Your wedding stationery details play a pretty crucial role in your day. Not only are they used to communicate information with guests and set the tone for your event, but they’ll also become the cohesive element that ties your entire wedding theme together from start to finish.
With this in mind, where should you begin with choosing the perfect stationery suite for your wedding, and what do you actually need in the first place? Read on as we share our ultimate guide to choosing your wedding stationery elements, and a few tips to help you simplify the process!
Step 1: Figure Out What You Actually Need
Before you even think about ordering your wedding stationery, you’ll need to figure out your exact stationery requirements to ensure nothing is overlooked.
So when it comes to wedding stationery details, what do you actually need – both before, during, and after the big day?
Well, it depends. Stationery requirements will vary from couple to couple, based on your budget, priorities, and wedding day plans. They can include everything from the bare essentials – like wedding invitations and thank you cards – right down to seating charts, place cards, and table numbers. If you’re planning any pre-wedding events like an engagement party, bridal shower, or rehearsal dinner, these will need to be taken into consideration, too.
To help you figure out exactly what you do (and don’t!) need, we’ve compiled a list of the most common stationery requirements below:
- Engagement announcement
- Engagement party invitation
- Save the dates
- Wedding invitations
- Wedding RSVP cards and return envelopes
- Wedding information cards (eg, venue maps and wedding itineraries)
- Wedding party cards (eg, “Will you be my bridesmaid/groomsmen?”)
- Hens/bucks party invitations
- Bridal shower invitations
- Ceremony programs
- Wedding menus
- Reception seating chart
- Reception place cards
- Miscellaneous signage (eg, bar, unplugged ceremony, photo booth, guestbook)
- Table numbers
- Wedding favour tags
- Thank you cards
While this may seem like a lot to wrap your head around, don’t stress – they may not all be relevant to you and your wedding! We recommend starting with your basic, non-negotiable stationery details (for most couples, this will include save the dates, wedding invitations, RSVP cards and thank you cards), and then add to this according to your budget, priorities and styling requirements for the day.
Step 2: Decide on Your Stationery Style and Theme
Now that you know exactly what you need, it’s time to figure out your desired stationery “style” and theme. With so many details to consider – from colours and materials to fonts and graphics – this part can feel a little overwhelming!
Ideally, your wedding stationery design should be used to set the tone for your day and complement your chosen wedding vision. If you haven’t clearly defined your wedding vision, do this first!
Once your vision has been defined, think about how you might be able to use your stationery details to reflect this. For example – are you planning a tropical beach wedding? You might want to use bright colours, bold fonts, and palm leaf motifs to set the scene. Organising a formal dinner? Keep things sophisticated and refined with a black and white colour palette, gold accents, and elegant calligraphy. Dreaming of a festival-style wedding? Think outside the box and design your wedding invitations to replicate music tickets or VIP passes. Your wedding invitations can be as simple, quirky, or extravagant as you like – the possibilities are endless.
If you have no idea where to begin, we’d recommend jumping on Pinterest and curating some stationery inspiration that fits your wedding style and vision. Remember, your stationery details should also work together cohesively, so try to keep your colours, fonts, and overall style consistent for each element, from your invitations right through to your thank you cards.
Step 3: Set a Stationery Budget
Before you lock in any specific stationery details, you may want to think about creating a set budget for this portion of your day. Without a clear budget in mind, your stationery details can quickly add up. So how much does wedding stationery actually cost?
On average, couples will spend anywhere from $300 – $800+ on their wedding stationery elements. But, there’s no magic number – your stationery budget will ultimately come down to your values for the day.
If beautiful, bespoke, and custom-designed stationery is one of your top priorities, you could easily allocate hundreds (if not, thousands!) towards this. Alternatively, if stationery isn’t one of your essential values, you might decide to spend less in this area and invest elsewhere instead. Looking to cut costs on your stationery details? Read these 6 great ways to save money on your wedding stationery and invitations.
