The Ultimate Wedding Invitation Guide

From what to write to when to send

Compared with choosing a venue, finding the dress, planning the honeymoon, wedding invitations may seem like one of the simpler tasks to organise in the run up to your big day. But there’s lots to consider when it comes to these small but very special pieces of paper. Along with your save the dates, your invitations set the overall tone for the big day and give your guests a taste of what’s to come. It’s important to make sure that your information is clear and the design reflects the personal style of you, your other half and the day you’re about to share together.

From what to write and when to send to addressing envelopes, here’s everything you need and might want to know when it comes to your invitations.

Your guide to wedding invitations

What to include in your wedding invitations

As much as beautiful design is a priority, there’s no getting away from the fact that your invitations are there to serve a purpose – to share essential info about your wedding with your guests. How much detail you add is up to you, but there are certain facts you must include to make sure your guests are fully informed and arrive on time.

Essential info to include:

There’s a wedding and you’re invited!

Whether you ‘request the pleasure of their company’ or simply tell guests you’re ‘tying the knot’, let your guests know you’re getting wed with invitation wording that suits the vibe of your invitation and your wedding that’s to follow. Traditional wedding ceremonies require more formal wording, whilst modern weddings can be introduced with a fun, casual tone.

Names of the happy couple

Of course, you’ll need to include the name of you and your husband or wife-to-be so that guests know whose wedding they’re attending. Traditionally, the bride’s name comes before the groom’s, but, nowadays or for same-sex weddings, names can be also arranged alphabetically or in whichever order looks or sounds best.

The venue and location

The name of your wedding venue and an additional evening venue (if applicable) are a must. You don’t have to state the full address if you’d prefer to keep text minimal as possible, but you do need to share the name of the venue and the city/country it’s in so guests can look up its exact location.

The date and time

Let guests know when your big day will take place and what time they should arrive. For destination weddings, be clear about how many days the celebrations will go on for if you’re inviting guests to attend more than one day.

Reception info

If your evening do will be taking place at a different venue, state this on the invitation and let guests know whether there will be transportation provided or if they’ll be expected to make their own way there. And if you’re inviting someone to the evening celebrations only, make sure this is clear on the invitation.

RSVP details

Don’t forget to include info on how to RSVP at the bottom of your invitation, or you can also do this on your info card. Give a 4-week cut off so you can update caterers or your venue with final numbers.

(If you want to see examples, from the traditional to the modern, of how to word your wedding invitation, read our guide to wedding invitation wording)

How to write (or type) a wedding invitation

After you’ve decided on the information you’re going to include, it’s time to decide whether you’re going to format it. You can experiment around with font types, text size and colour using our easy online editor. Use the alignment buttons, letter spacing and line height to play around with presentation until you’ve found a look and layout you’re 100% happy with.

If you’re still struggling to fit all of your text onto your invitation, then consider moving some over to an info card. This is a place for information such as additional directions to your venue, gift list, dietary requirements – anything extra you’d like to add.

You can also choose to leave blank space on our designs so you can handwrite some of your text yourself. Most couples choose to leave a gap for the guest names and type the rest of the information. If you’re going to handwrite names, we recommend investing in a calligraphy or fountain pen so you can really make an impression. Practise on paper until you get the lettering right and be sure to double check the spelling of your guests’ names. Or if you have enough budget, you can source a professional calligrapher to do this for you.

How to address your wedding invitations

The envelope of your wedding invitation should include the name and full address of your guest(s). But deciding on how to address the envelopes for each person can be tricky. From single guests with plus ones and unmarried couples that live together, to families with children and those with special titles, there are lots of different situations to consider. Our easy guide to wedding envelope etiquette covers exactly how to address invitations to each of your guests.

Inner envelope & outer envelopes

Some couples choose to place their wedding invitation and envelope within an outer envelope to protect it from getting damaged in the post. If you’re choosing to do so, the outer envelope should feature your guests’ full name and address, while the inner envelope can be more personal and just show their first name, their last name and title or initials.

Our recipient & return addressing options

We offer envelope addressing here at Papier. You can upload your guest address to the front of each envelope as well as a return address, the date of your wedding or your initials to the back. We’ll print everything neatly and send your beautifully addressed envelopes in the post along with the rest of your order.

RECIPIENT ADDRESSING – $0.50 PER ENVELOPE

You can upload your guest addresses by downloading and filling in our handy spreadsheet or add them manually one by one, if you prefer.

ADD YOUR RETURN ADDRESS/MESSAGE – $0.50 PER ENVELOPE

Add a return address, your initials, a memorable date or special quote for a sophisticated touch. Whatever you write will show across the back of all your envelopes.

When to send wedding invitations

We recommend sending your invitations 2-3 months before your wedding. For destination weddings – when you’re asking guests to travel further afield – it’s polite to give as much notice as possible. 3-4 months is a good amount of time for guests to prepare travel and accommodation.

Wedding invitations - frequently asked questions


When should I order my wedding invitations?


To avoid unnecessary stress, order your wedding invitations at your earliest convenience. It can take time to source inspiration, browse designs and finalise wording, so starting the process asap is always a big help. We also suggest asking a trusted friend or family member to help you check over your final design before sending it off to print.


How many wedding invitations should I order?


