There’s more to wedding invites than just picking out a color and font. But if you’re not an expert on stationery or wedding etiquette, you’ll surely have some questions when putting your invitations together. Here are 9 things that you need to know about your wedding invites:

1. Where to buy? Many brides debate  ordering online versus in a local shop. But there are benefits to using a local expert. They are invested in knowing you as a couple, will help you choose an invitation style that matches your personality and event, will know proper etiquette and wording, will catch small mistakes and will definitely give you their opinion. They might even know specifics about your venue and what needs to be included on the invite itself or any of the additional pieces. Some of our favorite local shops include The Little Black Dress Paperie in Morristown and Cambridge Street Papers in Madison.

2. Proper wording. The wording of your invitation says a lot about your day. One detail we often see brides get wrong is “The honour of your presence” versus “The pleasure of your company.” Traditionally, “honour of your presence” is used for weddings taking place in a religious venue, whereas “pleasure of your company” is for when your ceremony is at your venue.

3. Who’s included? Are you paying for your day or are your parents helping out? If you and your fiancé are hosting, simply write your names. If your parents are involved, you can list them as the host before your names. If both sets of parents are involved, you can list both at the top or have your future in-laws under your fiancé’s name.

4. Specify dress code. You and your fiancé plan to look your best on your wedding day—make sure your guests do as well. Put the attire request, such as black tie or cocktail attire, on the invite itself. That way if you somehow forget to include the additional piece in the envelope, no one shows up to your black tie wedding in cargo shorts.

5. Confirm postage. Square invitations are sleek and modern, but did you know they require more postage? Take this into consideration when picking out your invites. You can also order custom stamps for the specific weight and size, which keeps your theme flowing from the moment your guests first receive it in the mail.

6. RSVP card tip. Put a small number on the back of every RSVP card that matches your guest list. Once the card comes back, mark it on your Excel sheet. This helps you figure out which guests you need to follow up with, and who sent back that pesky blank card. And don’t forget to put a stamp on the RSVP envelope.

7. Order extras. We know you’re looking to keep costs down, but we recommend splurging a little more and ordering extra invites. These can be used for framing, putting in a shadow box or mailing to that great-aunt you forgot about it! It also can be good for taking detail shots with your ring or perfume on the day of.

8. How to stuff it. When stuffing the invite, put the items in how you would open the envelope if you were right-handed. So holding the envelope in your left hand, the invitation and any additional pieces should be inserted with their left edge first.

9. Where to include registry info. Your registry is meant for the shower and engagement party, not on your wedding invitation. The best thing to do is include information on your registry on your wedding website, and include a small insert with your wedding website in the invitation envelope, but never on the invite itself.

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