Additional Components by Printsonalities

1. Reception Card
A reception card contains the important details on the date, time and place of only the wedding reception. It is also through these cards that you inform your guests about what to expect and what to wear, or whether there will be dancing, lunch or dinner served, or perhaps what activities you need them to prepare/pack for, especially in the case of destination weddings.

Reception cards were originally enclosed with the main invitation. Meanwhile, if the reception takes place in the same location as the ceremony, you may not need to send a separate reception card. You may simply include an additional line on your invitation that indicates “Dinner and dancing to follow” or “Reception immediately following.” This way, guests will know that the reception will be held in the same venue. However, remember that a reception card should be sent for all formal affairs.

2. Map/Directions Card
This is an optional part of a wedding invitation package but is very necessary especially if most of your guests will be traveling from other places or if you’re having a destination wedding. The purpose of including a map or direction card is to make sure none of your guests get lost or arrive late at your event.

There are four ways to guide your guests for directions:

Hand-drawn map made by a friend or local artist and printed by your wedding invitations provider
Professional map acquired from the church or reception site or made by your wedding invitations provider
Turn-by-turn directions in simple text printed as a direction card
Combination of text directions and a map

3. Travel/Accommodation cards
If you are having a destination wedding or if many of your guests will be traveling considerably to reach the venue, you might want to include an accommodation card in your enclosures. As their hosts, it would be a hospitable gesture for you to make their trip as convenient as possible.

An accommodation card contains very helpful information including but not limited to:

A complete list of hotel/lodging options complete with details on rates, amenities, room types, reservation, etc.
The specific room number, check-in and check-out time, inclusions, additional fees or any pertinent details your guests need to know if you already secured the accommodation
Any other information your guests might need for their travel arrangements
A few recommended local tourist spots or activities in case they would like to extend their stay

You may opt to provide accommodation cards only to out-of-town guests. Nevertheless, if you want to save on printing costs, you may also include all this information together with the map/directions card.

4. Within-the-Ribbon Card
A within-the-ribbon card tells the ushers which section should the guests be seated. These sections are often cordoned with ribbon streamers, cords or pew bows that divide that the area for groups of guests. Within the ribbon cards are included with the invitations or sent to the guest after they have confirmed their attendance.

5. Pew Card
A pew card is a small card that indicates the pew number of the assigned seat of the guest. This is similar to a within-the-ribbon card except that the pew numbers refer to exact seats, not just sections. These cards may be sent with the invitation or they may be sent later after everyone has confirmed their attendance.

6. Escort Card
An escort card is a small card that indicates the place of your guests in their respective tables. The guests’ names are handwritten by calligraphy or printed on the envelope, and the appropriate table number is written on the enclosed card. Escort cards may be given to your invited guests together with the wedding invitations or placed outside the reception space.

7. At-Home Card
One creative and elegant way to provide your family and friends with your new mailing address is by sending them At-Home cards. These are small cards containing the newly wed couple’s new address, the date it would be effective, and oftentimes the new name adopted by the bride. At-Home cards may be sent with the invitations, with the announcements, or on their own.