Despite today's technology and widely available resources for e-invitations, sometimes even at no cost, people still prefer having an actual invitation for their events, whether professionally produced or DIY. Going out of our way to deliver the invitations to our guests seems like it's no hassle at all!
There's just some things technology can never replace, and for most of us, these things matter.
1. Personal Touch
Similar to the feeling you get when you receive a hand-written letter, it's just not the same compared to receiving something in your chat box or emails. Even animated invitations, which are already in existence for years are still seldom considered. The impact of actually, literally, receiving something is stronger than just a mere notification on our phones. It's in our nature!
Moreover, we want our recipients to immediately grasp the look and feel of our events, with beautiful graphics, textures or fragrance. Maybe an invitation with music once opened? Or handing over the invitation with a delicious delicacy? What better way to do that than to trigger our five senses?
2. Theme
Applicable to some, a number of couples and celebrants prefer the unconventional invitations for that extra "wow" effect, such as scrolls, message-in-a-bottle, puzzles, acrylics, folding types and even the extremes and pricy boxed invitations with other stuff included such as flowers, butterflies flying out when you open the box, and even a video-playing screen embedded.
3. Elderly & Formality
Yes, we know techy grandpas and grandmas exist, but most of our older guests would prefer receiving a tangible invitation. It's not just because it's more formal or more respectful. How can they receive and open your e-invites or chat messages when they don't even know how to open their phones or computers? Do they even own one? What if they live alone? It's not just the older guests, we also have friends and family (and even ourselves) that simply prefer the classic way.
4. Beautiful Photos
Event photography has really evolved. Beyond just shooting our faces and emotions, it has already been an SOP amongst event photographers to capture everything about the event, and that includes details, elements and personal things of the couples or celebrants such as their clothes, shoes, accessories, flowers, and yes, invitation. Just one look at their beautifully styled shots already sums up the entirety of the event.
For guests that weren't able to join your event, or even uninvited ones and total strangers that stumble upon these photos can successfully imagine what the theme of your event was, how it was styled and what if felt like to be there. The power of photography!
5. Believe it or not, Technology itself
Specifically social media. Ever since Facebook, Instagram and the like became a hit, our lifestyle had greatly changed. People nowadays want to share more, from the most extravagant to even the most simplest and trivial things. Theirs no limit to ideas, creativity and inspirations widely available that could help "beautify" our own events, and that includes invitations as well. Because of that, we tend to perceive invitations as one of the beautifying elements, which also contributed to #4 above.
And with beautiful photos, what do we do? We share! For many reasons: either we're just so proud and happy of our event that we want to share the love, we want to immortalize our memories in our newsfeed, we want to inspire others as well, OR, for dirty and vain reasons like showing off (Ehem... admit it!), social media makes all these easily possible.
What's your take? Do you think tangible invitations will ever be phased out in the future?
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