Page 5 - RVO Bridal Show 2016

ADVERTISING SUPPLEMENT | RIVER VALLEY & OZARK EDITION OF THE ARKANSAS DEMOCRAT-GAZETTE | SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 21, 2016 5VV
Pushing the envelope What to include with wedding invitations
Wedding invitations once fol- lowed a relatively standard format that did not necessari- ly require much thought on the part of the grooms- and brides-to-be. Many couples now take more creative approaches to their wedding invitations, using them to evoke a certain theme or to establish if the wedding will be formal or casual.
While wedding-invitation designs might have become more flexible over the years, couples should still make sure to include certain information in their invitations to avoid being overwhelmed with questions from guests excited to attend the festivities.
DATE AND TIME
It may seem simple, but don’t forget to include the date and time of both the wed- ding and reception in the invitation. If there will be a considerable amount of time be- tween the ceremony and the reception, you may want to include a handful of local dining suggestions so guests can grab a quick bite to eat before the cocktail hour.
VENUE INFORMATION
Guests will need to know where couples are tying the knot, so be sure to include the address of the ceremony site, as well as a link to its website.The address will help guests find the venue, while the website can prove an invaluable source of information about the venue.That can save couples the trouble of answering questions that can more easily and quickly be answered by visiting the website.
RECEPTION-HALL INFORMATION
Couples whose receptions will be in a different location than their ceremonies should include the same information about the reception hall that they do about the ceremony site. Reception-hall information is often listed on reception cards, which can include information on the front and back to save paper and money on postage.
HOTEL INFORMATION
Many couples arrange special room rates with nearby hotels for their wedding guests.
Regardless of the style of wedding invitations that cou- ples choose, they should be sure to include pertinent information that will help guests who plan to attend the wedding, including date, time and venue information.
Include the names of these hotels, directions to the hotel from all directions, directions from the hotel to the ceremony and reception sites and the various rates for rooms (single room, double room, etc.). If possible, include a link to each hotel’s reservation form as well.
REPLY CARDS
Reply cards are included so guests can easily reply to let couples know if they will or will not be attending. Couples with wedding websites can even include a link to their sites on the reply cards, letting guests know they can reply via the website if they so choose.
RECEPTION MENU
Many reception halls ask that couples give them a ballpark figure as to how many of their guests will prefer each type of entree available at the reception. Include menu op- tions within your invitation package, ideally on your reply card, so you can easily provide this information to your vendor.
WEDDING-WEBSITE INFORMATION
If you did not already include a link to your wedding website on your save-the-date cards, include that information in your invita- tion package.Wedding websites will answer many of your guests’ questions for you, so don’t forget to make this valuable tool a part of your wedding planning.
— Courtesy of Metro Creative