There are so many different decisions to make when you’re planning your wedding, one of which is deciding on the right stationery for your invitations, place settings, RSVP cards and so on. It’s not as important as, say, the dress or the food but you still need to get it right as it will help set the overall tone for your big day. There are lots of things to consider, from the paper you choose to the design, graphics and which wedding stationery supplier you go with. Here is a list of checkpoints to help get you started:
1. Start Early: You will probably want your wedding and everything associated with it to have a certain theme or style. If that is the case then you need to start deciding what this will be early on as the invitations themselves will obviously need to be sent out in good time. Do you want it to be classic? Glamorous? Are you opting for a quirkier theme such as Gothic or Fairytale? Whichever you choose your wedding stationery should fit in with this and it also helps with the decision-making process when you come to think about design.
2. Design: When it comes to design, the most important things to think about are probably colour, shape, size and the kinds of images you want to include (some people like to have a photo of themselves and their fiancé, while others prefer to keep it plain). Like everything else about your wedding, the stationery should reflect your own tastes so if you like to make an impact then go for bold colours, but if you want things to be more subtle and classic then go for more neutral colours, such as cream with embossed silver lettering. Bear in mind you can also play around with shape and size to make your invitations as quirky or simple as you want them.
3. Text: You shouldn’t overlook the importance of the text to be used on your wedding stationery. Choose your words wisely – brevity tends to work better than lots of flowery phrases – and make sure everything is spelled correctly, particularly unusual names, before you send it off to the stationer. When it comes to colour and style, you’re free to choose what you want but for goodness’ sake make sure it’s legible as you don’t want there to be any misunderstandings.
4. Choose A Stationer: There are plenty of wedding stationery providers out there so do your research and compare costs. Online stationers, such as www.handyhippo.co.uk, that can sell stationery at a very good price because an online shop doesn’t have as many overheads. You will find that they can offer a great range of materials, colours and themes and all stationery can be customised to meet your needs. Once you’ve decided on the kind of design and style you want you can have a look around to see what various stationers are offering. Just make sure you leave them enough to print and get he invitations out to you.
5. Triple-Check The Proofs: Most stationers will provide you with an example of your finished invitation before you OK it and confirm that you want an entire batch printing. This is the time to examine the text and design very carefully to make sure everything is exactly as you asked. In particular, make sure that the dates are correct and the address of the venue as these are probably the two most important pieces of information. A surprising number of people neglect this step and the result can be chaos!
6. Get Extras: However carefully you make your guest list, there will always be somebody you’ve forgotten to invite or an extra person you need to include further down the line. Bear in mind that it’s much more expensive to go back and print more invitations further down the line as the stationer will have to re-configure the press. It’s far more sensible to simply order a few spares so you can fill them out as and when they’re needed.
7. RSVPs and Thank Yous: Lastly, don’t forget that the stationery you design should also include RSVP cards and Thank You cards to send out to guests after the event. Most stationers will offer these alongside the invitations themselves at a reasonable rate but it’s worth thinking about their design when you’re creating your invitation so they fit in with your overall theme.