Should you send out wedding evites?
Call them evites, call them virtual wedding invitations - no matter the name, sending wedding invitations online is an option to let people know about your event. But how do you know if they’re right for your particular wedding?
At the end of the day, you have three options - and we’ll walk you through each below. You can either only send evites with no paper invitations, do the opposite and only send paper invites, or do a combination of both.
Paper invites only.
This is obviously the traditional way of sending wedding invitations. If you choose to do only paper invitations, remember that there are typically several pieces involved, including save the dates, the actual invitations and RSVPs. Usually, a couple will send out save the dates in order to alert guests about the date of the event. Closer to the wedding date, the couple will send out formal invitations with an RSVP card and return envelope. The guest will fill out the RSVP card and send it back to the couple.
If you are going fully traditional for your event or you have a larger budget, then only sending paper invitations and skipping virtual wedding invitations is a great option.
Evites only.
On the opposite end of the spectrum, you can solely send virtual invitations. This is ideal when you have a smaller guest list, are trying to save money or are having a fully virtual event (like live streaming your wedding with yours truly!).
Evites are a great way to save money and paper - making it an eco-friendly option! Digital invitations are also ideal for couples who prefer to do all of their wedding planning online anyways, as guests can RSVP online so you aren’t waiting for their RSVP cards to show up in the mail.
Combination.
Why do one when you can do both? This is a great option when you are having a hybrid in-person and virtual event. Whether you are having a small number of guests attend in-person and the rest watch online or you are inviting everyone to attend in-person but are offering a live stream in case they can’t make it, then this is the way to go.
It’s much easier for a wedding guest to click a link to your wedding live stream than to type it into their browser off of a paper invite.
We would recommend sending out paper invites with a notice that there will be a virtual element, and for guests to keep an eye on their inboxes for further instruction. Then, follow up with a virtual wedding invitation via email that includes a link to your live stream.
By the way, if you are having a live stream portion of your wedding, be sure to read up on all things virtual wedding invitations from the experts at LoveStream.
Photo Credit: Alexandra Elise Photo