The Ultimate Guide To Destination Wedding Invitations

First impressions are everything, and wedding invitations are the first step your guests will experience in your destination wedding! So make sure that you start off your destination wedding on the right foot with our ultimate guide to destination wedding invitation etiquette!

From when to send the invitations to who’s getting them, we’ve got you covered every step of the way when it comes to Destination Wedding Invitations!

It’s all about the timing

When it comes to sending out destination wedding invitations, timing is everything.

You’ll want to send out invitations at least 3-4 months in advance.

This will give your guests plenty of time to make travel arrangements and get their passports in order if necessary.

Sometimes, it may be wise to send out “save the date” cards up to 6 months in advance so your guests can plan ahead.

Remember to include an RSVP deadline on your invitations!

This will give your guests plenty of time to let you know if they can make it, and it will also be helpful for you when it comes to planning the details of your wedding.

Keep it short and sweet

William Shakespeare once wrote that “Brevity is the soul of wit.”

That’s smart-guy-speak for “Don’t be boring; keep things short and sweet.”

It’s important to keep your destination wedding invitations succinct, to the point, and charming!

With attention spans being what they are these days, you don’t want to overwhelm your guests with too much information.

Instead, focus on the essentials. Give your wedding guests the date, time, and location of your wedding, as well as the RSVP deadline.

If you need to provide additional information, consider creating a web page or blog post where your guests can find more details.

Luckily for you, Destify includes customized wedding websites that showcase your photos, the destination, booking information, and any additional info you want to include!

The more the merrier…or is it?

Before you send out those destination wedding invitations, you’ll want to decide who you want to invite and how many guests you can realistically accommodate.

Depending on your budget and the size of your wedding party, you may or may not want to include plus-ones on your guest list.

The more people attend your wedding, the more expensive your destination wedding will be.

Therefore, you must ask yourself, “How many guests can we afford to invite? Do all of my Aunts, Uncles, and former college classmates need to come? “

Many couples overspend because they don’t establish a budget. And at that point, they begin running up credit card debt.

By working with our trained destination wedding experts, you’ll set up a wedding budget that makes sense for you.

From there, you’ll narrow down your guest list!

Luckily for you, even if your guest list is extensive, we’ve found that you can expect around 30-50% of invited guests to attend your destination wedding.

Between costs and taking time off to travel,  not all of the people you invite will make it!

Who pays for what?

Another important detail to include in your invitation and/or customized wedding website is to establish what your guests are responsible for what when it comes to costs.

Will you provide transportation and accommodations for your guests, or will they make those arrangements themselves?

Typically, destination wedding guests pay for their airfare and their resort suite. Because we work with a large number of all-inclusive resorts, your guest’s food, drinks, entertainment, and basic necessities are taken care of!

You’ll want to ensure that your guests understand who is paying for what before they accept your destination wedding invitations.

Let your guests know what to expect

Since your wedding is in a different country, like the tropical destinations Mexico, Jamaica, or the Dominican Republic, it’s important to provide your guests with all the necessary info.

You’ll want to make sure that they pack their passports and credit cards, the appropriate clothes for the warm, humid climate, and necessities like:

• Deodorant
• Sunglasses
• Insect repellent
• Toothbrush and Toothpaste
• Lotion or Moisturizer
• Hairbrush
• Chapstick
• Advil
• Prescriptions

Additionally, it’s a good idea to provide your guests with a list of activities they can do in the area or any potential excursions they might be interested in!

Get Creative

When sending out your invitations, why not have fun and send memorable wedding invitations?

Consider opting for custom invitations that reflect the theme and location of your wedding.

This will make the invitations more special and give your guests a preview of what’s to come. You can incorporate palm trees, beaches, fish, or other tropical themes!

If you’re using physical invitations, you’ll want to make sure that the invitations are printed on high-quality paper and that the text is easy to read.

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How to Write and Design Perfect Wedding Invitation Cards

Every aspect of your wedding should be special. That also includes activities before the big day, even those pesky planning details that stress you out at 3 AM. One of those activities is the act of designing, writing, and sending out wedding invitations.

