yourself) projects, choose wisely. Choose tasks that are simple or extremely personal and enlist your family and friends to help out with that.

Don’t use pre-printed labels

As we mentioned last week, your wedding invitations set the tone to your event. Grab some family members and friends (with nice handwriting) and write out the addresses to add the personal touch. Your guests are coming to be a part of your big day and to give you their blessings. Make them feel welcomed and special from the very beginning. Here is a tip we picked up,Using a fancy font in a very light gray, run each envelope through your printer, and then trace over the printed address using a calligraphy pen. Your guests will never know your secret!

Don’t forget the full address

Sometimes we are so accustomed to our surroundings that we take it for granted. Keep in mind that wedding and reception venues could be unique and foreign to some of your guests. Include a full address on your invitations so that they can Google the directions as need be. If there are particularly peculiar elements or directions to your venue, consider creating a separate insert with a map and directions.

Don’t do partial invites

If you’re going to invite someone to the pre-events, make sure you invite them to the main one too. If you’re having a large party before the main event don’t invite someone to just the party and not the main event. It is inappropriate to have someone invited to a shower or engagement party if you do not plan on inviting them to the wedding.

Don’t forget the RSVP deadline!

If you are required to give a head count to the venue before the wedding, ensure that you put a deadline to the RSVP date. We recommend keeping the RSVP date one week earlier to the deadline given by the venue.

Don’t have a standby guest list

Have you ever been invited at the very last minute? Do you remember what that feels like?Don’t have a “standby” guest list which you pull out “if there’s room” or if enough RSVPs haven’t been received. Keep in mind that ten to twenty percent of the guests invited send their regrets so plan your guest list carefully and invite everyone at the same time.

Don’t include Reception information on the same card

Unless your reception is taking place at the same venue, it should be treated as a separate event. Do not include the reception information on the same card as the ceremony information. It should be placed in the invite package as a separate insert.

Don’t put “No Children” on the invitation

Times are changing and couples are asking to leave children at home. Guests do understand the reasoning behind it (most of the time) but it is impolite and inappropriate to put this on your invitations. It is better to write “Adults Only Please” if a majority of your guests have children. If only a handful of your guests have kids then go the old fashioned way of picking up the phone and informing them that it is an adults only event. In most cases, the wording and structure of the invitation should send a clear message of whether children are or are not allowed.

Keeping the do’s from last week and these don’ts in mind will help you set the right tone and mood towards your big day. It is imperative that guests do not feel offended or disrespected during any aspect of your wedding planning. You want to begin your big day with happy people full of love and blessings for your new life together as partners.