The Unmissable A- Z Of Wedding Stationery [Photos]

Invitations take centre stage when you’re planning the paper elements of your wedding, but have you stopped to think about your other stationery needs?

From maps and signs, to tags and menus, we give you the rundown of all things papyrus.

(Courtesy burnettsboards.com)

Accommodations card

This is an insert card and it’s customarily sent with the official invitation, particularly if you have a destination wedding, or if there are plenty of out-of-town guests. Along with your accommodation options, include airport information, travel arrangements, local attractions and car hire companies. Any block bookings that you have made on behalf of your guests, must be added in here.

 An order of service is a handy way for your guests to follow what is happening during your wedding ceremony. This is especially useful at religious weddings, where you can explain religious customs for guests who are unfamiliar with these traditions. The bridal party is usually listed, as are the poems, readings, hymns and songs that are used during the service.

This insert card contains all the details on how to reach your wedding venue, which is useful for people who are unfamiliar with the area. It should include different routes, parking information, GPS coordinates and a map.

 Each small card displays the name of a guest, and the number of the table where they’ll be sitting. They’re placed near the entrance to your reception – in a creative or unusual way. Guests should pick up their escort cards and take them to their tables.

 A tag can be adhesive or a tie-on, and it’s attached to your wedding favours, thanking your guests for attending your wedding. Personalise each one by using your monogram, each guest’s name or a simple generic thank you.

 Create a book where your friends and family can leave you a special wedding message. It’s a nice way to keep a record of who attended, and you’ll read the messages repeatedly as you and your husband grow older.

Formal invitations will consist of a sealed outer envelope, and an unsealed inner envelope that contains the invitation and all the insert cards. On the inner envelope you write all the names of the guests – to clear up any confusion about who is invited – and you ordinarily use familiar names if you’re close to the guest. This tradition is so that guests receive a pristine envelope, but it can be excluded to save on costs.

 All the extra bits of information that your guests need to know about your wedding, are included in insert cards. These small cards are placed inside your inner envelope, and are delivered with your formal invitation. They typically include: accommodation options, directions, a map, the reception venue, your wedding website and transport logistics.

 This is the most crucial part of your wedding stationery, as it’s your formal request that the guest join you for your wedding. It needs to state the date, place and time of your wedding, and other practical information such as the dress code. Your invitation reflects the tone of your wedding, and it makes a statement about the bride and groom. It’s typically sent out 6-8 weeks before the big day.

 This is a blanket term that covers many of the coordinated paper elements of your wedding. The must-have items in your invitation suite are the formal invitation, the RSVP set and the outer envelope. There are other elements that you can add in, but this will depend on your budget, the formality of your wedding and your personal preferences. These include: accommodations cards, menus, table numbers, thank you cards, website cards and reception cards.

Meal cards: If you are hosting different events in the days before and after your wedding, and you’re not inviting the entire wedding guest list, then you would place these cards in the envelopes of the specific guests. The different meals are: rehearsal supper, welcome dinner, morning-after breakfast, post-wedding brunch.

 People like to know what food they’re going to be eating, so create a menu to get them salivating. This is a good option if you’re having a plated dinner reception, particularly if your guests have to choose between two food options. Have one per plate, or reduce your costs and use one per table. Forgo your menu if you’re having food stations, as you’ll have individual signs next to each platter of delicious eats.

 This envelope more often used for more formal weddings, and it contains the inner envelope that holds the official invitation and all the insert cards. On this envelope you’ll find the title and full name of your guest and their address. When children are invited, their names are usually included on the inner envelope.

Place card: If you have a seating plan, you need place cards, as they show each guest where to sit when they reach their table. They can be simple or ornate, and are regularly taken home as a memento.

 Many modern couples have their reception at a different location to their wedding ceremony, and a reception card will inform guests where to go, and what time to be there. This information can be included on your official invitation, provided you have space. A separate reception card is necessary if you are only inviting certain people to your reception.

 This insert card is a vital part of your wedding suite, and it must be sent with your formal invitation. It gives your guests an easy way to indicate whether they will or won’t be attending your wedding, and it generally asks about dietary restrictions. These serve a fundamental purpose, but also allow you to be creative and show a bit of your quirky nature. The response card needs to come with a self-addressed and stamped envelope, so that guests can easily post it back to you.

Save the date: These unofficial wedding invitations used to be reserved for destination weddings, but they’re becoming a popular way for the bridal couple to start finalising their guest list. They’re sent out 6-8 months ahead, so that guests can get organised and make any travel plans.

 Table plans are notoriously tricky to arrange, but once you’ve settled on who sits where, put it all on display. If you have a seating plan you don’t need escort cards, but you do need place cards, so guests can find their seat at the corresponding table.

Signs: Reserved, parking, toilet, ceremony – not only will your signs point guests in the right direction, but by using the same font, colour and graphics as your wedding stationery, you’ll create a feeling of continuity.

 This insert card is certainly not a prerequisite, but it does give you some insight into your guests, and it nearly guarantees that your dance floor will be busy, as you’ll frequently be playing someone’s favourite song.

 Each table at your reception needs to have a prominently displayed number, if you have a formal seating plan. The number on the table correlates to each guest’s escort card, and it helps guests to easily find their table.

 Often your friends and family have travelled from far to attend your wedding, so it’s a nice touch to add in a card that shows your appreciation.

Website card: Many modern couples have a website with all of their wedding information, including pictures, videos, and the background story of how they met. The link to this site is included in this small insert card. Guests should also be able to RSVP on this website.

As you can see, the list of paper elements is vast, but they aren’t all necessary- your personal printing budget will depend on what you include in your wedding suite. Your printing costs will also escalate rapidly when you choose to laser cut your escort cards or add rhinestones to your invites. If you have the time, patience and skill to design your own wedding stationery, this will drastically reduce your expenses, but if everything has to be custom-made, do your homework, find a reasonable quote, and sacrifice superfluous printing!

Your wedding stationery should reflect your personality, and it should be customised through your choice of colour, font and wording. Design all your paper elements at the same time, to ensure there’s continuity, and use the same printing company, if possible, to secure a discounted rate.

Paper has had an undeniably valuable role throughout the history of mankind, and its function on your wedding day is no less prominent. While your memory is bound to fade over time, the printed and framed words to your first dance song, will not.