Step 4: Compare Your Options – Paper Vs Digital Wedding Invitations
Now that you have a clear vision and budget in mind for your wedding stationery, let’s talk about your options – specifically when it comes to wedding invitations and RSVPs. Will you keep it traditional with paper invitations, or go digital with a paperless stationery suite?
Paper invitations and RSVP cards are undoubtedly the more traditional option and can work well for a formal event. Keep in mind, paper invitations will be more expensive due to the additional costs involved with printing, materials, and postage. If you’re relying on paper invitations to communicate all of the essential wedding details with your guests, you may also need to consider including extra elements like information cards or venue maps.
Digital wedding invitations are quickly growing in popularity as a more modern and affordable alternative. You can simply choose a beautiful template, personalize it with your wedding details, and send it out via email to your guest list. This option also makes it easy for your guests to RSVP online on the click of a button and can integrate seamlessly with your wedding website, too.
If you like the idea of combining both paper and digital elements, you can get the best of both worlds by sending out paper invitations with a link to your wedding website. Your guests can then visit your wedding website to RSVP online and learn more about your upcoming event.
Not sure what to include on your wedding website? Read our wedding website wording tips and examples here.
Step 5: Create Your Stationery Timeline
Finally, you’ll want to put together a rough stationery timeline for your wedding. While stationery might seem like a small detail in the grand scheme of wedding planning, it’s important to give yourself enough time to organise these elements so you can avoid any last-minute stress!
Use these suggested time frames below as a rough guide, and adjust as needed:
- 9-12 months before the wedding: This is a good time to finalise your guest list, gather addresses, and start researching your different stationery options. If you’re opting for paper invitations, begin sourcing quotes and comparing suppliers. If you’re opting for digital invitations and/or a wedding website, start browsing different templates online to narrow down your favourites. You can also use this time to order (and gift) wedding party cards to your chosen bridal party members.
- 6-8 months before the wedding: Ideally, this is when you’ll want to order and send your save the date cards. You can also use this time to order and send invitations for your engagement party if hosting.
- 4-6 months before the wedding: If you’re opting for paper invitations, this is when you’ll want to finalise all of the relevant details with your stationery designer (eg: guest’s names, postal addresses, and confirmed wording). If you’re opting for digital invitations, use this time to select and personalise your template. And if you’re creating a wedding website, start filling it out with all of the essential wedding details for your guests!
Not sure what to write on your wedding invitations? Read our ultimate guide to wedding invitation wording here. - 2-4 months before the wedding: Aim to send your wedding invitations around the 8-week mark, with an RSVP deadline of at least 3-4 weeks before the day. If you’re hosting any pre-wedding events like a rehearsal dinner, bridal shower, or bachelorette party, this is a good time to order and send invitations as needed.
- 1-2 months before the wedding: This is when you’ll want to confirm all remaining elements (such as your seating chart layout, menu options, ceremony program wording and place cards) with your stationery designer, once your RSVPs and wedding day details have been finalised.
- 1 week before the wedding: By now, you should have received all of the stationery details for your wedding ceremony and reception. Go through and tick off each element to ensure nothing has been overlooked, and arrange to deliver them to your wedding venue, wedding planner, or wedding stylist before the big day.
- 2-3 months after the wedding: Take some time to enjoy your newlywed bubble before sending out thank you cards to your guests.
Read our guide on exactly what to write in a thank you card here!
Remember, if you’re planning a destination wedding, you’ll need to adjust these guidelines accordingly to give you (and your guests) more time to plan and prepare for the trip.
Wedding Stationery 101
Choosing your wedding stationery doesn’t have to be a daunting experience! Whether your style is minimal, modern, or relaxed, simply follow the tips outlined above to help you effortlessly curate your stationery details without any stress.
Interested in going digital with your wedding stationery? You can browse our customisable range of digital invitations and beautiful wedding websites right here!
