| |
A Guide To Choosing Your
Wedding Stationery
 The choice of wedding stationery available can be
over-whelming when you start planning your wedding! In this
article, I will break it down into the different categories
to help you, whether you are making your own stationery or
choosing from the many ranges of handcrafted or printed
stationery available! You may not need to order all of the
detailed wedding stationery as it may not be applicable to
your style of wedding. Or you may choose to order some of
your wedding stationery and handcraft some of your own
items!
Save the date
Save the date cards are particularly useful if you are
getting married at a popular time of year, such as holiday
weekends, or Summer, Easter or Christmas when people tend to
book their holidays. Save the date cards can be sent out
when you have your wedding booked, but ordinarily up to year
before the wedding so that people can put your date in their
diary. These cards come in many forms, including magnets,
postcards and tags. Make sure if you are sending a Save the
date card to someone, that you are going to want them to
attend your wedding in the future!
Wedding Invitations
 Wedding Invitations come in many different shapes and sizes
from scrolls to invitations printed on balloons!!!! Enjoy
browsing the range of invitations available, both printed
and handmade before you make your selection. Most stationery
companies will offer you a sample either free of charge or
for a small fee. If you can not find anything you like, some
places will offer a bespoke design service where they will
discuss your wedding themes and colour scheme with you and
then design a wedding invitation or set of stationery
especially for you. If you like a set of wedding stationery
but it is in the wrong colour scheme or you would like
something changing, email the company and ask! Most will be
happy to make their wedding stationery in different colours
or adapt an aspect for you.
Remember to allow one invitation per household and a few
extra for mistakes or last minute invitations!!! Wedding
Invitations are normally sent out three months before the
wedding to allow guests time to reply and the couple time to
finalise arrangements. Some couples choose to send their
invitations earlier than this if their wedding falls during
a busy time of year.
(check here...)
Evening Invitations
These invitations are for those people who you are not
inviting to your ceremony but are coming to your evening
celebrations. Most evening celebrations begin after the
speeches and you can choose whether to cut your cake during
the day or save that for the arrival of your evening guests.
Again, allow one invitation per household and a few extra
for mistakes or last minute invitations!
Information sheet/card
Most couples choose to send an information sheet or card
with their wedding invitations to assist their guests in the
planning of their day. This information normally includes
hotel, bed and breakfast choices, taxi numbers and so on.
Some couples choose to place all this information on a
website and just include the URL in their invitations so
they can have a minimalist look to their invitations. If you
choose to do this, remember that Great Grandad Bob might not
have access to the internet so make sure the older
generation are allowed for! The information sheet may or may
not also contain details about the order of the day, whether
confetti is permitted, any particular dress code (e.g. if
wedding is black tie, fancy dress!), details of any
organised transport, directions and what time the event will
finish. Some couples also choose to acknowledge details of
their gift list here.
RSVP cards
You may choose to put an RSVP card in with your wedding
invitation where guests can state their intention to attend
your wedding and any vegetarian or other dietary
requirements. Some couples even put in a stamped addressed
envelope for their guests although this is not entirely
necessary. Remember to clearly state your RSVP date so that
you can finalise arrangements with your wedding venue and
with your suppliers.
Order of service/Order of the day
Order of Service cards are most popular when a religious
ceremony is taking place and will list the Hymns (and the
words), The Entrance of the Bride, Readings, The Marriage,
Signing of the Register, The Address, The Benediction and
The Recessional.
Order of the Day cards are sometimes used at civil
ceremonies to detail what is going to be happening during
the day and the timings e.g wedding ceremony, welcome
drinks/canapes, photographs, wedding breakfast, cake
cutting, speeches, first dance, end of celebrations so the
guests are aware of what is happening1
Table cards/Menu cards
Table cards are positioned on the centre of the wedding
breakfast tables so guests can find their seat easily.
Tables may be numbered or named and guests use the table or
seating plan to find their name and which table they have
been seated at. This is not always necessary at a very small
wedding. Sometimes the table card will also feature the menu
of the wedding breakfast or this may be on a separate card.
Camera Cards
Some brides and grooms decide to have disposable cameras on
their wedding breakfast tables so they can later catch up on
all the fun that they didn’t see! Camera cards can be
attached to remind guests to use the flash (and wind the
camera on!) and with instructions on where to leave the
camera when it has been used.
Place cards
Place cards are used so a guest can locate on their table
whereabouts they will be sitting. These vary from a tent
fold card to a personalised keyring! Allow one place card
per guest.
Table plan/Seating plan
A seating plan shows the layout of the room and details
which guest is sat where! These vary in size and can be made
on card and framed or on artists canvas block. Check with
your venue that they have facilities to display a table
plan.
Favour boxes/bags
Favours range from the traditional five sugared almonds
symbolising Health, Wealth, Happiness, Long Life and
Fertility to miniature perfumes, chocolate truffles and
keyrings!
Favour boxes are normally available to match your wedding
stationery or some companies will make you something to
co-ordinate. You can combine your favours with place cards
by adding a tag with the guests name!
Thank you cards (Bridal Party)
You can order Thank You cards for your bridal party from
most wedding stationery companies. Most places will
personalise them to add the name of the recipient and the
date of your wedding. These cards can be given to
Bridesmaids, Parents of the Bride and Groom, Best Men,
Ushers, Flower Girls, Readers and so on.
To my Husband/Wife on Our wedding day
card
You could send a card on the morning of your wedding to your
future husband or wife to tell them how much you are looking
forward to your special day. Most companies will personalise
these cards with names and dates for you!
Thank you cards
Thank you cards are sent after the big day to thank guests
for attending your wedding and for any cards and gifts you
may have received. These may co-ordinate with your wedding
stationery or you could get a card printed with a wedding
photograph on!
go back to
news
|
|
