Wedding stationery, where to start!

In the good old days the stationery for weddings was a simple affair. A single sided card, with a nice typeface, possibly in a single colour would suffice. Today there is a bewildering choice not just of invitations, but whole ranges of stationery to choose from.

You may wish to make your own invites, buy ready printed or have personalized stationery designed especially for you. Budget may play the deciding factor as to how many stationery items you would like to order. Remember items such as Day and Evening invites and save the date cards can be sent out 1 per couple/family.

It is considered good manners to send wedding invitations to close friends and relatives even if you know they will not be able to attend.  Add an extra 15-20 invites when ordering, this allows for mistakes when writing them out and any extra guests you may decide to invite at a later date. Make sure to allow enough time for the invites to be printed if they are not off the shelf.

With the new postage rates it’s also a good idea to weigh and measure before sending. A C5 or C6 envelope can be classed as a large letter if the depth is over 5mm, which means extra stamps, or the embarrassment of the guests having to pay the excess!

So what items are available to the modern day bride to be?

Planning the day

Save the date cards
Weddings are increasing booked over a year in advance, but traditionally invitations are usually sent out around three months before the wedding. This does not give anyone traveling to the wedding much time to organize accommodation ect. Why not send out a Save the Date as soon as you have booked your venue? This is especially useful if the wedding is during school holidays or a bank holiday weekend.

You need to mention is the wedding date, and possibly time, and ask guests to keep the date free. Let them know that formal invitations will still be sent out nearer the time. If you have information of accommodation it’s also an idea to mention that guests might like to book early.

It’s not a necessity, but why not send the Save the Date card in a design which will either match or compliment the rest of your stationery?

Day Invites
The day invitations are sent to guests you would like to have attend the whole event, whatever service you may be having, the traditional wedding breakfast (or non traditional anything else) as well as joining in the evening festivities.

You will need to include details of:
Date, wedding time, service venue and reception venue (if they are different). The invite is usually worded from the host of the wedding.

Traditionally this was usually the family of the Bride, so the invitation was sent by the brides parents, with very formal wording. Modern weddings may be a bit different, so the invitations can reflect this if you wish, they can be addressed from the bride and groom and take on a much more informal tone.

A vital element to the day invitation is an reply date and address. This is where and when the guest should respond to. Some brides like to write the date themselves, meaning the invitations can be staggered over a few weeks. If some of the early guests can not attend people who were to be invited to the evening reception can then be invited to the whole day if space becomes available.

It might be an idea to include a reply card, matching the style, with all the details pre-printed, and a tick box to say the guest will or will not be attending.

It’s also worth asking if anyone has any special diet requirements, such as vegetarians or allergies.

Evening Invitations
The evening is usually a more relaxed affair, with extra guests being invited to party the night away! The main information you need to covey is date, time and venue. The evening invitation is usually very similar to the day invite, but makes it clear that it is to join the happy couple at the evening reception.

For the day itself

Order of service
These are sheets or booklets which can be handed out to your guests before the service, informing them of the events about to unfold. If it is a church service, it may be a great help to those who are not regular church goers! Including any hymns saves much rustling of hymbooks, and adding in any readings gives it a personal touch.

Table Plan
If you are having a sit down meal, you may wish to have a table placement. In order to make it easier for guests to find their place, providing a table plan in a prominent position is a great help.

Table Numbers
Give the tables either numbers or names, and make sure they are easily visible when the guests enter the room.

Place cards
Mark each setting with a place card, with the name of the guest to sit there. Of course you may be having a less formal reception, and may wish guest to sit at whichever table they like. You may wish to arrange a calligrapher, or a friend with good handwriting to write the place cards. Or perhaps consider having them printed directly onto the card.

After the day

Thank you cards
You will no doubt receive a lot of cards and gifts on the big day. By sending a thank you card you will be able to thank your guests for their generosity, and show your appreciation that they shared your special day with you.

Of course none of these items has to match, but wedding stationery can create quite an effect on your guests. Keeping with the same design can enhance your theme, and make you day very memorable to your guests.

Written by Michele Storer Tempting Propositions © 2007