The important point to remember about your wedding is that it is a special occasion. A one off. It’s your magical day, and you’ve spent hours planning for it. Even if you want a casual, informal event – it’s still an Event, with a capital E. So, should you be using email for your invitations?
We know it’s your day, and you can pick and choose every aspect however you want it. There’s no rule against sending email invitations. But we’re going to have come down on the side of printed, posted and, perhaps, hand-written invitations. It’s just more personal.
But maybe that’s just us. Let’s consider the pros and cons so you can decide.
Digital Wedding Invites: Should you send wedding invitations by email?
Email has become part of our daily lives, used by businesses and for personal communication, too. It’s estimated that around 50% of the world’s population has email, and most of us have more than one account.
You’ve got a huge choice of design options.
Personalised stationery can be expensive. However, you can choose your digital email stationery from an invitation website and have a huge range of options to suit your wedding theme at a much lower cost.
It’s faster and less stressful.
Once you’ve picked your design, you can begin sending invitations straight away. That’s far simpler than waiting for your paper invitations to arrive and then handwriting each one.
Email is far more cost-effective – and eco too.
You may need to buy your design, but emailing your invitations won’t cost you anything. With paper invitations, you’ll be spending on the paper and the postage, which can add up to a lot depending on how many guests you’re having. And the environment won’t be paying the price either.
Guests can RSVP with ease.
Your guests can respond simply by pressing reply, which should mean you’ll know who is coming faster. And, as they don’t need to remember to take their hand-ticked RSVP to the post box, you’re more likely to get a response from everyone.
However, we have some cons to consider too.
Email may be more forgettable.
This really depends on your guests and just how organised they are. When an email drops into their inbox that is for a future event, will it just drift downwards in the pile until it’s forgotten? A printed invitation can be stuck to the fridge in plain view.
Email isn’t always reliable.
When you email your guests, you need to have their up-to-date email address, and even then, one mistyped letter and your invitation has disappeared into cyberspace. When it does arrive safely, there’s a chance it will end up in the junk file by mistake. So, if you do email guests, you’ll need to monitor responses and send chasers.
Email can be age dependant.
It’s a bit of a stereotype to be sure, but your elder or retired relatives and guests are less likely to use email on a daily basis. Some may even not have an email address. And they are more likely to expect a printed invitation as etiquette would dictate.
Email is causal.
No matter how pretty a design you choose, there’s no getting away from it. Email is informal.
What are the benefits of a wedding website?
We’re going to slip in a brief discussion about wedding websites here, because you might be thinking about this as an alternative. However, you still need to inform the guests of the website url, and you need to make it clear who your intended guests are, including children and plus ones. You’ll need to send out some form of ‘save the date’ or invitation anyway.
A wedding website is still a great idea and a modern way to provide guests with all the information they need, including time, location, dress code and wedding gift lists. And it’s an easy way to collect RSVPs in one place. However, we think it’s an addition and not a replacement for your invitations.
Would you choose email or paper wedding invitations?
With all the pros and cons in mind, it would seem that email is the simpler and more cost-effective option. And we are almost persuaded.
But we do have to argue the case for paper invitations as well. A beautifully embossed invitation on textured, weighty paper, names written in stunning flowing calligraphy. It’s not just a piece of paper, it’s the first impression of your special day. It announces your theme, and how much thought you are putting into your wedding. It can be a keepsake for family and friends to treasure forever. And, as it arrives on doorsteps, it’s so much more personal and formal. It’s just an added touch of elegance.
The final decision has to be your own, of course. It’s your day. And perhaps the best solution is a compromise. You may be able to split your guest list into those who would be best served with a formal, paper invitation and those who are more email-friendly, or perhaps who are invited to the evening only.
Whichever way you choose to send your invitations, it’s the wedding day where the planning really counts. Choosing the right location, planning the menu and having an amazing atmosphere – now that’s something we can help you with. Just give us a call. We would love to show you around our venue.
