While we traditionally would go to the attendees house and greet them when handing out the wedding invites, the new-age couple thinks different. Etiquette says, one has to be kind to one another when handing out invites, but with the fast paced rat lives we lead, new-age couples simply don’t have the time to do the same. Moreover, joint families are a few these days, and most have their relatives living away from home, in other cities and countries too. So would it be okay to send out e-invites to one and all; in a group or solo? Let’s take a look here at the concept of e-invites. And while you are reading away, we have posted a few sassy e-invites for you to take inspiration from, should you opt the new-age invitation style. Read on and be inspired.

Where are the emotions?

It is said that in a paper invite, there is always a beating heart. Indian weddings just like other weddings too, can have plenty of emotions involved. But when creating e-invites or paper invites alike, simple emotionless guidelines for the wedding is always the best way to go. With e-invites, you have got to judge the audience you are sending out the invitations to. You don’t want to end up hurting someone’s feelings when the aim is to delight and thrill them, now do you?

With that being said, in the new-age, couples are looking at quirky ways to invite near and dear ones to their big day. And thus even when sending out wedding e-invites, there are rules to go over with-almost the same when it was paper handled back them, over cups of tea and mithai being gorged.

Etiquette and ethics

IF you are planning to launch your own wedding website, or create a social media page for the same by sending out ‘save-your-date’ invites, give your guests complete information on what the wedding will be like, where it would be held, the climes at the moment, how to get there, which rituals on what day would be held and all important information that they need to know. This is what you can do with an e-invite and not with a typical paper or print invite.

Email or not to email?

Big question here, especially when you know, time is less, and there are other much important things to deal with. This is when you don’t want to have a very large gathering at your wedding, and would want only the closest to attend, would e-invites be apt? Yes, they would; saves you time, postage money and transport money, especially if the attendees aren’t staying in the vicinity, the same city or the country for that matter. Sending out formal e-invites with an RSVP here makes sense.

Follow-up

While you send out e-invites, ensure to leave a RSVP number for the attendees to follow-up with. Give them the instructions of the wedding etiquette too, and also let them know if there are dress codes to follow or not.

If it isn’t a large congregation attending your wedding, and if the attendees are around close by; drop in personally and present them with the invite. However, if the invites are for a small group, you may go ahead and email them all-solo or in a group. But understand the group here; not everyone is net savvy-elders especially.

Should it be solo or in a group?

Another big question when sending out wedding e-invites and this would be solely yours to decide. If you are sending it out to your closest friends, childhood buddies or a group of bumchum colleagues, sending a group invite with everyone’s name on it can be done. However, think about the status of the individual- your boss, your team leader, your teacher, your professor or anyone that has a status higher above than the rest, needs to have a personal solo formal invite via email - followed up with a call too.

E-invites are cost-effective

As it is a wedding brings in a lot of expenses, and the aim is to have your blissful dream wedding in a budget-e-invites thus makes it economical and practical to use. Paper wedding invites per piece can touch the skies cost wise. But if you hire the right wedding graphic card designer, a single sample can be customised and sent out with bespoke wordings and graphics on it to one and all. Think about this!

Eco-friendly all the way

Save trees and lessen the carbon footprint, and that is what the new-age mantra is all about. Wedding cards in paper are very seldom kept for memory sake, so why splurge on the same when you know it would be going down the bin any time after the wedding? Do your bit for nature and stop the felling of trees; make your wedding an eco-friendly one-save time and energy and resources on the same.

Create a social media event

Wedding e-invites can be done through social media pages too; involving a closed group only and inaccessible to the world at large or the ones that don’t matter. Set up a page, place your wedding card as the banner and invite the list of family and friends from around the globe to click on the buttons deemed fit. This way, you would know who would be RSV Ping at the earliest.

             Let’s be honest here, the debate of whether you should personally invite your close family and friends or send them an e-invite is to be true a mixed bag of emotions. If you have the time to visit one and all, by all means, a personal face to face invite over cups of tea and talks can do the magical trick. If you are pressed for time, or the schedules are too busy to deal with, an e-invite then makes sense.

In the end, it is the thought that counts and the emotions involved on personalised notes through any form of wedding invitations. Make it special!