What Goes in a Wedding Invitation Suite?

More Than Just an Invitation

One of the biggest decisions you will make when planning your wedding is your invitation suite. Without it, how will you tell your guests about your special day? We all know what an invitation is and what it does, but what about those other pieces of paper that go alongside it? How do you know what to pair with your invitation?

An invitation suite is more than just the invitation. It’s the first glimpse your guests have of what to expect on the day — from the colours and styling to the overall feel of the wedding. The suite itself is designed to make the guest experience easier by providing all the need-to-know information in one cohesive collection.

A complete suite can consist of the invitation (of course), but also a Save the Date, details or information card, RSVP card — depending on how you are choosing to collect responses — and sometimes a thank-you-for-attending card.

They all sound great, but what do they actually do, and which ones do you need? This article will break down the different pieces within an invitation suite, what purpose each one serves, and how they can work together to create a cohesive experience for your guests.

What is a wedding invitation suite?

Think of an invitation suite as the complete story of your wedding, broken down into individual pieces. An invitation suite is a cohesive collection of stationery pieces, either digital or physical, designed to provide your guests with the information they need for your wedding. Each piece has a particular job, so no single card should feel overcrowded or overloaded with information.

Depending on what information you are choosing to share, each card will provide a particular detail. For example, the Save the Date is usually the first piece created and sent, giving guests the intended date and location — sometimes just the city or region at this stage. Later, a details card can provide more practical information, such as parking, accommodation or dress code.

In most cases, the invitation will be the standout piece. Why? Because it is the key element that brings the suite together. It introduces the wedding itself — who is getting married, when and where — while the surrounding pieces provide the additional information your guests need.

What should I include?

So, what actually makes up an invitation suite? A lot of people get confused about all those accompanying pieces, so it helps to first understand the distinction between an invitation suite and a stationery suite, as the two can contain very different items.

A stationery suite can extend across the stationery used throughout your wedding day — think menus, place cards, table numbers and welcome signage. Your invitation suite, on the other hand, is centred around the invitation itself and the accompanying pieces that give your guests the information they need before the wedding.

The core elements of an invitation suite usually include:

• The invitation (funny that) — the anchor that brings the entire collection together and communicates the key details of your wedding.

• A details card — home to all those little things that don't necessarily need to be on the invitation, providing guests with the additional information they need for the day.

• The RSVP card (this one is important) — used to gather your guests' responses so you know who will be joining you. This can also be replaced by a digital RSVP if you're collecting responses online.

  
  

There are, of course, a few other pieces that can be great additions but aren't something every invitation suite needs.

Save the Dates are a popular way of giving your guests an early heads-up — a little “we're getting married on this date, please save it to join us” — before the full invitation arrives.

Depending on the style and location of your wedding, you might also include an accommodation or weekend card if guests are travelling from out of town, or if you're hosting a welcome dinner or other events around the wedding. A map card can be useful if your ceremony and reception are spread across a larger venue or unfamiliar location. That doesn't necessarily mean adding another card for every detail. Depending on how much information you need to share, accommodation, transport, directions or weekend details can often be combined onto one details card.

If you're using a wedding website, some of this information can also live there, allowing the physical suite to remain more streamlined.

You may also choose to carry the design beyond the informational cards themselves. A styled envelope liner, for example, can introduce your colours, pattern or overall styling before your guests have even reached the invitation.

After the wedding, a coordinating thank-you card can continue the stationery story, giving you a personal way to thank guests for celebrating with you.

So, what does your suite need?

There is no right or wrong answer when it comes to what you should include in your invitation suite; it all comes down to personal preference and how you choose to share information with your guests. Most couples will use the invitation, details card and their RSVP of choice as their core, and from there add more pieces depending on what information will be most important to their guests.

If your celebration is a destination wedding or guests will need to travel, including information around accommodation or transport might be helpful. If you have chosen a large site or venue, you may find a map useful for guests, but there is no expectation to include additional pieces if you feel your wedding doesn’t require them.

When deciding on your suite, start with what your guests need to know and design a suite that best shares that information. After deciding on your core elements, you can expand your suite with additional pieces to take care of any extra details. Having these separate pieces will ensure your invitation remains the standout piece, focusing on the who, where and when without overwhelming your guests (or overloading your design).

Once you have your core pieces confirmed, the fun part can begin — designing how it looks and comes together.

Caitlin

Iris & Willow Collective