This time of year, we stay busy at the studio with all of the invitation orders. Often times, couples underestimate the details and the amount of time that goes in to creating a cohesive wedding stationary set. It is important to keep in mind that everything from the save the date to the thank you cards should correspond with each other, including the types of paper and fonts.
Save the Dates are normally sent out between six to eight months in advance. Although these are not always necessary, it may be important to inform your guests in advance, especially for destination weddings or for dates around holiday weekends. As a general rule, save the dates should only be sent out to the guests who are definitely going to receive a wedding invitation.
As the main component to wedding stationary, wedding invitations should be mailed out six to eight weeks in advance. It is important that the invitations reflect the theme and formality of the wedding through wording, style, and choice of papers. To maintain a consistent look, select quality, corresponding papers for the invitation and all enclosure cards including the: Response card – Map/Accommodations card – Reception information - Envelope(s) – Brunch Cards
Invitation stationery ensembles above are courtesy of Spark Letterpress.
The Grooms/Rehearsal Dinner is traditionally hosted by the parents of the grooms. Although this is the most common tradition, some couples are opting to host the event themselves. In either case, invitations should be sent to all those who participating or helping with the wedding including parents, the officiate, the wedding party and any other close family and friends. It is important to maintain the same style and feel of the wedding invitations, so it is important to use the same type of papers, colors and design.
Invitation Envelopes - As funny as it seems, invitation envelopes have their own set of wedding etiquette rules to follow. Traditionally, wedding invitations were sent in double envelopes when delivered by hand to keep the invitation clean. Today, the double envelope is no longer necessary, however many people still choose to mail their invitations to both. Regardless of which style to choose, here are some important etiquette rules to keep in mind:
- Envelopes should be handwritten and list the full address, with no abbreviations other than titles (Mr., Dr., etc.)
- Every guest’s name should be written out on single envelopes. Double envelopes list titled last names on the outer envelope and first names on the inner envelope (the inner envelope does not include the address).
- When using double envelopes, the inner envelope should be lined, while the outer envelope is not.
- Children who are invited should be listed under their parents’ names.
- The ZIP code is listed on the same line as the city and state.
Wedding ceremony programs are another must in terms of wedding stationary. They should use the same papers and fonts as the invitations. Ceremony programs should list an order of events for the ceremony including readings and songs, as well as names of all of the people who are a part of the wedding (parents, grandparents, wedding party, host/hostess, etc.) Other pieces of information you may want to include: a short description about each member of the wedding party – memorials for deceased loved ones – thank you from the couple – directions to the reception – couple’s new address
When putting together your wedding stationary set, don’t forget about the printed materials that important for the reception. These little elements help to bring the whole event together and are a great way to make your event unforgettable: Reception Programs – Menus – Escort Cards – Place Cards – Table Numbers – Favor Tags – Gift labels/tags – Coasters – Personalized napkins
Other print elements - Even after the wedding there are additional print elements that should be considered as a part of your wedding stationary. A hand-written thank you should be sent out to everyone who gave a gift. Thank you cards are most commonly done as 4×5 folded cards or 5×7 postcards; these can be designed to include pictures from your wedding or your monogram. Other elements include wedding announcements that are mailed to anyone who was not invited to the ceremony, or at-home cards listing your new address.
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