Choosing your wedding stationery will be one of the more creative and fun elements of planning your wedding. Your save the dates or invitations will provide your guests with a sneak peak of the wedding you are planning with the colour palette and wording giving your guests a small glimpse of what they can expect when they attend your wedding, which will undoubtedly help to build excitement for your big day.

Of course, your save the dates and invitations are just a small part of the stationery suite that you will need for your wedding day, with many items needed for the big day itself. To help you decide which stationery items you will need, I am very excited to share a guide to help you choose which stationery items you may require for your wedding day.

Save the date’s

Save the dates are sent by couples to inform guests of their wedding date and to ask that they keep this day free. Unlike the official invitation there is no need for save the dates to contain all the information about your wedding. Instead, it should just include your names and also the date of your wedding, although a little extra information will be required if you are marrying abroad. Of course, save the dates aren’t always necessary especially if you are planning a wedding which will take place in the coming months. However, if you are planning your wedding in advance it is a good idea to send guests a save the date as this will ensure they do not book a holiday, or accept another invitation for your wedding date.

Invitations

As mentioned above your invitations will probably be your guests first glimpse of the wedding day you are planning. You should therefore take time to ensure you choose an invitation that reflects your wedding day by choosing the perfect colour palette and suitable wording that suits the style of wedding you are planning.

As well as carefully choosing the perfect style of invitation, you should also ensure that your invitation contains all the information your guests will need, such as:

• Your names
• The date
• The time you would like your guests to arrive as well as the ceremony time
• The location of your ceremony
• The location of your reception (if different from your ceremony)
• Accommodation details
• Local taxi companies
• Carriages (this allows guests to book their lift in advance)
• RSVP details

As well as the above you should also clearly state whether or not children are invited, if your guest has a plus one as well as the part of the day they are invited to, (all day or evening reception only). You may also like to include details of your gift list and other additional information such as parking facilities at your church/venue.

Ceremony reserved seating 

Often overlooked by couples, but if you would like your close family and friends to sit in a particular seat or within the first few rows , then you should consider asking your stationer to create small reserved signs including who the seat is reserved for. This will also ensure seating has been reserved for your bridesmaids and father of the bride who will take their seats after the other guests.

Order of service

Your order of service would normally be handed to guests by your ushers as they arrive for your ceremony, or left on seats prior to guests arriving. The contents will depend on the service you are having, for example, if you have chosen a church ceremony you would normally include your names, details of your church, the date and time the ceremony will begin as well as a running order of the ceremony including details of hymns, prayers and readings. If you are having a civil ceremony or blessing then you would include details of your wedding venue rather than a church and list your song choices and any readings or poems in place of hymns and prayers.

Schedule of the day

Displaying a beautiful schedule of your wedding day is not only a great opportunity to add extra styling detail to your big day, but it is also extremely helpful for your guests. Letting your guests know what they can expect throughout the day will help them to relax and have fun, as well as stopping them from missing an important moment and visiting the washrooms as you’re about to have your first dance.

Seating plan & table stationery

If you are asking your guests to sit on a particular table throughout wedding breakfast then a clear and well positioned table plan is essential. Your guests should be able to easily find their names as well as the table number or table name they will be seated on.

You should also clearly display your table numbers or table names in the centre of each table, ensuring they have been positioned facing the entrance so your guests can easily locate the table that they will be seated at. As well as table numbers you should also position place cards above each place setting so your guests can see where they have been seated. Place cards are also helpful for caterers who may need to identify any guests who have dietary requirements. You may also like to position individual menus on each place setting or display a menu in the centre of your table to inform guests of the delicious meal they will be enjoying, although this is of course an optional extra.

Additional items

Not strictly considered as stationery, but I would normally include the following items within my couples stationery budget which helps ensure they are not overlooked.

• Guest book & pens
• Card box
• Signage, such as parking signs & wedding signs
• Table number holders
• Easel

Thank you cards

And finally you will need thank you cards to thank each of your guests for sharing your special day, as well as thanking them for any gifts or money they kindly gifted to you. Many couples choose to coordinate their thank you cards with their other wedding stationery, or include a photograph from their wedding day on the front of their thank you cards, which also doubles as a lovely keepsake for each of your guests to remind them of your special day.

I do hope that this brief guide to wedding stationery has provided you with a little guidance on the stationery you will require for your wedding day. If however you think you would benefit from further assistance with any aspect of planning your wedding please do contact me. I am a wedding planner based in Brentwood Essex, planning and creating weddings and special occasions throughout Essex, Suffolk, Kent, Hertfordshire & Cambridgeshire, although of course I am able to travel a little further afield if required.

Image Credit : Terri & Lori Fine Art Photography & Film

 

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