How to "tie" wedding invite packet together?

Hi Margaret. First, I would not recommend loose as materials like the RSVP card/ envelope may get damaged in a mail shuffle and the intended aesthetic would be lost. The rest I probably would choose based on affordability. Belly bands are effective and will be less expensive than ribbon and wax seals. You can go without the seal and tie a knot. A pocket portfolio look is sleek but not available with all makers and may be costly. Keep in mind, an assembled invite will have more weight and higher postage. However, if you add the travel tags, then you'll need box mailing. But, I would suggest giving the luggage tags as favors or in welcome bags to only those in attendance. Giving gifts early may add undue guilt for those who must decline a Hawaii wedding (there's a reason surveys sent in the mail have gifts included).

Based on all the different items she wants to include I think the pocket/portfolio would be the best way to organize everything. I do agree with the previous that I wouldn't include luggage tags. I think it would add pressure to guests to attend even if they can't afford it. It's also an added expense to send them to guests who may or may not even attend.

I would not include the rehearsal dinner invitations since that is a separate event. I would nix the luggage tags, too. A destination wedding is a big ask that already puts a lot of pressure on people to attend by virtue of the fact that it's a once in a lifetime event. I agree with PP that the tags are unnecessary and might even be interpreted as an expectation.

I would just layer the invitation, RSVP and detail card in the envelope (or envelopes if you are doing an inner and outer). You can include a link to a wedding website that includes details about things like the rehearsal dinner so that people have a heads up. Personally, I prefer only one or two added inserts as opposed to a packet.

Traditionally, they would be stacked with the main invitation on the bottom, details card in the middle and rsvp card with envelope on top. No ties or bands. Then placed in an inner envelope that lists invited guests’ names. That is placed inside the outer envelope that protects the inner from the elements. And the outer envelope goes through a crazy amount of stuff from you to the destination, so the inner envelope has the names and is in pristine condition. For some reason, this stopped being a practice.

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It hasn't stopped being a practice. I still see invitations done exactly the way you describe, especially for formal affairs.

We personally just had an invite and info insert and a handful of actual rsvp cards for older guests. We just included the rsvp & info card in a smaller envelope inside the envelope with our invitation. We asked people to rsvp online and put all our info on hotels, the venue, what to wear and our dinner menu on there for people to look at. Personally I feel that all the extra bands and stuff is just an extra expensive 🤷🏻‍♀️ but that’s just me

We found a stationer that could give us the tri-fold pocket design within our budget. We stuck the details card in there and for the older folks, an RSVP card. When I asked my MIL about rehearsal dinner invitations, she asked us to please just include in our pocket for those who were invited, so we also stuck that in for anyone invited to the RD. No envelope went over the Forever Stamp weight limit so we luckily only needed one stamp per envelope.


I personally don’t like belly bands. We have a couple friend that used them and found it annoying to pull off when first opening the invitation. We also had to slip it back on when hanging up on the fridge because otherwise there was nothing else to keep things together.

I also agree with not including the luggage tags. That just adds extra weight and I also would view it as couple trying to pressure me to spend money to come to a destination wedding.