Are you looking for unique destination wedding invitations? Now you’ve found the perfect location to say ‘I do’, you’ll want extra special, personalised wedding invitations that really capture the magic and charm of your venue.
By now, you will understand that there’s lots to consider when getting married abroad, and your wedding stationery is no different! Here’s some handy hints to help you plan your destination wedding invitation set.
EMBRACE YOUR LOCATION
Whether you have chosen to get married in Italy, Morrocco or Spain, incorporating your location into the design of your destination wedding invitations is a great way to set the tone for your special day and make the stationery unique and completely personal to you.
Destination weddings lend themselves well to hand painted suites with venue illustrations, crests and other illustrated elements. For example, Italian weddings might like to incorporate lemons, olive branches or a Tuscan landscape, while Moroccan celebrations are perfectly suited to bright colours and geometric patterns inspired by Zellij tiles and urban casbahs the region is famous for.
Watercolour wedding maps are also an ideal add-on to your wedding stationery set. Beautifully illustrated and featuring important landmarks or points of interest surrounding your wedding venue, wedding maps are extremely useful in helping guests find their way around.
After your wedding, they can also be framed and hung in your home as a keepsake of your special day
How far in advance should destination wedding invitations be sent?
GIVE GUESTS PLENTY OF NOTICE
If you are looking up ‘when should I send out wedding invitations’ you’ll stumble across recommendations to send wedding invitations 6-8 weeks before the event – but with weddings abroad, guests will have to book flights, save up and take more time of work, so don’t be afraid to send destination wedding invitations 12 months before the event.
Should I get a Wedding Planner for a Destination Wedding?
Yes, yes, yes!!! Although it may seem like an extra expense, hiring an experienced wedding planner can save you money in the long run. Some venues and suppliers increase prices for couples from out of town, and a wedding planner will know exactly how much everything should cost.
There may also be local legal requirements that you are unaware of, and liaising with individual international suppliers, especially where there is a time difference or language barrier, can cause a headache!
Hiring a wedding planner is giving you one point of contact, who should have in-depth industry knowledge and a whole string of reliable contacts, from florists and stylists to photographers, that should be vetted and quality assured!
What should go in a destination wedding invitation?
WRITING A DESTINATION WEDDING INVITATION
If you are wondering how to write a destination wedding invitation, you should include all the usual essential information such as your names, date and time of wedding, venue name and address, plus guest information.
If you are having a wedding website, I recommend having in-depth information on the website and a summary of key points on the printed invitations – such as travel information (flight times, numbers, airports and transfers), a schedule of events / your itinerary and how to RSVP.
Depending on the design of your destination wedding invitations and how much space you have, you could also include dress codes, whether children are welcome and gifting information.
When should you have a wedding website?
WEDDING WEBSITES
Super handy for a destination wedding! Not only for sharing detailed information, but you can keep updating them, even after you have sent your invitations out – which is useful if details change, or you add more weekend events to your schedule. You can also collect RSVP’s online, which is ideal if you have guests scattered across the globe, and some guests might find it easier RSVP-ing online, rather than mailing back a card.
You can collect menu choices and dietary requirements too and also share your wedding gift registry online.
How do I make a table plan for a destination wedding?
TRAVELLING WITH A TABLE PLAN
When it comes to wedding signs and table plans, transportation is a consideration – but don’t worry, I have this perfected down to a tee. It’s possible to print large table plans or welcome signs in two halves so they fit in your suitcase – then they can be stacked on top of one another or hung side by side.
Seating charts can also be printed on fabric and rolled to go in your suitcase, or you could embrace ‘table plan cards’, printing them on A5 or A6 size cards which are then mounted on a vintage mirror, rustic wooden board or other frame.
Failing that, I can supply table plans and wedding signage in digital format, should you wish to have them printed locally to your venue.
How do you thank destination wedding guests?
SAY A BIG THANK YOU
While it’s traditional to gift brides and grooms at weddings, it is also a thoughtful token gesture to treat your guests if they have travelled from afar. This could be a simple welcome hamper or gift bag. I have created some lovely stationery for these in the past, including personalised note cards, letters on custom headed paper and custom tags for gift bags with the couples wedding crest.
You could also plan fun group activities, excursions, dinner or brunch for your guests – don’t forget to provide an itinerary on arrival so guests know exactly where to be and when!
If you’d like to chat about stationery for your destination wedding, please get in touch. I offer bespoke wedding invitation sets, hand painted wedding invitations and stationery for the day of your wedding.