You set the date, reserved the hall and made the guest list. Congratulations! You have just checked off half of the pre-wed, to-do list. What's next? Once you firm up your wedding date and place, it is time to formally communicate the details to your family and friends. Sending good news to your loved ones with a personal wedding invitation always brings positive reactions. It gives an element of surprise, confirmation and simply an invitation to a great social event. These days, invitations come with a large selection of shapes, colors, sizes and styles. They can be 100% custom designed, handmade or even hand-calligraphed. Whether you are thinking of buying or using do-it-yourself kits, here are the five things you can consider when looking for your perfect wedding invitations. 1. Finished Format The most common invitation card formats are flats, layered, standard folds, gate-folds, self-enclosure envelopes and pocket folders. You can narrow down the choice based on the amount of information you want to put in the invitation. If you need more than three separate cards, such as RSVP card and reception cards, self-enclosure envelope or pocket folder style is a good choice. 2. Size and Shape Square shape is still the popular choice today. Although 6'x6? is the common size for invites, you can go with any size you want. But, before you decide on the size and shape, check with your local postal service for letter-mail size and weight specification. This would avoid the extra postage charge and possible delay in delivery. 3. Contents Main invitation card should include all the event details, such as bride and groom's name, ceremony and reception date, place and time and any special requests, including dress code or gift registry information. Many couples today have their reception at a different location from their ceremony venue. So, having a separate reception card is useful, especially for those who plan to attend only reception or after party. 4. Color Theme Color is always a fun aspect of invitation design. Although it is not must, incorporating your theme color into the invite definitely puts a personal touch and creates a consistent ?look and feel? to the overall d'cor you are preparing. In today's wedding, especially in North America, anything goes for the color choice. More and more couples use black in their wedding theme colors. If it is a destination wedding, using vivid tropical color is also a good choice. So, don't be afraid to go outside of the traditional white or pastel colors. 5. Budget, Timeframe and Resources Let's be realistic. A wedding can be expensive and requires time and resources to organize. For a typical invitation, the price varies from $2.00 to $25.00 per invitation. Some vendors charge per unit price and others sells by increments of 25 (minimum 25, then 50, 75, 100 ?). In any case, the more you order, the unit price goes down. As for the timeframe, typically, a couple send out their invitations approximately 12-16 weeks prior to the event. But, this depends on where your guests are located and where the wedding will be held. If you are having a destination wedding, it is good idea to give 6-9 months notice so that your guests can arrange their schedule ahead of time. These are the criteria you can use for choosing the perfect invite. There are many vendors out there both locally and on the web, offering different design styles, customization options and pricing, so start researching and have a happy invitation design project!