Know Your People

Now that you understand the basics of how invitations are priced, the next step is to have an idea of who will be receiving this coveted item.

Prior to attending your consultation, I highly recommend that you and your fiance draft a copy of your guest list. This list is an essential factor for setting your invitation and reception budgets. When you tell your stationer or designer that you plan on inviting 600 guests and need 300 invites, the price you are quoted may bring you back to reality and cause you to trim your list.

Some couples have a private ceremony with only close friends and family. They choose to instead invite those outside of that circle to the reception. If you are planning on doing this, you will need an invitation that invites your guest to the reception only. Remember, any guest invited to the ceremony should always be invited to the reception.

Having your guest list could also save you from reordering invitations. Many brides-to-be don't realize that a reordering 25 invites can cost just as much as the original order. Going through that can really make you mad!

Recap: Make a rough draft of your guest list for a more accurate estimate.

Tip: Order 5-10 more invitations in the event you need to add a forgotten relative or family friend.