5 Things to Know Before You Order Wedding Invitations

If you plan to order wedding invitations soon, you may feel overwhelmed by how much you don’t know. When should you place your order? And how many invitations do you need? As a wedding invitation designer, I’m here to answer your questions. Let’s dive into the five things you should know before ordering wedding invitations, so you can confidently forge ahead!

What to Know Before You Order Wedding Invitations

Your Budget

First and foremost, know your wedding stationery budget. If you don’t have one yet and aren’t sure where to start, I encourage making a wishlist! Include both what you need (non-negotiables) and what you want (extras you would love if they fit in your budget). You can also check out our Wedding Invitation Budget Guide.

My website and lead form make it easy to prioritize your needs and determine which of your wants you can afford. The top pieces in your cart are your must-haves (invitation, information card, envelope, etc.). Then, as you scroll down, you see all the add-ons that you don’t *need* but are nice to have. As you make selections, your shopping cart updates in real time with the order total. So, you can easily decide which items to order and which to remove from your cart so you don’t exceed your budget.

[Shop the Tiffany Collection]

The Quantity You Need

Remember: you’re counting up the number of invitations you need based on the number of households, not the number of guests.

In addition, I recommend ordering 10-15 extra invitations (more if you’re ordering letterpress invitations). These are your insurance in case an invitation is lost in the mail (it happens!) or you have a last-minute invitee. Plus, you’ll want to hold onto one or two as keepsakes!

When to Order

The best time to order wedding invitations is five or six months before your wedding date. This allows plenty of time for a revision (or two, or three!) but not so much that you experience decision paralysis. I don’t advise ordering closer to your wedding date than four months out, because most suites I work on take 4-6 weeks to complete.

And above all, I want this process to be stress-free for you! Head to our detailed Guide to Ordering Wedding Stationery to learn when to order other pieces, like save-the-date cards and thank-you notes.

Your Wedding Invitation Style

Our wedding invitations come in various styles, from the boldly romantic Audrey to the delicate and vintage-inspired Samantha. If you aren’t sure what you like, head to Pinterest! Set a timer for ten minutes, search for “wedding invitations,” and rapid-fire save any image that catches your eye. 

When you’re done, take a look at your new vision board. What were you consistently drawn to? Watercolor florals? Minimalist styles? Monograms? What you see will give you a window into your wedding invitation style!

[Shop the Audrey Collection]

Your Wedding Details

Pertinent details include your wedding’s date, start time, and location, your wedding website, and information about your hotel room block (if applicable). It’s best to nail down these details well before ordering your wedding invitations, since you’ll need to include them on your stationery.

If you’re still in the beginning stages of planning, don’t fret! You have time to figure out all of the above. However, it’s wise to consider how you want to communicate certain information. For example, do you want to put details about room blocks, parking, and transportation in your invitation? Or, will your website house that information?

My rule of thumb is to keep the Details card as simple as possible. Include the most important facts—your reception location and timing, and wedding website address—and invite your guests to visit the website for additional information. That way, your guests are most likely to go there, where they’ll find all the relevant information in one easy-to-read spot!

Order Wedding Invitations from Invited by LamaWorks

Now that you’re prepared to place your order for wedding invitations, let’s walk through the process! With each couple, I start with an overview. We review their favorite suite(s), identify the necessary pieces, and determine the quantity of invitations required. Then, they complete a form indicating their desired wording, paper color(s), ink color(s), envelopes, and any additional design requests. 

From there, it’s proofing time! I mock up a design based on the information given and send it to the couple for review. If they want to see something changed, there’s no limit to the rounds of proofs I provide—we work until it’s perfect! Every proof includes:

• A timeline reminder

• Details of each piece (size, paper color, weight, print method, etc.)

• A shareable Adobe link (so family and friends can review it, too!)

If there’s time, we can order a printed proof. This service is complimentary with every order and takes about two weeks. Then, once we’ve reached the end of the process, I send the design to my professional proofreader! She checks that the venue name and address are correct, looks for inconsistencies in punctuation and wording, and ensures that the wedding website link is functional.

I’ve designed this process so you can have personalized wedding invitations without the stress! Are you ready to get started? Begin browsing our signature stationery collections, or submit a contact form to let me know how I can help.