Suite Components
The following list provides the Lilywillow wedding invitation suite components available to you and a little definition of what each piece is and how they work together. We've also provided an Adobe pdf file for your reference - Lilywillow Stationery Suite Components.
Invitation:
This is the first glimpse your wedding guests have as to the tone, style, and sentiment that creates the excitement and anticipation for the big day. The wedding invitation informs your guests of the wedding hosts, date, time, and location of the ceremony, and potentially the time and location of the reception.
Response Cards:
The response RSVP card is necessary so your guests can indicate whether they will or will not be attending your wedding and reception. It can specify meal preferences, attendance at other planned events: welcome parties, morning-after brunches, tours, family photo opportunities, etc. More and more couples have chosen a response post card instead of a card and envelope. Both options are available through Lilywillow. The deadline for a returned response card is normally set for two to three weeks ahead of the wedding date, so you can get accurate guest counts.
Reception Cards:
The reception card serves as a secondary invitation to your guests to join in celebration following the ceremony. These are primarily utilized if the reception location differs from the ceremony location, providing the name of the reception setting, the address, the phone number if desired, directions from the church, map, etc.
Primary Invitation Envelopes:
Unprinted, unlined primary envelopes are FREE with all wedding stationery suites. If desired, primary invitation envelopes may have your return address pre-printed on the envelope flap, in your invitation suite typefaceto save time when addressing your envelopes.
Response Card Envelopes:
Response card envelopes, in coordinating papers or colors accompany your response cards. We can include your requested reply address on the front panel. prepared in your invitation suite typeface with a design detail if you prefer.
Inner Envelopes:
Inner envelopes were initially required when the postal service traveled great distances to deliver the mail, facing inclement weather, often destroying the outer primary envelope. The inner envelope kept the contents of the invitation safe and dry. The inner envelope is often forgone now to conserve paper waste.
More formal, traditional wedding invitation suites still include the inner envelope to inform the household receiving the invitation set as to exactly whom has been invited. If a family of four is invited, the outer envelope would be addressed to the adults, while the inner may include the names of the children. If you prefer children not attend the event, the absence of their names on the inner envelope indicates as such. Inner envelopes are available for select invitation sizes and in select colors. Inner envelopes and liners are selected at the Embellishment Phase of the personalization process.
Accommodation Cards/Travel Information Cards:
The accommodation card/travel information card provides guests with lodging, airline, and car rental information and is typically enclosed in the wedding invitation package. These cards can alert guests to special rates that may have been negotiated with hotels near your ceremony or reception locations.
Schedule of Events:
This is included when wedding guests are invited to multiple events or activities – more than simply the ceremony and reception. Be it a city tour, outings, a welcome reception or party, brunch, etc. the schedule lets guests know where they need to be, what time they need to be there, and recommended transportation for your wedding weekend. These can also be prepared for guest hotel rooms.
Engagement Announcements:
These announcements may also serve as save-the-date cards, to inform guest of the proposed wedding date and location, so they may plan accordingly. These announcements are only sent to those you know will be invited to the wedding.
Save-the-Date Cards:
Save-the-date cards inform guests of the wedding date and location, but often also include accommodation, transportation, and wedding event information you would like to share with guests, but more specifically out-of-town guests. It’s appropriate to send save-the-date cards six to twelve months ahead of the wedding date.
Rehearsal/Rehearsal Dinner Invitations:
These invitations may be inserted in the appropriate wedding invitations or sent independently. Oftentimes, in lieu of a rehearsal dinner, couples are hosting a welcome party/event for all guests. This information should be included on the save-the-date so guests may travel accordingly and within the wedding stationery suite on a schedule of events, or it may appear on the response card to provide an accurate guest counts for planning purposes.
Brunch Invitations:
Much like the rehearsal/rehearsal dinner invitations, brunch invitations may be sent independently of the wedding invitation suite or together for the invited guests. If the brunch is open to all guests, inclusion of the brunch details on the save-the-date, schedule of events, and response card is recommended, again ensuring accurate guest counts for planning purposes.
Pew Cards:
Also known as “Within the Ribbon” cards, pew cards let select guests and family members know they are to be seated in a reserved area, on the bride or groom’s side. The pew card alerts the usher as to where the guest is to be seated and should be taken to the ceremony by the guest.
Pew cards may be included within the wedding invitation suite or send independently after the response cards have been returned so the number of reserved pews may be planned for accordingly.
Wedding Programs:
Wedding programs are printed pieces providing wedding guests with the sequence of the ceremony and introduction to the attendants, officiant, and any other participants. Programs may be single cards, bi-folds, tri-folds, or include multiple pages. If there are hymns or responsorial musical elements, these pieces are often included in the program document to assist your guests who may be unfamiliar with your religious traditions. Wedding programs may be handed to guests as the enter the wedding location by the ushers, placed at the entrance to be picked up by guests as they enter, or placed on the actual seats or pews.
Place Cards:
Otherwise knows as “seating cards,” place cards let your guests know where they will be seated at the reception and serve as an excellent way to ensure they are seated with family and friends, and they may be prepared in several sizes and styles, tent cards to flat cards. Place cards are typically displayed at the entrance to the reception site and are arranged in alphabetical order for easy identification. The individual place cards should correspond to a particular table, by number, color, name, or other identifying element (locations, songs, flowers, etc.). Additionally, a seating chart is encouraged to be available to guests when they pick up their place cards for large receptions or more upscale weddings. It isn’t unusual for ushers to escort guests by seating chart to their tables where place cards will be pre-arranged.
Table Cards:
Corresponding with the identifying element indicated on the place card – table number, color, name, etc. – table cards identify the table your guests should be seated at and may be included within table displays, floral displays, posted in frames, on easels, as part of a favor display, appear on wine bottles at the table – the sky is the limit.
Menus:
Menu cards, at each guest’s setting, detail the courses to be served, including the corresponding wines/drinks. Guests like to anticipate what they’ll be served at your reception, and for those guests with food allergies, the menus allow them to identify courses they may need to ask a server about. Each guest can be given a menu as an element of their place setting, arranged upon the table for guests to share, framed and posted.
Thank You Notes:
Also known as “informals,” these notes may be ordered for pre-wedding correspondence with both bride and groom’s full names and chosen address and for post-wedding correspondence with the married name or monogram and address. These cards are used as thank you notes for shower and wedding gifts, for notes to attendants, to wedding vendors, etc.
Marriage Announcements:
Marriage or wedding announcements are usually prepared in the same style as your wedding stationery package and are sent to people who were unable to attend or you were unable to invite – extended family, coworkers, etc. These also work well if you have eloped, had a civil ceremony, or chose to have a private wedding ceremony. They are mailed immediately after the wedding and often include the couple’s names, parents’ names, location, and the date. They are typically not sent to anyone who received a wedding invitation.
At Home/New Address Cards:
These cards are either sent within the wedding invitation set or with the marriage announcements. They are a formal means of sharing the married couple’s names, new address, and when you will reside there with family and friends.