Proofing Your Invitations

As a designer, I get information for the wedding invitations I create in various forms... I will get everything typed out the way the bride and groom would like it, I get basic info and I choose the wording that fits best. I work on these day in and day out and do catch things and also catch things that may need to be reworded or look for continuity with dates and times. Before anything I design gets printed I have the bride give it a once over and tell her to feel free to have others look as well. I am not an English Major and most are not as well. As a designer, I think one of the main issues is that clients can often forget that we don’t know the details of their event as intimately as they do, and unfortunately, proofreading isn’t part of the service. I can’t say that I don’t “read” your invite, but I don’t know how to spell your father’s first name correctly or what time you’ve decided to start cocktail hour, so that means the responsibility of proofing has to rest completely with you.


Proof from a printed source
If you have received a full physical sample of your invite, you should always proof from your printed invitation. If you received only a digital proof, it’s best to print your invitation and accessories and proofread a hard copy rather than relying on the on-screen version.

Read your invitation out loud
Proofread all parts of your invitation suite by reading it out loud. If possible, have another person listen and read along while you read it. This method is a good way to catch missing words or doubled words, as well as general grammar issues.

Read it backwards
Read it backwards, focusing on the words themselves. It may sound strange, but this is a powerful tool for finding spelling errors, as sometimes, your mind will subconsciously fix errors, making it appear as though everything is correct when it really isn’t. Taking time to concentrate on each word out of context will make your proofing that much more effective.

Check names
Check the spelling of all names on the invitation (including parents, children, etc.). You would be surprised at the errors you might find!

Check addresses, dates and numbers
Check all dates and numbers carefully. This includes things like making sure dates are correct, day and date match, addresses are complete and correct (especially street numbers, if included) and also checking telephone numbers, etc.

Check response methods and additional information
Check to ensure your RSVP information is correct, along with information like website addresses, etc. Make sure to proofread any cards with additional information.

Check the overall invitation layout, graphics, etc.
It’s important that you make sure the details of your invitation are accurate, but it is also very important to proof the entire invitation for errors in color, spacing, fonts, etc.

Find a proofreading partner.
Once you have proofread the invitation a few times, have someone else proofread it, as well. It is easy to overlook a mistake on your invitation when you know what the invitation should say. Have a few people who aren’t familiar with all the details (co-workers, neighbors, friends) go over your invite for an unbiased review.