What makes them extra special is that they will likely be seen by many people (even those who are friends and family of your guests). Many guests also have the habit of keeping wedding invitation cards as souvenirs, especially if you have a destination wedding. So, here are some of our tips on how to make them special, unique, and unforgettable:

Top 5 Tips for How Social Media Will Help on Your Wedding Day

1. Don’t get too caught up in invitation templates

Today there are a lot of examples on the internet that offer certain structures for design. However, it may not be the most appropriate option for the type of wedding invitation letter you want to make. So, the most important thing, in this case, should be the information you want to include.

Here it is not necessary to include all the information from the internet’s example. On the contrary, it will be more than enough to write information that is relevant to get to the wedding. This can take some time.

Therefore, you will have the possibility to create your structure. To do so, you need to consider the type of ceremony that will be performed. Make sure the invitation and ceremony are compatible and follow the same vibe. Of course, there are a lot of tools that are available today to help you with this procedure.

2. Triple check for the most important details

One of the most common errors in a lot of invitation cards is that the wrong information is entered. In particular, many times, certain basic information that guests need to know is not included. When this happens, the unforeseen events for the guests are usually more than obvious.

This could be as simple as the place or date of the ceremony, information that is sometimes not included on the invitation cards. Wedding traditions and rituals differ in cultures around the world, but this one really is universal. Don’t force guests to ask, and this will also take away from your precious planning time. Of course, this causes several inconveniences that can easily be avoided.

It is also important to include important clarifications or requirements for the wedding, such as how the guests are to be dressed. Otherwise, it is much more difficult to make these requirements known to the guests in a good time. Let them know if the ceremony is formal, casual, or so on.

3. Include courtesies

There are some writing aspects that you should consider in the final design of the invitation cards. One of these aspects is the reception that is planned at the wedding. Of course, this is not mandatory to include.

With a destination wedding, every guest has more freedom in their preparation. It is not necessary to mention all the details and secrets of the wedding unless there are more formal events planned like dinner rehearsals or welcome parties.

This also allows guests to feel that they are important since they are taken into account. Also, this allows for a much more pleasant and enjoyable ceremony. If you are not sure how to verbalize all of this information, you can use the following services: professional writing services that can help you formulate the perfect invitation text, help with essay websites (because they specialize in clear writing), Canva (a tool to help you visually present all those little details) and Grammarly (to check the style, clarity, and readability of your wedding invitation).

4. Include important clarifications

One of the important clarifications is who the wedding invitation is specifically for. It is quite a controversial issue when no clarification is included. So, people may not know who is specifically invited.

Here it may be more than enough to write down the names of the people invited. Additionally, you also can write the “name + 1”. In this way, the guest will know that they can bring a person along.

On the other hand, including the full address is also necessary. Include your wedding website if already created as well, so guests can book directly. Therefore, the guests will be able to reach the place of the ceremony more easily. Along with this, including a map of the area is not a bad idea to help guide the guests from the airport.

5. Follow design tips

– Visual theme: In this case, it may be a good idea to choose a specific visual theme for the invitation cards. This is another way of letting people know what the specific theme of the ceremony will be. In turn, there are many different themes with specific designs.

– Choosing the typography: In this case, we can include handwriting, calligraphy type, brushes, or writing fonts. A combination of these aspects can also be used for a more pleasant result. Besides, it is possible to find the best style that represents the couple that is the protagonist of the ceremony.

– Including images or photographs: Including images to the design of the whole invitation card is a good option. In this way, the invitation card will become more vivid and represent the couple. Share one of your favorite photos together.

Conclusion

In summary, one of the most important bits of advice we can leave you with is that you should try to reflect your love and relationship in that wedding invitation card. Future guests who receive your wedding invite will appreciate the beautiful design, but a personal, warm invite goes a lot further.

You can also try including some of the inside jokes and special memories that make you and your S/O the perfect couple you are. Don’t be afraid to think outside the box. Most people get dozens of wedding invitations each year, so stand out!

Now that you’ve got your destination wedding invitation know-how, are you ready to book your dream destination wedding?

We’re here to take the anxiety and confusion out of wedding planning! We want you to enjoy every moment of your destination wedding experience, from your wardrobe choice to your sunset cocktails on the beach!

Talk to one of our wedding experts today!