Wedding stationery is one of those on the list that get couples wondering what they really need and why they need it. Questions around stationery is one of the most frequent questions I get asked, and is also an area where couples can go wrong. Whether you decide to DIY with your wedding stationery, or hire a stationer (this is what we highly recommend to avoid wasting time, energy, and stress levels with margins and paper sizes!) I am here to help you decide what you really need for your day!
Save the dates
Once you’ve locked in that venue, your first step in your wedding stationery journey is those all-important save the dates! You don’t need anything other than the information of the date and location, so guests can start to book time off of work, or book flights if they need to fly in for your day. There are so many different variations you can get nowadays, from a standard card, to fridge magnets, keyrings, puzzles….you name it, we’ve seen it!
Invitations
Next up for your wedding stationery is those all important wedding invitations! I always advise to send these out 4-6 months prior, and if this is due in December, for example if you have an April-June wedding, to avoid sending end of November/December as they get mixed up with the Christmas cards and lost! People are also far more excited for a wedding invitation in January as it’s something to look forward to during a pretty dreary month!
There are a couple of ways now that you can send your wedding invitations which I am going to discuss with you:
Hard copy wedding invitation with inserts:
This is a pretty traditional when it comes to your wedding stationery. You have the main invitation card, then inserts alongside it, detailing information such as menu, accommodation options, gift list, then a separate insert for RSVP which they can then post back to you. You can then seal these all together with a wax seal or belly band, or opt for a folder invitation with the inserts inside. There is so much you can opt for with this option, from personalised monograms, to gold and silver foiling. You can even get hand drawn images of your venue or maybe something more personal such as your pet! You can match your wedding stationery to the theme of your day, using colours and fonts to really give people the idea of how your wedding day will look and feel.
Pros:
- They look stunning and set the theme and aesthetic for the day!
- They can be easier for some guests to understand
Cons:
- People are slower at RSVPing and may just pop you a text for example instead of using the wedding RSVP insert card
- Cost to print is much higher
- The inserts make the envelope thicker which costs more to post
- Getting them out to guests can be tricky, especially if abroad
Hard copy wedding invitation with wedding website:
This is probably the most popular option I see now! Many couples opt for an A5 size card, which then has a QR code or a typed link for people to access a wedding website, where guests can see all of the information that you would add onto the insert cards, but instead it’s virtual. You can still have all the beautiful embellishments we discussed in the above, just that you don’t have to order as many inserts! With a wedding website, you can also set it so you have a certain guest list for day guests and another for evening guests (for example) so they only see the information required for them, for example, timings, or menu requirements.
Pros:
- It’s 2024 – who wants to go to a post box to post back their RSVP?! Where even is a post box?
- People tend to RSVP pretty instantly once it’s been received
- There is no worry of people losing their invitations or insert cards with the information you need
- Less cost to budget for
Cons:
- You may have some people in your wedding party, such as grandparents, who wouldn’t understand how to work the wedding website and would appreciate a hard copy more – in this instance, you can get a few hard copies printed for RSVP/information etc
- People may lose the link – ask them to bookmark it!
- Guests may not read it properly and just assume you know they are coming, then never go onto the link to read important information
Virtual Wedding Invites:
Going completely virtual is now an option for your wedding stationery! You can use websites such as Paperless Post and Greenvelope to send your invitation to your guests. You can design the invitation (there are also many, many templates) and personalise the colour of the envelope, add wax melts and even music! You can then receive RSVP directly via these websites, or you can create a wedding website on sites such as WithJoy, with a link on your virtual invite which guests can click on to take you directly to the site to RSVP and find out more information.
Pros/Cons:
- The pros and cons are pretty much the same as having a hard copy wedding invitation alongside a website, although I would say that it may be more difficult to use a hard copy invitation. The pros of a virtual invitation are that they can click directly onto a link
- Some people may not have email addresses but you can send them a hard copy
- Some couples worry if people don’t receive the email, but both sites mentioned show when the guest has received/opened their email
When should we ask wedding guests to RSVP by?
I always advise to ask for RSVP 8-10 weeks prior to the day (depending when you send them) Your caterers/venue/stationers etc will generally need all information 6 weeks prior, so this gives you 2-4 weeks to chase up any last minute RSVPers and collate the information to send.
What information is needed on the wedding invitation or wedding website?
Basics: Venue, map of location or directions, postcode of what3words if it is a remote location, date
Order of day: Always put the time guests need to arrive by, and not the time of the ceremony, to avoid latecomers! You can also add a list of the timings for the remainder of the day. For a wedding website, have the evening guests arrive time, and hide the previous timings of the day for them (this is simple to do!)
When to RSVP by: as advised above
FAQs: What shoes to wear, who to call if any problems on the day (ie. not you!! This should be your wedding planner/co-ordinator) whether they can bring a plus one, if children are allowed etc
Accommodation: Information of local accommodation available and how they can book
Transport links: For anyone flying in or travelling from another part of the UK
Menu: Make sure to book in your menu tasting before sending your invites. If this isn’t possible, add a ‘coming soon’.
Gift list: You can either just add a poem or a few lines about gifting money towards the honeymoon (very popular nowadays!) or you can use a gift list website such as Prezola – I also love the function on this website where you can set up lists of excursions etc so people can ‘buy’ that excursion for you, or pay for you to have dinner one night for example, but actually the money just goes into a pot for you.
Information of any other events: Welcome drinks, post wedding brunches etc
Little extras you can add: Information of who is in your bridal party, how you met and photos of you as a couple, a suggestion for songs for the evening party.
What questions should we ask in the RSVP?
Whether they are attending the wedding: a simple yes or no! You can also add for them to leave a note if they cannot attend
Dietary requirements: highly important! The caterer will need this information
Menu choices: If you are opting for a choice menu (discuss with your caterer first!) then you will need to ask your guests for their choices during the RSVP process. If you haven’t locked in your final menu specification before sending invites, at a minimum have: chicken/fish/vegetarian for them to then give their preference. In this instance, I would keep the starter and the dessert the same for everyone. Also remember to have an option for a child’s menu if you are having children!
Extra events: Ask if they will be attending X, have a separate question for each additional event
Will they be bringing a plus 1: If this is an option for you
Email address: Always good to have if contact is required to all guests, ie. plans change
Other: Suggestion for a song for the evening party, advice for the happy couple etc
What other wedding stationery do we need?
Next up, you need to start thinking about your day of wedding stationery. I will be coming very soon with part 2 of what wedding stationery do you need, which will cover wedding day stationery on the blog!
Some lovely UK stationers I recommend getting in touch with: