Where to start with your wedding stationery

If your struggling to know where to start when it comes to deciding on your wedding stationery, then I have some top tips to help you get started.

If you haven't chosen your invitations yet then it would be a great idea to determine what style you are after first, as there are so many choices out there. Hunt around on the internet, places like Pinterest for inspiration, to see what sort of thing matches the style you are trying to create. There are a variety of materials, colours, sizes and finishes to select from. Remember your invitation is the first glimpse of your wedding that your guests will see, so you want to set the tone correctly.

Think about what stationery you would most like to have. Some need save the dates, others don't require them. Would you like each guest to have their own menu or would one for the whole table do just fine. It really is personal preference, as there's no right or wrong. Just think about what the stationery will add to the day and how you want it to look and feel like overall.

Just like all your other aspects of the wedding, your stationery will also have it's own budget. Planning out exactly what is a priority to you will help when making decisions. It's easy to get carried away with stationery as it's so pretty, so just remember what is most important to you, that way you won't blow the budget. Asking stationery designers for quotes first is great as you can weigh up your options.

The good news is that the number of guests on your list is not the number of invites you will be sending out, thank goodness. (can you imagine!!)

Most of your guests will be in couples and families, therefore the rule will be, one invitation for one household. It is also worth mentioning you may want to order a few spares, as you may decide to invite extra guests if you have drop outs, and you may like to have a keepsake for yourself of course.

Collect Address's

Start collecting all those address's for sending your invitations out. It may seem such a pain asking for guests details, but it will save you so much time chasing guests when your ready to send them out, and you do want them to go out all at the same time. Create a spreadsheet where you can access them all together saving you time when it comes to writing them.

Once you have sorted your invitations you may want to move on to your 'on the day' stationery. It is good to think about what to name your tables. Lots of couples find this is a great place to start as it's where your can add some of your personality or connect it to your theme. You may choose your favourite films, song titles or destinations you have been together. You may prefer to keep your tables just as numbers, which is totally fine too. It may just be worth considering, so get creative.

Just like the invitations there are lots of options for place cards too. Different materials and styles and ways to display them to make your tables come alive. You may decide that you would like the place card to double up as a favour for your guest to take home. You may want the menu to have the place card incorporated with it to save on cost. There are no rules, so again let your creative juices flow.

At any point of your planning you can start to work on your seating plan. There are guests that you know will definitely be there like your wedding party and your closest family and friends. So you can start slotting those in. When you receive RSVP's back you can continue to add guests. The beauty of starting it early is, it won't be one mad rush to get it done, you can always edit it down the line. One thing to remember is that you can't please everyone so don't put that pressure on yourself. 

The way I like to think of wedding signs is imagine your floating through your wedding day. Imagine being the guest, ask yourself, what do your guests need to know and be informed of as they go through your day, to be where they need to be, and do what you want them to do. So for example, we are seeing lots of couples informing their guests to switch of all their mobiles during the ceremony with a wedding sign telling them to do so. What may seem obvious to you, may not to others, it is better to have that friendly reminder as they may forget. 

As well as wedding signs being informative they can also create more fun. If you want your guests to take part in photo booths, games and dancing. Show your personalities with a fun sign, it will receive a better reaction from your guests and make them want to take part. So think about what signs you will need and want to help your day flow nicely for you and the guests.

Lots more couples are choosing to write their own vows so take some time to sit in the peace and quiet and really think about what you want to say to each other at the ceremony. Remember to practice saying them out loud so it feels more natural by the time you have to say it for real.