Today on Polka Dot Wisdom, stationery artist and illustrator Kirsty Wyatt of For Keeps Illustration, is reflecting on the lasting beauty and meaning behind wedding stationery. In a world where so many traditions are evolving, Kirsty invites us to pause and consider the timeless power of paper. Those invitations, vow booklets, and menus that may one day be tucked into a shoebox, treasured as proof that a moment truly mattered.
When it comes to wedding traditions, some can feel a bit performative, whereas others still feel meaningful. Wedding stationery, to me, falls into the latter; it’s not about nostalgia for nostalgia’s sake… it’s all about intention, preservation, and the traditional ways of inviting a person to your celebration of love.
The Shoebox Test
As a professional illustrator and designer, I spend my days creating the kind of keepsakes that people slip into shoeboxes because they just can’t bear to throw it away. And that’s the test really – “the shoebox test.” Will this be something your future grandkids find, decades from now, and know without being told that it meant something?
The Return of the RSVP Card
I’m so excited to be seeing more and more couples bring back old-school RSVP cards! Not for novelty’s sake, but to ask something a little deeper of their guests – intention.
There’s something so powerful about asking someone to hold your invitation in their hands, tear off a reply, and actually post it back! It’s a small but meaningful act of acknowledgement; a chance for your guests to slow down, make space for your day, and say “I’m not just clicking a box online. I’m showing up for you properly.”
Setting the Tone for Your Celebration
In a world that moves at lightning speed, I believe that this kind of effort absolutely sets the tone. Getting your guests to formally RSVP says “This day really matters to us. We’re doing things with sentiment and heart, and we’d love you to meet us there!”
A Brief History of Wedding Stationery
Wedding stationery has always carried meaning. In the early days invitations were handwritten and personally delivered, often by a trusted member of the household or community. But things began to shift with the revolutionary invention of the letterpress which is a printing method that left beautiful, tactile impressions in thick card stock. It also enabled everyday people to engage with printed goods (not just the rich!). Suddenly, stationery wasn’t just a message, it became something to touch, to admire, and to keep.
Even the size of the paper once held significance. In Victorian England, a folded invitation meant the wedding would be held at home, while a flat sheet signalled a church ceremony. These little details (things we overlook today) once set the tone, and I’m on a mission to bring it back!
Why Printed Pieces Still Matter Today
So it’s not just about aesthetics. Wedding stationery has always meant something and it’s how we invite people in, and say it matters. In a world full of pings and pixels, choosing something you can hold in your hands isn’t old-fashioned. It’s incredibly thoughtful. A little bit rebellious, even. But mostly, it’s just, human.
Ways to Honour Tradition in Your Own Way
If you’re not sure where to start with printed pieces, here are a few ways to I think you could honour tradition your way:
- RSVP cards with real envelopes (bonus points for vintage stamps and a personalised envelope liner!)
- Vow booklets to read from and keep forever
- Menus or place cards that can include favourite quotes, family recipes, or personal notes
- Hand-illustrated table numbers — perhaps of the favourite places you’ve visited together!
These don’t have to be overly formal or fussy. In fact, the more personality you pour into them, the more they’ll be treasured and reflect your relationship and journey.
More Than Just Paper
Personalised wedding stationery is for the lovers who know it’s not just another day. It’s for the ones who believe in marking a moment properly, not just with a social media post, but with something that lasts. Something someone might find in a shoebox, years from now, and know it mattered.
What Will Be Left Behind?
Because if the cloud went down tomorrow, what would be left?
An RSVP in your grandmother’s handwriting?
An invitation still pinned to a friend’s fridge because they couldn’t bear to take it down?
A menu your mum quietly kept, folded beside the old birthday cards and recipes?
Paper doesn’t need charging, or updating, or backing up…
It’s how we say “We were here, and we matter.”
About the Author: At For Keeps Illustration, wedding stationery becomes a story worth framing. Led by artist and memory-keeper Kirsty Wyatt, each suite is designed to feel like you on paper… filled with warmth, whimsy, and just the right touch of nostalgia. From detailed illustrated invitations to menu designs, everything is made with meaning in mind! Kirsty also offers Live Illustration for weddings across Western Australia — a guest experience that’s equal parts entertainment and heirloom (and is super cool!). Portraits are painted on the spot in under 10 minutes, giving your loved ones a keepsake they’ll treasure long after the last dance. Sentimental, story-rich, and completely custom: stationery for the romantics, the nostalgic, and the ones who save their cinema tickets.
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