I have received a question on Instagram about how the invitation to a destination wedding should be. What should it contain? How soon should you send it and what is the best wording for it? Here is everything you need to know about invitations for a destination wedding in Italy.
Save the date
Since you are not having a regular one-day city wedding ceremony, I always recommend sending a “save the date” note first. Your guests will have to prepare for traveling and not everyone will be able to do so.
Having this kind of note 9-10 months before the wedding is a great idea to understand how many of the guests from your list will be able to attend your wedding. The final numbers might change, of course, but at least you will see the bigger picture more clearly after this first poll.
This note is quite informal, this is why the “Save the date” (or “Save the weekend”) card can be digital or printed. Some websites have the option to add an RSVP check, but a personal touch is always recommended, so you have an additional occasion to connect with the people you want to share your unique day with.
At this point of the wedding timeline you should have an idea of the wedding concept, so the note has to be part of it. Since you chose Italy for your destination wedding, a good idea is to write a few Italian words everybody knows or to include Italy into the concept, through something specific, like an olive oil tree picture or a skyline of the Italian city where you are getting married.
In the “save the date” note always mention “invitation to follow”, so your guests will know what to expect.
Save the date examples
Formal
Save the Date
for the wedding of
Silvia Pagani
and
Giulio Rossi
Friday, the third of September – Sunday, the fifth of September
Two thousand and twenty-one
Lucca, Italy
Formal invitation to follow
Please see further wedding details at
[weddingwebsite].com
Traditional
Save the Date
Silvia and Giulio
are getting married!
September 3-5, 2021
Lucca, Italy
Formal invitation to follow
Please see further wedding details at
[weddingwebsite].com
Casual
He asked and she said “Yes!”
Silvia and Giulio
September 3–5, 2021
Lucca, Italy
Invitation to follow
See more at
[weddingwebsite].com
Minimal
Save the Weekend!
September 3–5, 2021
Silvia and Giulio
are getting married
Lucca, Italy
Please see further wedding details at
[weddingwebsite].com
Invitation
A second step is the invitation itself. Always print it on a good quality paper, as all the stationery and send it around 6 months before your wedding. If you send it before this amount of time, your guests might think they still have plenty of time and not schedule anything, forgetting to do so through all the multitasking we are all subjected to.
The invitation design and the wording depend on your wedding concept and your personal taste. For destination weddings, it is a good idea to have a note with your wedding website included. For some of the people you want to see at your destination wedding in Italy, this might be the first time in this beautiful country. Usually, the guests invited to a destination wedding have a lot of questions:
– Where is the nearest airport?
– Is there a block of rooms booked for us?
– What is the best way to get to the venue?
… and so many more, so if you want to reassure them (and not call you multiple times a day asking questions) it is a great idea to have all the details like accommodation or transportation written on the website. It can be included on the invitation itself or in an additional note, just be sure your guests do know about it.
Destination wedding invitation examples
Here are some ideas for you:
Casual wedding invitation
Pack your bags!
Together with their families
Silvia Pagani
and
Giulio Rossi
Request the Honor of Your Presence
September 4, 2021
at Five O’clock in the evening
at Villa Comunale in Lucca, Italy
Romantic wedding invitation
Together with their families
Silvia Pagani & Giulio Rossi
Invite you to celebrate by enjoying Tuscan cypress lines and sunsets
soaking up the sun in a historical vineyard
and raising a glass of a great Italian wine
in celebration of their marriage
Saturday
September 4, 2021
Vigna Chianti
Siena, Italia
RSVP at [weddingwebsite].com
You can also write something romantic, an inside joke of your couple, your favorite poem or quote, as long as it forms a line with the rest of your wedding decor. I gave some tips about wedding invitations in this post.
What is your ideal invitation? Let me know in the comments!