Wedding stationery: a beginner's guide

Most couples use their wedding stationery to give guests an idea of the style of their celebration, be it a black tie bash or a casual beach wedding.

If you're on a tight budget, you might be able to produce your wedding stationery yourself on a computer. Alternatively, there are websites that can help you design your wedding stationery, incorporating photographs or other decorative motifs or colour schemes.

Invitations
Invitations are the most important item of wedding stationery. They provide guests with all the essential information regarding the big day—date, time and place.

Wording
Your wedding stationery suppliers will be able to provide you with traditional invitation wordings, but you could plump for a less formal option if that suits the tone of your wedding. Most wedding stationers have dozens of examples, so you can pick the one that best suits the style of your wedding.

Printing
Wedding invites can be engraved (the most pricey option), thermographed (looks like hand engraving but is cheaper) or flat printed (the cheapest option). Your wedding stationery supplier will be able to show you examples.

Checking
Check the invitation proofs carefully before giving the wedding stationery suppliers the green light to print the invites. Go through with a fine toothcomb, double-checking the spelling and the info on the time, place and date.

Addressing
Guests' names should be written on the top left-hand corner of the invitation, or in the space designated for them. They should be addressed using their full title, i.e. Mr and Mrs John Smith.

Sending
Post your invitations two or three months before the wedding. Enclose maps and other useful information, such as hotel details or travel arrangements.

Reply cards
These are an optional wedding stationery item, but many couples order them from their wedding stationers as they do encourage guests to reply promptly. Enclose the reply cards with your wedding invitations, along with a stamped addressed envelope.

Orders of service
This item of wedding stationery provides details of the order of events at the ceremony, such as the music and any readings. Many guests like to keep them as mementoes of the big day.

Menus
Your caterer or the hotel or restaurant where you are holding the reception may be able to provide printed menus, so check before you order them from your wedding stationery suppliers.

Place cards
Place cards tell guests where they're sitting. Ask your wedding stationery supplier to print them, or have them handwritten, perhaps by a calligrapher.

Thank yous
Last but not least, these are essential items of wedding stationery. It's good etiquette to send handwritten cards to thank guests for gifts. Your stationery supplier can print thank-you cards that tie in with the rest of your wedding stationery.