Wedding invitations are a great way to tell your guests a little about your upcoming nuptials. They can be formal or informal, religious or secular, and include all sorts of information. The key is to make it clear what you’re offering without making it too difficult for guests to know what to expect. Luckily, there are plenty of professionally designed templates on the web for you to choose from.

If you’re planning a wedding, you might be wondering what goes into a good invitation. While there is no set rule of thumb for what goes into a wedding card, you should consider the following.

First off, your stationery should not be too small. A laser printer won’t be able to print on paper that’s too small, and a small envelope can be a problem as well. Even if your printer doesn’t have a standard size envelope, you should still follow proper addressing and stamping procedures.

One of the most important parts of any wedding invitation is the return address. This is especially important when a reception is to follow the ceremony. You’ll want to include a return address and a date by which guests should respond. You can also include a thank you note to anyone who’s traveling to the wedding or staying at a hotel. It’s considered a nice gesture.

If you’re printing your own invitations, make sure to choose the right paper. Some papers won’t hold up to a laser printer, and it’s best to avoid the dreaded ink-blotter. Your invitation should be printed on a heavy paper.

There’s no point in using a wedding card to inform your guests about a trip to the zoo if you’re inviting them to your wedding. Likewise, if you’re asking your guests to travel to your home for a reception, you’ll want to provide directions to the venue. Also, you should make sure that you use a reputable carrier such as FedEx or UPS.

In addition to the aforementioned directions, you’ll want to include a link to your wedding website. You can also include a dress code and other pertinent information in your invitation, like the time and location of the wedding.

While a wedding invitation doesn’t necessarily need to be fancy, the best wedding invitations should include all the major details. This includes your wedding’s location, a time and date, a venue for the reception, and a place for guests to check out your menu choices.

Depending on your needs, you may even be able to include a response card. These are smaller than the invitation, but will include all of the same information. Most of the time, they’re included as part of the invitation kit. Alternatively, you can buy separate cards for the two.

The right invitations are the best way to ensure your wedding goes off without a hitch. Whether you opt for a traditional style or a fun, modern design, you’ll want to make sure that the invitation has all the necessary details.