Our wedding invitations come in quantities of 10, and you can order up to 1000 at a time. If you know you’ll have 87 guests, then order 90 invitations etc. And if you’re unsure on exact numbers, we always recommend ordering 10-20 more.


What size are my wedding invitations?


Our invitations come in the following sizes, with an envelope to fit:
• Portrait: 127.0mm (w) x 177.8mm (h)
• Landscape: 177.8mm x 127.0mm
• Square: 133.0mm x 133.0mm
Within our Wedding Invitation Sets, the additional, optional items come in the following sizes:
• Portrait info card: 101.6mm x 127.0mm
• Landscape RSVP card: 123.8mm x 88.9mm with RSVP envelope to fit.


What’s included in the wedding set?


Our wedding invitation sets come with optional matching info cards, RSVP cards and pre-addressed RSVP envelopes. You can delete and add items from the set depending on your needs.


How much do wedding invitations cost?


Our wedding invitations start from $53.00 for 10. If you choose to upgrade to our double thick paper for an even more premium look and feel, it’s £89.80.00 for 10. And our luxurious gold foiled collection starts from $72.50 for 10. Use the pricing calculator on any of our wedding invitation product pages to preview costs for different quantities and finishes.


How to address wedding invitations with a plus one?


If you’re 100% certain on the name of your guest’s plus one, you can include their name on the main invitation. But keep the envelope addressed to your primary guest. E.g. ‘Mr Max Simmons & Guest’. In instances where you don’t know the plus one, you can write ‘Max and guest’ on the invitation..


How to address wedding invitations with one envelope?


If you’re using one envelope rather than an inner and outer envelope, you guest(s) full name and address should go on the front of the envelope. The reverse can include your return address, the date of your big day or a monogram – get creative!


Save the date vs wedding invitations - what's the difference?


Your save the dates are there to share the news, day and location of your wedding, so guests can pop the date in their diary well in advance. They should be sent 6-8 months before you plan to tie the knot and 9-12 months if you’re getting married abroad.


When to send wedding invitations without save the dates?


You may choose not to send a save the date to close family or members of your wedding party who are already well aware of the date. In this instance, you can simply send them an invitation.


When to send destination wedding invitations?


Guests are likely to have started looking into accommodation and travel options after receiving your save the date 9-12 months before the wedding. We suggest sending invitations 3-4 months in advance to give them enough time to firm up plans and bookings.

FAQ - Papier wedding invitation FAQ


Are envelopes included in the price?


Yes. Products come with our basic Papier envelopes for free. But you can upgrade to one of our custom options for a little extra.


Do you offer envelope addressing?


We offer recipient and return addressing. Once you’ve designed your invitation (and any additional items within your invitation set,) you’ll be asked if you’d like to add envelope addressing.


What’s the difference between single thick and double thick paper?



Our wedding invitations come in single-thick paper as standard, which is 324gsm (grams per square metre) in weight and have a softly textured look and feel.

You can also upgrade to our double-thick paper for a little extra – it’s 650gsm in weight and has an even more premium feel.



How are your gold foiling products made?



We offer gold and rose gold foiling. The designs are created using hot-foil printing – a traditional hand-printing method combining the hands of skilled artisans and a heavy pressing machine. Real foil details are pressed into our paper, leaving a metallic impression. Find out more about the crafting technique here.


Will my photo invitation/card print well?



If choosing a wedding photo card or invitation, use a high resolution photograph for a good quality print. If your photo is too low resolution, you’ll get a warning message. The best way to ensure you’re happy with the print is to order a sample via the product page. More info.


Can I order samples?



Yes. We have a few ways to sample our wedding collection, including free unpersonalised samples and personalised samples for $2. Read about our sample options.


How will the wedding stationery be delivered?



Everything we do is lovingly packaged by hand, with protective wrapping to ensure your Papier post arrives in perfect condition.



What happens if I need more invitations?



If you’d like to reorder some invitations, you can access your previous design in the ‘Orders’ section of your account. Click 'Create Again' to reload the item(s). From there, you can make any further changes or simply proceed to checkout. More info.


How do you create evening invitations?



If you’d like to create an evening version of your daytime wedding invitation, go to your ‘Saved Designs’ in your account and press the duplicate button on the design you’d like to edit. From here, you can delete any daytime details and replace them with info about your evening reception.


How long will it take between ordering my wedding invitations and receiving delivery?



Printing and production take 3-4 working days and delivery options are as follows:

  • Standard Delivery: From $8.00 (delivered 2-5 working days after dispatch)
  • Tracked Delivery: From $12.00 (2-5 working days after dispatch)


Can I choose the font for my wedding stationery text?


Yes, you can choose from our range of fonts in our editor.


Can I choose the colour of the envelopes?



You can upgrade to one of our custom envelope options if you’d like to add some colour to the inside of your envelopes.


Do you offer help with personalisation/design assistance?



Yes, our wedding stationery experts are always on hand to help. We’re happy to offer ideas and inspiration as well as offering advice of personalisation. Just email us at support@papier.com or drop us a message on our live chat.


Got another question?



No problem! Just get in touch and our wedding experts will get back to you within 12-24 hours Monday-Friday. Alternatively, you email us at the address above, message us on live chat or call our team on +61 (2) 40583700 – we’re always happy to help!

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