Do you have a great party planned? If you’ve sorted out all of the details, it’s time to invite the guests. But if you’ve ever had to create and send out party invitations, you know that they can take some time and thought.
Of course, once all the guests arrive, it will all be worth it.
Here’s our guide with all the dos and don’ts of sending party invitations so that you can move on to the fun stuff.
Do include important details
You’ve put a lot of effort into your party. Make sure the guests know what to expect.
Here is the information you should include:
- Occasion (graduation, baby shower, birthday, anniversary, etc.)
- Date
- Time
- Location
- RSVP
- Dress code
Kids’ party invite tips
For a children’s party, there are a few other things you should probably include, such as whether it’s a drop-off event if the kids need to wear anything (like sneakers for playing or a shirt that might get dirty), how long the party will last, and whether food will be provided.
Formal party invite tips
If it’s a formal or catered event, you might also include if guests should expect a cash bar.
Do match the invitation to the occasion
There are many ways to invite people to events, from simple text messages to formal printed invitations. When you’re trying to decide how to send invitations, you should think about how casual your party is. The more casual the party, the more casual the invitation can be.
Backyard BBQ? A text message with just the details is acceptable.
Bridal shower? It’s better to mail printed invitations to the guests.
Other invitations fall somewhere in between, like electronic invitations through e-mail or printed invites you can hand to recipients. Try this free birthday invitation maker to create something custom for your upcoming party.
When planning the invitation type, you can also think about design. For example, the invitation can help share your party’s theme with the guests.
Don’t send your party invitations too early or too late
For most parties, aim to send your invitations 3-6 weeks before the event.
The less formal the celebration, the less time you need to give. These are the events where you plan a party, send invites (maybe just through text or email), and “see who shows up.”
For more formal parties, like baby showers or wedding showers, you should give guests more time to plan. After all, they would want to prioritize and attend these occasions, and some guests might need to travel from out of town.
Don’t forget your wish list
If you’re planning a celebration in honor of a bride, mom-to-be, married couple, or birthday, guests are likely to want to bring presents. You can include the registry information on the invitation for most formal parties where a registry is appropriate.
However, for birthday parties, it’s not the best etiquette to include a wish list with the invitation. If someone asks directly you can share it with them.
We still recommend that you make one, especially for kids. Giftster is a great website for creating a web-based wishlist you can share with anyone who asks.
