Wedding Invitations: What to do when your wedding plans change
If you’re in the midst of postponing your original wedding plans, you may be wondering: what do I do about invitations? You’re not alone! So many of the couples I’m working with currently are confused on how to handle the invitations for their wedding postponement in this time of Coronavirus. I know there are so many nuances to the invitation suite, and since COVID-19 has put us in uncharted territory I thought it would be helpful to consult an expert in that particular industry. I met Marlene Widawer, also known as the Invitation Maven, in a network industry group. She has years of expertise when it comes to invitations, so I invited her to share her thoughts on how to handle your invitations here!
photo by Gloria Mesa Photo
“ Back on March 18, 2020, right after the city of Los Angeles enacted a 16-day shut- down of restaurants and other eating and entertainment establishments, I wrote a blog post about Planning or Rescheduling Your Event Because of the Covid-19 Coronavirus Shutdown. At the time, the CDC recommended we shelter in place for six weeks. It has only been about two months since things were locked down, but it seems like a lifetime ago that I wrote those words. Since I wrote that article, stay at home orders were extended throughout the country.
After months of government mandated closures, many states are finally beginning to reopen. However, others remain in various states of lock down. Even in areas where retail establishments and restaurants are reopening, it is unclear when venues will be able to accommodate larger events like weddings. In the wake of the initial six-week shelter in place guidelines issued by the CDC back in March, many events were cancelled, and many weddings were postponed. Events through about mid-May (which is right about now) were initially affected by these guidelines, and those brides and grooms were able to switch gears relatively quickly to let their guests know of a change in plans. These orders have lasted much longer than initially anticipated, and there is still a lot of uncertainty for events scheduled for later in the year. It seems like a good time to revisit the article I wrote back in March and look at how to move forward with your wedding invitations now that we are entering summer.
We already sent our invitations and received RSVPs - Now what do we do?
For my brides and grooms whose weddings were supposed to take place during the initial six-week shelter in place period, most had already sent out their invitations and received RSVPs from their guests. These brides and grooms were able to adjust relatively quickly (they had no choice), and most have selected a new date. The question they are asking now is:
How do we let our guests know?
As a professional invitation designer whose income has been affected because of the Covid-19 related cancellations and postponements, but mostly because I LOVE designing and making invitations, there is nothing I would love more than to reprint the entire wedding suite with the new details for each of my clients. That is definitely an option, and if a bride and groom would like to send out a new set of printed invitations, I am happy to oblige. However, I don’t believe reprinting the full wedding suite is necessary. Wedding invitations can be expensive, and many couples may not have the budget to reprint their paper invitations twice. When this is the case, there are two things I recommend:
Send your invitations digitally or print a simpler version of the original invitation.
Option 1: Sending your invitations digitally when you have to change your wedding date
To send your invitation digitally, you first need a digital file with the new wedding date and details (Invitation Maven can design one for you). This file can incorporate the same graphics, fonts and colors as your printed invitations, except that it will be a graphic file that you can either send to each of your guests via email, or that can be uploaded to an online invitation portal such as Paperless Post or GreenVelope. The beauty of an online portal is that they are less expensive than reprinting and remailing paper invitations. Not only do they allow you to use custom artwork, but they can also track responses and email reminders to your guests with ease. I have helped several clients upload their digital invitations and manage their guest lists with these sites. So, while I do not recommend using these sites for your initial wedding invitation mailing, they are perfectly acceptable to use to communicate the details of your rescheduled event.
Option 2: Printing a simpler version of your original invitation
Most of my clients send formal printed wedding invitations in order to convey the formality of their wedding, not necessarily in terms of the theme or design of the event itself, but in terms of its importance. In other words, a wedding is more than just a party. To convey the importance of their wedding, my clients often use premium papers and printing techniques. As I mentioned earlier, these can get pricey. An online system or emailed invitation is much less expensive, but it is also much more informal, so emailing an invitation, even if just to inform guests of your new plans, may not sit well with you. So for brides and grooms who prefer a printed invitation to something sent online, but who do not want to reprint their entire invitation suite with their original materials and printing methods, I recommend printing an invitation and RSVP card on a high- quality digital press on a nice quality cardstock instead. The design can incorporate the same graphics, fonts and colors as your original invitations, but would be printed at a lower price point. Again, if you want to recreate the exact same invitations as your original mailing except with the new details, Invitation Maven can do that for you, but if your goal is to merely let your guests know your new wedding plans, a more simple digitally printed invitation should suffice.
