A Save the Date Card or Wedding Invitation is one of the first pieces of stationery that your guests will receive and most importantly it will convey the theme and style for your entire wedding day. The style and design will indicate to your guests what to expect on the day. A wedding invitation lets your guests know if the wedding is going to be a formal event, an intimate gathering of close family and friends, a casual and informal affair, or anything in between.
Before jumping head first into this process it is worth taking a step back to consider the appropriate etiquette for your wedding stationery which will in turn help the day’s events seamlessly follow on from one to another with no hiccups allowing you and your guests to relax and simply enjoy the day.
So here are a few of my suggestions on wedding stationery etiquette to start you off on the right path:
Do consider sending out Save the Date cards. These are particularly appropriate if you are having a destination wedding as it will give your guests the time to organise leave from work, flights and accommodation etc. You’d kick yourself if you thought that more of your lovely family and friends would have come to your wedding if only they were given more notice.
Simplicity Wedding Collection
Do send an invitation to everyone that will be attending your wedding. You can’t leave people out, such as your family or close friends on the basis that it is obvious they will be coming.
Delightful Dahlia Wedding Collection
Do always send your wedding invitations out at least one month prior to your wedding date. Even this is cutting it a little fine and you should ideally send them out at least 6-8 weeks before. This allows your guests to plan accordingly for the big event!
Classic Monogram Wedding Collection
Do ensure that you wedding stationery communicates all the details about the day’s proceedings. Times, locations, directions and maps all help to save confusion on the day. If you are having a destination wedding it may well be helpful to include the location details of hotel accommodation in the local area as well as transport information if needed.
Regency Wedding Collection
Do write exactly who you are inviting, onto your wedding invitations. Rather than putting Mr. and Mrs. Smith and Family, it is wise to consider exactly who you are inviting from the family. For example, you may not wish to have very young children at your wedding and so it avoids writing ‘no children allowed’ which is a big no no! This way you are tactfully expressing who is invited and who is not. This allows the guests to make arrangements for babysitting of the younger family members if that is what you wish. Obviously if ‘the more the merrier’, put every family member’s name down.
Vintage Circus Wedding Collection
Do proof read your wedding invitations before they get printed. Even get someone else to go over them as well with a fresh pair of eyes as you’ll be devastated if they come back with typos.
Embellish Wedding Collection
Do remember that your wedding day is all about fun and family. Make sure that your wedding invitations reflect the tone and style you have set for your wedding day in both design and the level of formality of wording.
Peonies Wedding Collection
Do always include return postage on your RSVP card. It is something that guests still expect and it is not the place to try and economise.
Regency Wedding Collection
Do include first name and surnames on your place cards. This saves so much confusion for your guests when they arrive at the reception and they are trying to decide where they should be seated. Inevitably you will get duplication of first names and you don’t want these poor souls to be walking around wondering whether they have the right seat or not!
Starfish Wedding Collection
Do always send out Thank You Cards to your guests no more than 6-8 weeks after your wedding day. These can be personalised with your guests’ names, however the wording inside should really be hand written and personal to sincerely show your appreciation.
Lovebirds Wedding Collection
So as you can see there are a few things to consider when thinking about your wedding stationery. However, it’s not difficult and when done properly you’ll certainly reap the rewards. Good Luck!
Ms Polka Dot says: Ellen from mini Moko Designer Stationery has given us some well thought out advice for getting your wedding stationery just right. Just follow her advice and you won’t go wrong!
Ellen says: Our extensive wedding collections include a family of twelve products to choose from, ranging from Invitations and RSVP’s through to Place Settings and Guest Seating Charts. Within each collection, all stationery has been designed around a single, continuous theme ensuring your guests received the best impression of your wedding from the first moment they receive their Invitation through to receipt of a Thankyou Card at the end.
Furthermore, should you desire something truly unique for your event, we also offer a custom design service to make your day even more special.
Images from mini Moko Designer Stationery
Prompt thank you cards are incredibly important. I feel so bad when I get someone a nice gift and I’m waiting, wondering if they even received it. Thank you for giving a shout-out to good manners! I found some adorable cards on Gathering Guide that match the theme of my wedding (bluebirds and apple trees) so writing them will be almost as much fun as sending invitations.
Beautiful! I’ve been looking for stationery like this 😀