Wedding Invitation Vocabulary: A Comprehensive Guide
THE ANATOMY OF A WEDDING INVITATION SUITE
So you’re getting married… Congratulations! As you start researching through wedding invitation designers’ websites or working with your wedding planner, you will notice that they will be using terms such as belly band, RSVP card, and ‘suite’.
What do they mean? Don’t worry, here’s your guide for all the wedding lingo you need to know!
Before we jump to the actual wedding invitation glossary, I have to save you from making a common mistake that is all wedding stationers’ pet peeve, misspelling stationery. Yes, you read that right, stationery with an ‘E’. Stationery refers to paper goods (envelopes, cards, etc.) while stationary is an adjective to describe something/someone that isn’t moving. You’ll realize that it is so common of a mistake that your wedding stationer will thank you for knowing the difference and for telling them “We love our wedding stationery” instead of “We love our wedding stationary”. Subtle, but trust me it makes a big difference.
Now that you’re every stationer’s dream client by knowing that difference, let’s go learn some wedding invitation vocab!
a. Wedding Suite: How we call your wedding invitation as a whole. It traditionally includes a main invitation, RSVP card, and two envelopes - main and RSVP. However, anything that you add on top of that is also part of your ‘suite’.
b. Main Invitation Card: The main card that contains all the most important information about your big day. At the minimum it includes the couples’ name, wedding date and time, and wedding location.
c. Response/RSVP Card: Insert card that guests use to notify you whether they will be attending, as well as any meal selection and/or dietary restrictions.
d. Details Card: Insert card that contains any additional important information you want to note such as transportation or hotel accommodations. This is also a great place to add a link to your wedding website (if you have one).
e. Main Envelope: The envelope that encloses all of your wedding suite pieces and that is mailed to your guests with the guest address on the front and the return address on the back.
f. RSVP Envelope: Envelope that guests use to mail back their RSVP card to you. Traditionally, this envelope should already contain the mailing address as well as the postage.
g. Vellum Wrap: Translucent paper generally used to ‘wrap’ the invitation pieces and protect them during mailing. These can be not printed, or printed for an extra personalized detail!
h. Silk Ribbon/Belly Band: Used to hold all the invitation pieces together. The belly band can be a traditional card stock band or it can be a cute ribbon to tie everything together.
i. Envelope Liner: Flat cut-to-shape sheet of paper that lines the inside of your main envelope. It makes invitations look more personalized and nicer!
j. Postage: Represents the payment for the postal office to send the invitation.
k. Wax Seal: Melted wax that hardens quickly and can embellish any item in the suite. You can personalize the design by having a custom stamp with a monogram or initials.
