Wedding Stationery 101
Hey, Unconventional lovelies! Today we’re sharing everything you need to know about wedding stationery. We’re talking logistics, pricing, styles, and how to choose the perfect supplier. Now, before I was in the wedding industry, I didn’t actually know what ‘wedding stationery’ referred to. Simply, It refers to all of the below:
- Wedding invitations
- Save the dates
- RSVPs
- Table plan
- Signage
- Menus
- Place cards
It’s more than just invitations! So, here it is, the ultimate guide to choosing your wedding stationery! We asked some of our stationer members listed in our alternative wedding directory for their best advice.
Feature photo: Bluebell Press photographed by Kirsty Rockett Photography
Top tips for AWESOME wedding stationery
★ Start Early
Want guests at your wedding? This isn’t one of those things you can leave until the last minute!
★ Triple Check
Don’t end up with embarrassing spelling mistakes!
★ Do It Your Way
Don’t want save the dates? Cool! Want a rocket shaped table plan? Awesome!
★ Find Your Dream Stationer
Working with someone that gets you and will go the extra mile will make your wedding planning so much easier and you’ll have epic stationery as a result.
wedding stationery - Where to start!
Let’s start at the beginning. First, you need to know what wedding stationery you want so you can get a quote from a stationer. Then, you can get into the fun details!
Do you want save-the-dates? They should be your first priority and can be sent as soon as you have a wedding date! They don’t have to match your wedding theme, but if you want them to, make sure you have this decided before sending anything out. If you haven’t decided on your wedding style yet, you could keep the save-the-dates simple, perhaps with a photo of the two of you.
You don’t NEED save the date cards. If your budget or time scale is tight, skip them and maybe invest the money you save on them and the postage into your invites, which are the star of the show. You can get the shiny foiling you so desperately wanted or add little finishing touches such as envelope liners, stickers or wax seals to really push your invites to the next level! Also, they are your wedding invitations and you can write whatever you like on them. Keep them informal and friendly if that’s how your wedding is going to be, so ditch the traditional wording if it feels right!
Invitations must be flat? NO! How about origami wedding invitations that pop out of the envelope and unfold to discover all the details of your wedding.
Invitations must be a series of sheets? Nope! Don't waste papers! Origami invitations are made from one piece of paper with plenty of spaces to fit all your info!
common wedding stationery mishaps
When arranging and choosing your wedding stationery, here are some things to watch out for:
Spelling!
Double & triple check. Stationers will try their best to proofread, but ultimately it’s your responsibility to ensure you send over the correct information. Don’t send anything off in a rush!
Ordering The Right Amount
It’s always a good idea to order a few extras just in case! However, it’s easy to overestimate if you’re inviting lots of couples and families. One per household is enough.
Being last minute
Do not leave this job until the last minute! Frankly- more of your guests will be able to attend your wedding if you give them sufficient notice. You’ll also save yourself a lot of stress, and ensure you can book the supplier you want.
The Details
Remember to be specific about your venue(s) so your guests don’t get lost! Be clear about your timings, especially if you have guests coming and going throughout the day.
DIY wedding invitations
We do love a DIY wedding, but make sure you aren’t out of your depth before taking on the huge task of wedding stationery.
You’ve seen it done on Pinterest, so how hard can making your own wedding stationery be, right? Think again! Professional wedding stationers like myself have years of practice, knowledge, and usually a background education in design. We know about paper types, paper weights, have the correct software and equipment, plus have the time and knowledge to do an excellent job! Professional printing requires the knowledge and software to process artwork correctly. Without correct knowledge, you might not be able to get anything printed or it’ll result in poor quality prints. Making your own stationery might sound fun, but after all that hard work and stress, along with purchasing all the correct materials, you might end up having to resort to hiring a professional in the end anyway, so save yourself the time, money and stress by heading straight to a professional!
Breaking down traditions
We wouldn’t be Unconventional Wedding if we weren’t encouraging you to step outside of the box! Remember, you don’t need to do everything that is expected of you. If you don’t want a fancy table plan or RSVPs, then simply don’t have them! You could be as quirky or traditional as you like with your wedding stationery – just make sure you’re following your heart! As long as your loved ones know where to be at what time, then your job is done!
Bring on colours, themes, express your passions, show your personalities, reveal your love story! Making things personal will make the difference to make your invitation more memorable.
Be you and show off your style! An extraordinary stationer will honour your uniqueness with amazing bespoke designs.
I love it when I get something that is different, it keeps my creative juices flowing! I have recently had customers have something totally unrelated to their wedding style for their invitations, having fun, unconventional invitations for a very formal day. I’ve also had quite a few who want to include a timeline within their wedding invitations, so guests know what’s happening on the day
What does the wedding stationery process involve?
Each wedding stationery supplier is different, so make sure you enquire about their process. Many stationers have pre-made designs that can be adapted, or you may opt for a completely bespoke design. Either way, expect some back and fourth with your stationer while you settle on designs that you’re happy with. Ensure you know how long the process will take so you aren’t surprised with an unexpected wait time for printing.
With us, you will simply need to provide us with either your favourite of our 60+ ranges or send us your ideas and we'll come up with a bespoke design for you. Then, let us know all the nitty-gritty and we'll produce proofs for you to have a look at. You'll have them within a couple of days and you can request as many amendments as you like before you are 100% happy. Don't settle at any point, it's YOUR big day and YOUR wedding stationery - have it how you want it
How to choose your wedding stationery supplier
Working with the right supplier is important! You want your wedding planning to be as fun and stress free as possible, so finding someone that you click with is crucial. Here’s a handy checklist of things to consider when choosing your wedding stationer:
Do you like their design style?
Have you read their reviews or spoken to past clients?
Will they do revisions?
Do they fit your budget?
Do you think they’ll go the extra mile for you?
Is a personal touch important to you?
Check out wedding fairs and supplier directories (like ours!) to meet unique wedding stationers.
Choose a supplier who understands that your wedding stationery needs to fit in with the vibe of your day. Your stationery is the first glimpse of your wedding, so it's important to reflect its look and theme. Working with everything from your colour palette and decor to your flowers will help give your wedding the 'WOW' factor it deserves!
