When you are creating an invitation for an event such as a baby shower, wedding or graduation party, it may take a little bit of extra effort as you may be inviting people that don’t normally come to your home. It is also possible that family members or other guests may be attending from out of town, and this can mean that they will need a bit more information that you may otherwise give out in a more casual invite.

First of all, it is important to make sure that the person receiving the invitation knows what the event is, and who it is for. Using first and last names is a smart way to avoid any confusion. Next, you’ll want to make sure that the address of the event itself is listed, along with the city and state. Again, this will just make things easier for out of town guests.

Another thing to remember to include  is the time that the event begins, and if you know, you may want to list an approximate length as well. While this is not absolutely necessary, it can be a nice courtesy to let people know how long they can plan on staying. If you have a Website set up for the event, you may want to include that, as well as directions from any relevant major cities, airports or highways. This is becoming a more popular thing to do for large-scale events such as weddings.

The last piece of important information you should include is a telephone number. If you want people to let you know for sure whether they are coming or not, point that out as well. Also make sure that the contact person’s name is on the invitation.

There are some creative touches that you can add to an invitation as well. Try including a favorite quote or fun saying to personalize the card a bit. Tuck a photo inside before you mail—or better yet, add one to the design of the invitation. You can even get return address labels printed up that will match the look exactly. There are many options to consider.

An invitation is a device to communicate the details of an event to people that you would like to have in attendance. Making sure you have the correct information on the card is important, but so is feeling good about the design. VistaPrint can help you with both of these things and make the experience go more smoothly.