Hurrah! You’ve got a guest list you’re confident and comfortable with. Now the fun can really begin as you get creative with your stationery. Here are some top tips to get you started. SAVE-THE-DATES VS. INVITATIONS What on earth is the difference and do you need both? The first we can answer allowing you to decide the second! Save-the-dates are essentially a heads up to guests generally sent out around 12 months in advance. This is particularly important if you’re tying the knot at traditionally busy times of the year such as during the summer and around Christmas. This gives guests plenty of opportunity to plan holidays around your big day, thus reducing the number of possible refusals. Content-wise, you can expect these to be a lot simpler than the invitation, with just the basic topline info. The invitations are your formal requests to attend, which it’s recommended you send out around two to three months ahead of the big day. This is the time to include the RSVP and all essential information. WHAT TO INCLUDE • Who’s hosting the wedding, whether it be the two of you or your parents. • Your names, if different from the above • Date and time of each part of the day your guest is invited to • Venue details including the name and address of both ceremony and reception venues, if different. You may want to include a map if the location is particularly difficult to find. • RSVP information letting guests know when they should reply by and how. • Dress code if you have one for example, black tie. • Accommodation availability whether it be at the venue with special guests’ rates or nearby options. • Gift information whether it be a registry, donation to your honeymoon or charity, or if you prefer not to receive gifts, give guests the heads up. • Ask guests to notify you of any dietary requirements early on, so you can instruct your caterer. • Contact information in case of questions. • Consider setting up and sharing a wedding website for RSVPs and plenty of other useful information for guests. For example, if the wedding is al fresco, you might want to remind them to bring their brollies! SUITE SUCCESS As well as being a practical essential, your stationery suite is also the first chance for you to share your wedding’s vibe, letting guests get a feel for the type of celebration they might be in for. Bearing in mind how many invitations you’ll need to send out, have a think about your stationery budget before you go any further. If you’ve opted for an intimate celebration with heaps of personalisation you might decide to invest in your stationery with handillustrated designs, calligraphy, palette fitting wax seals and ribbon to name a few of our favourite ideas. You can choose to commission an illustrator to pen a drawing of your venue, or have a graphic designer put together a wedding monogram, both of which can feature throughout your suite and on-theday stationery. However, if your guest list has made it into three digits, you might find the more handcrafted route to be cost prohibitive. That doesn’t mean your options are any less extensive. There are plenty of wedding stationers who focus on graphic design and printing rather than handmade elements, which means you can still have a beautifully bespoke design that’s more cost-effective to mass produce. unsplash.com@olivie_strauss pexels.com@knoxtnphoto unsplash.com@olivie_strauss STATIONERY 43
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