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There is nothing worse
than discovering a few guests missed your first introduction as
"Mr and Mrs" because they were late or lost driving to
your wedding reception.
Ensuring guests arrive on-time and without getting lost begins
with creating an effective and easy-to-read wedding invitation
insert that includes detailed wedding information and accurate
directions.
Paying close attention to the following format, wording and
direction details can make all the difference between a positive
or negative experience at your wedding:
1) Create a guest-friendly card format -- make your insert
postcard size (or to fit exactly in your invitation envelope) on
cardstock and print double-sided. Due to the size, guests can
toss the card into their bag or purse and they won’t have to
worry about damage since it is made of cardstock.
Extra touch: Create a heading you use on both sides of the card.
This heading includes the same information you include on your
invitation: the date, time, and location of your wedding. If
guests forget their actual invitation, they still have all the
information they need to get there and at the right time.
2) Ensure Good Directions – Provide directions to each location
your guest will need to drive, such as to the ceremony location
from the guest hotel. To ensure accurate directions, call the
location in advance and ask the representative to explain, in
detail, how to drive to your location or, if possible, drive the
route yourself and note each step.
After each step, provide the mileage the guest will drive, for
example, “Proceed on Palomar Drive for 5 miles”. In
addition, be sure to provide steps from multiple directions,
such as “Directions from the South” and “Directions from
the North”.
Extra touch: Always number the directions, rather than using
bullets or lumping them in a paragraph form. Guests will be able
to follow your directions much easier if they are in a numbered
format -- especially when they are driving. If you are short on
space and need to lump the directions in a paragraph form,
format the directions as: (1) Take RT 30 for 5 miles. (2) Take
Exit 3. (3) Turn left on Bell Road, and so on.
3) Provide detailed hotel Information -- Provide the hotel name,
phone number, address, email, and per-night price of the hotel.
If you reserve a block of rooms, provide the name you reserved
the block of rooms (e.g. Smith/Kent wedding party) and a
deadline date for when guests must reserve their rooms in the
block.
Extra touch: Provide the mileage or drive time from the hotel to
your wedding location (s), for example, Bell Inn (approx five
miles to Bell Church). Guests can gauge their time much easier
if they know how far they must drive to the location.
4) Provide a local contact number -- provide a local person and
phone number your guests can call for wedding information or
help. It doesn't have to be you or your future spouse, it can be
a family member or friend who kindly volunteers to field
questions from your guests.
Extra touch: If you are traveling to another state or city for
your wedding, provide a contact telephone number before the
wedding and a contact telephone number for during the week
leading up the wedding, for example (Before June 18: home phone
number, June 18 to 25th: wedding phone number)
5) Create an area attraction list -- provide a quick list of two
or three attractions that are close to your wedding location (eg.
Art Museum (5 miles), Zoo (3 miles) or add a URL to a website
for area attractions. As a result, guests have something to do
if there is time between the ceremony and reception or if they
are spending a few days in the area.
Extra touch: Create a website page with your favorite
attractions in the area. People will have information and ideas,
while feeling like they have a personal tour guide by you and
future spouse. You can provide the link to your website page on
your invitation insert.
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