Don't forget to RSVP!

You've got engaged, got the ring, enjoying the excitement of the wedding bubble and then it won't be long before you are asked 'what's the date?' A wedding date can depend on many factors, the season (Summer being one of the most popular time for couples), expense (getting married out of season can be a cheaper option) and sentimental (getting married on a particular date which means something to the couple). I always imagined getting married in Spring, April or May time but we ended up getting married in October! We had returned from travelling in October 2013 and as soon as we were back getting married was the next thing on our mind. Saving and planning for a wedding on my original desired date of April or May 2014 was not practical. We both didn't want a long engagement where we waited until Spring 2015 so our only option was to pick another date for 2014. Autumn was another favourite season of mine so we decided on October half term, keeping in mind that this date might be easier for family and friends with kids who were travelling from further a field. Yes the wedding date should definable suit the special couple but to avoid any disappointment of unattended guests keep in mind what is happening around your chosen date, this can make life easier for a lot of people plus your guests will appreciate it ;-)    

I decided to make my own wedding invitations, I always said I would because its something I like doing plus it was a cheaper option. Whilst looking for inspiration on how to make my wedding invitations I was overwhelmed with the options, plus we had not really decided on a colour scheme yet (did my invitations need to match the colour scheme?) I was a bit unsure on the protocol. In the end I decided to make invitations that I though looked pretty and that were simple (when making 100 plus wedding invitations simple is a good idea, otherwise you could be making invitations past your wedding day)! I bough materials from local craft shops to make the A5 wedding invitation cards. On one side there was a block of floral wrapping paper I bought from a shop and on the other side was some typed text with the formal invitation; I finished of the card with a simple piece of ribbon wrapped around the invitation. The whole process included a lot of cutting and sticking but once I started it didn't take long to get a collection of wedding invitations together.

One thing which I found really useful to include in our wedding invitation was a piece of simple A4 paper with additional information about the wedding. This included church, reception and accommodation address; time scale and distance from one venue to the next; any dietary requirements; local taxi numbers and our contact numbers for any questions. I received a positive response from guests regarding the additional information I provided, it's easy to assume everyone knows where they are going and what they are doing but not everyone does (especially if they are not local). Guests can simply pop the piece of paper in their pocket or purse and this can act as a guide for your wedding day every step of they way. If you don't want to include an information sheet in the formal wedding invitation how about sending your guests an email instead. Getting a response from your guests can be a bit difficult at the best of times, people either assume you know they are going or the busyness of life can mean that RSVP has been misplaced. For our wedding we set up an email address especially for our guests to RSVP. I think it worked very well as most people now spend a lot of time on their phone or computer so emailing a RSVP at the press of a button is easy peasy, it doesn't cost anything and it saved me having to make RSVP cards ;-) We kept our wedding invitations very minimal to save on cost but by making your own invitations means you can incorporate anything! I chose floral pattern paper but there are so many cool wrapping papers out there with a good quality thickness to make your design strong and durable. Your wedding invitation is your first opportunity to make your wedding personal to you both and to reflect your personality so make the most of it! :-)