We have not sent our invitations yet, but there is still some uncertainty about our date
Some of my clients had not sent their invitations when the lock down orders went into effect. But even though more and more areas of the country are reopening, there is still uncertainty about some end of summer and fall 2020 wedding dates. No one really knows what large events will look like going forward. It is difficult to say with any certainty if there will be restrictions on guest counts, event flow, seating, or if guests will even feel comfortable attending a large gathering in the first place. However, I am an optimist, and while I cannot guarantee how events will eventually move forward, my suggestion for events scheduled later in the year (or even into 2021) is to include what I call a Contingency Card in your wedding invitation suite. A Contingency Card merely reminds your guests to be flexible, and to understand that things may change in the future. You can let them know you are moving forward with your plans for such-and-such a date but will let them know if things change. Along with a Contingency Card, I also recommend adding a line to your RSVP cards to collect the email addresses and/or phone numbers of your guests. By collecting email addresses and phone numbers with your responses, you will be able to quickly reach out to your guests if plans do indeed need to be changed.
We have decided to elope or have a private ceremony on our original wedding date, and will have a larger ceremony later
A lot goes into choosing a wedding date, and many brides and grooms want to get married on that date even if they cannot have their friends and family with them. If your original wedding date has special meaning to you, you can elope or have a private ceremony on your original wedding date and plan to have a large celebration later. I have a client who is in this exact situation. Her wedding is scheduled for August 2020 in Paso Robles, California. One would think that August is far enough in the future to keep moving forward with her original plans, but just this past week, she decided to do something different. Out of an abundance of caution, she is now going to have a small private ceremony with just her immediate family on her original wedding date and is rescheduling the big party as a vow renewal for some time next year when everyone can once again gather in person. This bride already sent out printed Save the Dates several months ago, so we need to let her guests know about the change in plans. We are now sending each guest a Change of Plans notice. It is a printed card with an envelope and matches the invitations we designed, and it lets her guests know what the new plans are. Once we know the new date for their big party, we will print the invitations as originally designed, except we will swap in the new details.
We still have not decided what to do
Many brides and grooms still have not decided what to do. My advice is not to worry too much. We are all being affected by this pandemic, and your guests probably understand the situation you are in. Even with the uncertainty, communication is key to help avoid receiving tons of emails, messages and telephone calls asking you about your plans. The simplest thing to do is set up a website (or update the one you already have) or create a private Facebook group where you can post updates. You can also send an email to your guests, or you can send something in the mail. Whatever you decide, the most important thing to do is to keep your guests in the loop as best you can. You want them to stay excited about your wedding, and sending periodic updates is a great way to do that.
We are moving forward as originally planned
Some brides and grooms have wedding dates much later in the year or in 2021 and have decided to move forward with their original plans. If this is you, congratulations! This is so exciting especially given the uncertainty we have been going through for the past several months. If you are moving forward with your original plans, I suggest sending your invitations out with a bit more of a mailing cushion than what I usually recommend. Typically, wedding invitations should be mailed six to eight weeks before your wedding. However, because things are still not quite settled in some areas, I recommend sending your invitations out eight to ten weeks in advance. This will give your guests a bit more notice and will give you more time to pivot if things need to change. I also recommend including a Contingency Card as well as including a line on your RSVP cards to collect email addresses and phone numbers “just in case.”
What you do next depends on your situation
As you can see, there are many ways to move forward with your wedding invitations. How you choose to move forward depends on your specific situation and where you live. If you are not quite sure about the best thing to do, please reach out so we can discuss some options. I can help you figure out your priorities, because once you determine what is most important to you, deciding what to do next is much easier.”
Marlene Widawer, also known as The Invitation Maven, has been designing invitations professionally for close to 25 years. She lives in the Los Angeles area, and has clients all over the world. Visit her website at www.InvitationMaven.com.
If you’re considering eloping due to Coronavirus, check out this blog post I wrote on Marlene’s website!