Wedding planning includes a lot of details. Between your wedding venue, directions to the reception, dress codes, and any arranged transportation, there’s no shortage of items to consider. Naturally, it’s important to clearly communicate those details to your guests, so cue the wedding details cards.

What is a wedding details card? Think of it as the document that includes the info that doesn’t fit on your actual invite. Others call wedding details cards or a wedding invitation insert card, to the CliffsNotes of wedding specifics.

What Are Wedding Details Cards?

Wedding invitations are more than an adorable photo of you and your partner and the date of your nuptials. Wedding details cards, sometimes called a wedding enclosure cards, include the deets that don’t fit on the invite or RSVP card. They give guests a high-level overview of the wedding and the most important pieces of information, aside from the wedding date, of course!

The point of wedding details cards is to give guests the a fuller picture of your special day and keep them informed of the things that they should know, such as dress code and directions. Wedding details cards match the style and aesthetic of your wedding invitation suite, which typically include your save the dates, RSVP cards, return envelopes, and postage.

Some couples have plenty of information—more common with multi-day events or destination weddings—so they need additional pieces of stationery to get the appropriate details across. Couples may include reception cards, weekend events cards, and accommodation cards. If you have important info that you need to share but you don’t need to send out several items, a wedding details card may be perfect for you. Just make sure that you don’t cram everything on one piece of stationery—that’s what a wedding website is for.

What Do You Include on a Wedding Details Card?

What to include on a wedding details card is up to you as a couple, as there’s no one-size-fits-all approach, but understanding the purpose of wedding details cards can help you make the right decisions for you. (Our guide on wedding invitation etiquette is super handy.)

What to include on a wedding details card depends on the nature of your event, but it’s common for couples to include:

• Accommodation details
• Transportation information (is there a party bus driving guests to-and-from venues?)
• Directions and/or a map
• Dress code information and details to keep in mind
• Wedding website URL

If you’re having a destination wedding or a multi-day affair, wedding details cards might be the place to share those events. Think of them as a simplified weekend itinerary document that gives guests an overview. For example: Friday night is the cocktail reception; Saturday is the wedding; and Sunday morning is brunch. There are fun and creative ways to convey this information—including small graphics—to guests.

If you’re having multiple events that entail more details than a simple date, time, and location, you might opt for multiple enclosure cards with your custom wedding invitations. As a reminder: Enclosure cards contain various pieces of wedding information, including itinerary information or special accommodation info. For instance, if you’re having a specific event that has its own set of details and a different location, you might find it easier to include a card just for that event. Think: a week-long wedding trip that has special cultural considerations, or if you’re having a multicultural wedding that entails two ceremonies—this information can all be on wedding details cards.

Who Gets Wedding Details Cards?

Whoever is getting an invite to your big day should get a wedding details card. After you send out your save the dates, your formal wedding invitations should be mailed to your guest list about three to six months before your wedding date. If you’re having a destination event, send out your wedding invites earlier so that guests can make travel plans, and aim for six to nine months out.

The reason why it’s important to send all guests wedding details cards is that you want to ensure that everyone is on the same page. By clearly communicating the 411, you and your partner can spend more time organizing the wedding details, and less time responding to the same wedding guest questions. Which brings us to our next point.

What’s the Difference Between Wedding Websites and Wedding Details Cards?

These days it’s common for guests to have a handy wedding website. Wedding websites are a great way to keep guests informed of the latest info—especially during a time of uncertainty—and keep all the wedding details in one secure spot. Wedding websites also allow guests to access key information from anywhere, meaning that if they don’t have their physical invite handy, they will still know the address of the reception.

The main difference between wedding details cards and a wedding website is that a website is obviously virtual, and can include much more information, such as the story of how you and your partner met, activities to do near your wedding venue, and links to your wedding registry. A wedding details card has the information pertinent to the event itself.

Of course, some couples decide to do digital wedding invitations. If you decide to go this route, you don’t need to worry about sending out wedding details cards in the mail. However, you should still make sure to include all the key pieces of information that you would have on a physical wedding invite. No matter the medium, the message has to land.

Bottom Line

Wedding details cards are part of the wedding invitation suite and include all of the important information for your nuptials. Think of them as a high-level overview of the wedding event that includes important details outside of your wedding celebration date.

Regardless of whether you are just starting your wedding planning or are months in, Zola has you every step of the way. Because, once you have guidance on how to navigate wedding invites, you can focus on the wedding itself—and getting ready to say “I do” in front of all your loved ones.