Before you go:

• It's time to shop again. Scour the internet and your wedding magazines, but also consider the wedding invitations, programs and placecards you've received in the past. What types, colors and styles do you prefer?
• Take a close look at your guest count. But, when gathering your final numbers, count every household, not every guest. While Mr. and Mrs. John Smith are two guests, they only require one invitation.
• Consider your budget. While it is not necessarily a rule, generally, custom invites are more expensive than the stock book options you will find online and in most stationery stores.
• Invitations are not your only stationery needs. Also consider what you need and want to do for your Save the Dates, ceremony programs, placecards, menus and thank you cards.
• Regarding wording, most stationery dealers are very familiar with traditional, contemporary and etiquette-driven wording for invitations and other stationery. Make sure you consult with them or the Etiquette Experts at Emma Grace before placing your final order.
• As with most of your party planning timeline, timing is everything. We recommend sending Save the Dates out eight to ten months prior to your wedding. Invitations should go out six to eight weeks prior. If you are choosing stock invitations, we recommend ordering them at least three months prior. If you are ordering custom, add one more month to the process.
• When the invites arrive, consider how you want to address them. Calligraphers offer a variety of fonts, colors and convenience, for a fee.  It depends on your total guest list, but we recommend allowing one to two weeks for your calligrapher to hand address your envelopes.
• While most can accommodate a few last minute additions or changes, you will need to have your seating chart completed at least one week prior to the big event if your calligrapher is hand addressing your placecards as well.

Questions to ask:

• Even if you do most of your shopping online, request to see and touch a sample. For online retailers, there is usually a small fee per sample requested.
• Emma Grace recommends ordering 15 to 20 extra invitations to cover last minute additions or mistakes in addressing. If you choose not to order extra, ask about associated charges for reprints.
• Calligraphy rates usually run per set (inner and outer envelope). There may also be additional fees if you request that they stuff and mail your invitations as well.
• For weddings, the busy season runs from April through October, which means for invitations and calligraphers, the busy season runs December through July. Ask about delivery rates and schedules if you are ordering during this timeframe.

• Most invitations, regardless if they are stock or custom creations, weigh more than the standard postage stamp will allow. Make sure you go to your local post office and you're your invitations weighed. You will also need to budget for standard postage for the RSVP cards as well.
• Regarding your RSVP date, most caterers will require final numbers anywhere from one to two weeks prior to the wedding. Emma Grace recommends an RSVP date at least three weeks prior to your wedding to leave time for stragglers and last-minute phone calls to those guests to neglect to reply.

• If you are ordering multiple items, like your invitations and ceremony programs, ask about discounts if those orders are placed at the same time.
• If you opt not to use a calligrapher, ask about addressing services via your stationer. Many shops offer computer-driven addressing for a reduced rate.
• When printing ceremony programs, you do not need to print one for every guest. Most couples will only take one and your wedding party will have their hands full. Typically, we recommend printing programs for 75 percent of your total guest list. You will, however, need one per guest for both placecards and menus.