When planning your wedding invitations, how many cards do you need?
Invitation, details card, RSVP card... do you need all three?
It's one of the most common questions I get, and the answer is simpler than you'd think. It all comes down to one thing: how you want your guests to RSVP.
Figure that out, and everything else falls into place.
Every suite starts with the main invitation. This holds the key details: your names, the date, time, and ceremony and reception locations. Keep it clean and uncluttered so it reads beautifully. Everything else can live on a supporting card.
This is the decision that shapes your whole suite.
Mail-back RSVP card
Guests fill in the card and post it back to you in a return envelope printed with your address. Traditional, lovely to receive, and often preferred by older guests.
Photo-back RSVP card (email or text)
Guests fill in the card, take a photo of it, and send it to you by email or text. You get the ease of a digital reply without return envelopes or postage.
You can add a brief set of RSVP instructions to your details card instead, but replies can get messy. Guests often leave out details that don't apply to them. For example, if they don't have any dietary requirements, they may not mention it at all. That leaves you assuming, and chasing, which is the last thing you need when you're planning. A printed card prompts every guest to answer the same questions, so nothing is missed and your final numbers are easy to confirm.
QR code RSVP card (wedding website)
Guests scan a QR code and RSVP online through your wedding website. The QR code can be printed on its own RSVP card, or added to your details card if there's room.
Your details card holds the practical information that doesn't fit on the invitation. Things to consider including:
Once you've written your list, take a look at how much is on it. The more information you need to share, the more a separate RSVP card makes sense, including giving your QR code or online RSVP its own card. Squeezing everything onto one card can make it feel busy and harder for guests to read.
Every suite has at least two cards: the invitation and a details card. The question is whether you need a third.
Three-card suite: Invitation + Details card + RSVP card
The most complete option, and the one I recommend for most couples. Each card has its own job, so nothing feels crowded and your RSVP is clear and easy for guests to find. Works with every RSVP method: posted back, photographed and sent by email or text, or scanned via QR code.
Two-card suite: Invitation + Details card
Suited to couples with just a few details to share. Your QR code, or brief email or text RSVP instructions, sit on the details card alongside everything else.
Once you know your RSVP method and what's going on your details card, choosing your suite is easy. Browse the invitation designs here to see the options available for each card, and if you'd like to see the cardstock and envelope colours in person, order a free swatch card here and I'll pop it in the post for you.
