THE ULTIMATE WEDDING STATIONERY GUIDE AND CHECKLIST
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Thinking about what stationery you need for your wedding can be overwhelming, especially when you aren’t quite sure what everything is!
I've created the below guide to include everything you could possibly need for your wedding from save the dates to welcome signs. You may not need everything, but you can make sure you've thought of absolutely everything before your big day.
You can also find your “Ultimate Stationery Checklist” at the bottom to keep you organised ahead of your big day.
BEFORE THE DAY
One of the most exciting moments after you get engaged, is asking your best guys and gals to be there with you on the day. You can make the moment extra special with a personalised card for them, and a handwritten message inside.
Save the dates, usually sent 12-18 months before the wedding, will get your date booked in your guests diaries before they book their next holiday or big event. They can be kept quite simple, so you don’t need to know exactly what your colour scheme is to be able to send them out. You’ll need to include your names, date and venue, and you can always add some information about accommodation or travel requirements to the back if it's urgent for your guests.
INVITATIONS
They are the main event when stationery is concerned! They give your guests all of the important information such as date, ceremony time and venue, along with a little glimpse into your wedding day to get them all excited to celebrate with you! Usually sent 4-6 months before your wedding.
An RSVP card allows your guests to let you know if they are attending. If you're offering your guests a choice of menu it's best to include this with your RSVP so it's not forgotten and you can keep track of any dietary requirements. On your RSVP card you can also add anything else such as a song request, or a check box for transport requirements etc.
RSVP Online
If you don’t want to use a card for guests to RSVP, you can include your contact details or a web address for guests to reply to. Adding this to an information card is the best way to let guests know how to reply, without adding too much text to your invitations.
This is where you can include all other information that doesn't go on the main invitation. This can include a website address/contact details to RSVP, any accommodation or transport details, directions to the venue, gift information or whether children are invited.
The evening invitations are usually kept in the same design style as your day invitations, but just with the wording and timings changed. Often couples will include a telephone number or email address, so that guests can reply nice and easily to you. Usually sent 2-3 months before your wedding.
Invitation Extras and Finishing Touches
These add an extra touch of elegance to your wedding invitations. Wax seals, silk ribbon, vellum bands and coloured thread can all bring together the vision for your day, and incorporate your colour scheme and theme into your stationery. Printed address envelopes will save you time, and will add to the elegance of your invitations.
ON THE DAY STATIONERY
Thank You Cards for bridal party
A small gesture on the day of your wedding to thank your wedding party for their help and support with the planning.
A welcome sign will welcome your guests to your wedding, and is a lovely touch for the entrance of your venue. Usually they are A1 size, so make sure you or your venue provide a suitable stand or easel, which you can purchase from Hobbycraft or Amazon.
You may want to add a sign to ask guests to turn off their mobile phones, or to request no photos be taken during the ceremony. A simple “unplugged ceremony” sign will make sure your ceremony is not interrupted! You may also need some directional signage if your ceremony is outdoors.
These differ from the "order of the day" board, and are used for during the ceremony. They usually include some information about the ceremony, the readings, music, hymns and wedding party. Depending on your ceremony, they can either be an A5 double sided card, or an A5 booklet with pages. This will depend on how much text you'd like to include, but your celebrant may be able to advise on this if you aren't sure.
Vow Book
A small book where you can write down your vows to be read out during the ceremony. Not only will they look beautiful in your photos as part of your ceremony, but they’re a lovely keepsake for after the wedding.
An order of the day board tells your guests what's happening, and when. Weddings rarely run exactly on time, but guests do like to know what to expect next, and especially when they'll be sitting down to a delicious meal!
A table plan lets your guests know where they're sitting come dinner time. I will design your table plan to suit how your tables are laid out on the day, and I recommend A1 for the size as it's nice and clear for everyone to read.
These are placed in the centre of the table so that all of your guests know exactly where they're sitting. They can either be acrylic with a stand or printed onto card.
These tell your guests exactly where they are sitting on the tables. They can either be flat cards or folded cards, and can be kept nice and simple or add a little finishing touch for a touch of elegance. My personal favourite is the rounded place cards!
Menus will add to your table decor, while being practical for your guests, especially if you have offered them a choice of menu as I always forget what I've chosen! Adding your guests names also takes away the need for separate place cards and adds such a special personal touch.
Small cards to ensure your family and wedding party get the best seats in the house for your ceremony. You can also add guests names to each card to reserve specific seats for them.
A guest book is a lovely idea for guests to write a little message of well wishes for you to look back on after your wedding. A popular idea is to add a polaroid camera so guests can add a photo of themselves having the best day ever!
Favour tags, labels and stickers
If you’re having small favours, sweet bags, or anything else you can add a personalised label to, make sure to get these printed in your theme to add a special touch to every part of your day.
Childrens activity books
These are always a great idea for your littlest guests, they’ll keep them entertained during the dinner service and evening party. You could even create a little gift bag of things such as crayons, bubbles, stickers and a sweet treat. As a toddler mum, these are gold!
Signs such as "please sign our guest book" can all add to your decor on the day. The signs can either be printed on flat card and be put in a frame, mounted onto a small board to rest on a stand, or be an acrylic sign which comes with a small stand.
AFTER THE WEDDING
Personalised thank you cards are a lovely idea to send to your guests after the wedding, thanking them for attending and celebrating your day, and if they gave a gift or monetary contribution. Most photographers will send a few photos in the week after your wedding, so you can use these to make your cards even more special.
Supplier Thank You Cards
Your suppliers will have gone over and above to make sure your day is even more amazing than you imagined! From your stationer to your wedding panner, everyone will really appreciate a small card to thank them for their work and support on your day.
Save “The Ultimate Stationery Checklist” checklist below to your phone to stay organised and make sure you have everything you need when you’re in wedding planning mode!
