Before you wedding, and maybe even your wedding planning, begins there is something you need to address: the wedding invitation. It might seem like a straightforward thing – what could be so hard about it? – but it’s only when you sit down and begin to put it into action that you realise it can be quite challenging. There’s not only the design but the wording and timing to think about. So how does one draft the perfect invitation?

Creativity is fine but don’t go crazy

It’s fun to get creative with your wedding invitation and make it truly one of a kind. But don’t get carried away. The most important thing – far more so than it looking imaginative and distinctive – is ensuring all the information is immediately clear to the people receiving it. Make sure the names of the couple, the date, the time and address are the most prominent, eye-catching parts before you experiment with the rest.

There is no such thing as too much notice

8 months? 10 months? A whole year? It doesn’t matter. There is no such thing as too much notice when it comes to handing out save-the-date cards to your friends and family. You will want to get an RSVP sorted closer to the time, of course – no one will be able to give you a definite answer until about 6 months before it takes place – but don’t worry about getting a jump start on planning for your wedding.

No need to overload it with information

Don’t want kids at your wedding? Want people to turn up in a very specific dress code? It’s understandable that you would want to delve into the specifics in your invitation, but information overload can be off-putting – especially from a design point of view. Find ways of keeping it straightforward and getting to the point as quick as possible – e.g. if you mention the names of the invitees they can conclude that kids aren’t invited.