Wedding stationery 101
Picking out your wedding stationery is hard. You have to think about the colours, designs, budget, the details, making sure it flows with your wedding theme, the content and, of course making sure you get them out in time. It’s an overwhelming world; the world of paper goods and weddings in general. Over the next while we’ll be doing a series on invitations and sharing our insight for selecting the perfect stationery. From formatting and fonts to envelopes and etiquette, you’ll find lots of advice and even some helpful money saving tips to keep you on budget.
Set the Tone
Wedding invitations are the loveliest mail of all. In this day and age, where we correspond electronically, who doesn’t enjoy receiving swoon worthy stationery in mail?! From sweet and simple to intricate inserts, an wedding stationery suite is your friends’ & families’ first impression of your big day. The style of your invitation sets the tone for your nuptials and leaves your guests anxiously awaiting the celebration.
Show Your Colours
If you have a colour scheme or theme you want to capture for your day, it’s important to have that represented in your wedding stationery. Whether you’re going for rustic, glamorous, whimsical or any other flair, your invites are the perfect opportunity for a sneak peek into what your guests can expect on the big day.
Be Yourself
Formal or Informal? DIY or Custom Order? Regardless of the route you choose, let your personalities shine through. If you’re a quirky couple, some cutesy clipart and witty wording may be in order. Perhaps you’re hoping to have everyone in their swankiest attire, now is the time to formally request it. Though some instructions are considered a faux pas (ie. requesting presentation) your invitation suite is where you can ensure your guests know all your details up front.
Dream On
Spend some time searching for the perfect design (or dream up something completely original) and when you find something worthy of the fridge front or an Instagram post you know you’ve #FoundTheOne. Now’s the time to do some number crunching to fit what your heart desires into your ever important budget, just be sure you don’t forget to include the cost of postage!
Save Some Cents!
- Keep your envelope within the standard letter size to avoid surprise costs at the post office, larger sizes or increased weight can quickly add up to unexpected costs. Also, keep an eye out for stamps that suit your suite, they’re often changing and you may just get lucky!
- Are you tech-savvy or do you have a creative friend? Ask if they can help recreate that fancy-schmancy design you pinned!
- Skip the reply envelope (and extra stamp) by requesting RSVPs be sent to your wedding specific email address. Not only can you quickly converse with your guests if they have dietary restrictions or special requests but you’ll also create an excellent contact list that includes email addresses for all your newly acquired family members!
- Be creative. Hooked on letterpress, gold foil, embossing and oh so pretty paper? Try to narrow it down to one as these dreamy details add up in price very quickly. You may want frame worthy stationery but the chances of anyone other than your mother treasuring your invite for years to come are slim to none. However, if these are details you absolutely can’t live without, keep your invitation suite simple to cut costs.
