As a couple you'll be making many decisions about your wedding, the fabulous people at Ananya Cards have made things a little easier for you when deciding and choosing your wedding stationary.
I bet you are busy asking yourself, some, if not all of these 5 questions they have covered for you!
It is a good idea to order some extra invitations to allow for ones lost in the post, 11th hour invites, or mistakes. At Ananya, we recommend ordering 10% extra. We have had couples frame their invitations because they have loved them so much!
I bet you are busy asking yourself, some, if not all of these 5 questions they have covered for you!
1. What do I need to think about when choosing stationery for my wedding? - Where do I start ?
Save-the-date cards are often sent out up to a year in advance, once you have confirmed your wedding date. Save-the-date cards serve as reminders or give friends and family a heads up that you are going to get married. They allow invitees to plan for your special day and make travel arrangements way in advance. This is particularly important if you are having a destination wedding.
Regarding wedding invitations, I would recommend brides start thinking about their stationery 6 months before the wedding.
The next step is to decide on a wedding invitation designer, and ask for examples of their work with a budget in mind. Also ask for client testimonials and/or ask for references. Alternatively, if you are feeling creative, you can make the cards yourself.
At Ananya, we see wedding invitations as a personal statement of the couple. You should have wedding stationery that reflects you as a couple. Things to consider include any favourite colours, any meaningful symbols or patterns, a reflection of your cultural backgrounds, a theme.
One of our bride’s concept was ‘Eva Mendes goes to Bollywood’, so we used lovingly adorned elephants and vibrant peacocks for her theme. Another couple wanted something very exotic so we took inspiration for the invitation design from a Moroccan tile.
Once you have settled upon design, colour, font and layout, order the invitations. This should be approximately four months before the wedding, which will allow a couple of months for the invites to be printed before sending them out about six to eight weeks prior to the big day.
The wedding invitations should ideally include all of the following details:
- Which part(s) of the wedding the guest is invited to
- If the guest is allowed to bring someone with them
- Who is hosting the wedding
- The time, date and venue
- The type of wedding: formal, informal, small and intimate or a large party etc
- Dress code
You will also need to include an RSVP date on the invitation (normally 2-4 weeks before the wedding). Also specify how you want the invitees to RSVP, and if by regular mail, it’s polite to include a stamped, addressed envelope. Dietary requirements should be asked for on the RSVP card. If you have any outstanding RSVPs a week after the deadline, call and confirm on the phone.
Other optional stationery items that would match your invitations include menus, place cards, thank you cards, seating plans, table numbers, order of service and guest books.
Thank you cards need to be sent out as soon as possible. If you receive any gifts before the wedding, cards should be sent within two weeks. For presents received at the wedding, one month is an appropriate time limit in order to allow for a honeymoon. Thank you cards should be hand written.
2. What stationery will I need and how many of each?
Below are the main items of stationery you should consider:
- Save-The-Date cards
- Day Invitations
- Evening Invitations
- Reply cards
- Maps/Directions
- Order of Service
- Thank You cards
- Place Cards
- Menu
- Table Numbers
- Table Plan
It is a good idea to order some extra invitations to allow for ones lost in the post, 11th hour invites, or mistakes. At Ananya, we recommend ordering 10% extra. We have had couples frame their invitations because they have loved them so much!
It is also wise to order extra envelopes in case there are any mistakes made when writing the names and addresses on the envelopes. If you need to order your invitations before your guest list is finalised, we suggest that you estimate how many invitations to order by taking half of your total number of guests and adding 25. This will give you an approximate number but, it is always a good idea to be more exact. There are some guidelines: married couples and families only need one invitation. If there is a child over 18 living at home with their family, it is recommended to include their name on the outer envelope, or to send them their own invitation. If you have several friends living in the same house together, it is usual to send each of them an invitation.
3. How much will it cost – are there any ways to save?
Bespoke wedding invitations can cost £500 and upwards, as designs would be created exclusively for you. You can save by using existing designs or ‘off the shelf’ designs.
As mentioned before, it is important to decide on a budget and stick to it. It is also wise to shop around for a designer, and ask for quotes for comparison. Avoiding extras such as metallic colours and embossing will certainly save you pennies, as well as using second-class postage instead of first. Another option would be to limit the number of professionally printed stationery inserts. For example, you could just order the main pieces (invites and RSVP cards). If you don’t have any extra funds for professional stationery, then explore other alternatives such as shop bought varieties, or if you are feeling creative, you could make them yourself (although this depends on the number of guests).
4. Wording advice
The wording of the invitation copy is dependent on your situation. Consider who is doing the inviting (usually the bride's parents), who are the recipients (their full names and titles), the kind of ceremony (church or civil ceremony, formal or informal), when, and where. An RSVP is usually requested and a reply card may be enclosed to facilitate this.
Bride's Parents Hosting
Mr and Mrs (Bride’s Parents Name)
request the pleasure of your company
at the marriage of their daughter
(Bride’s Name)
to
Mr (Groom’s Name)
at (Ceremony Details)
on (Day, Date, Month, Year)
at (Time)
and afterwards at
(Reception Details)
Mr and Mrs (Bride’s Parents Name)
request the pleasure of your company
at the marriage of their daughter
(Bride’s Name)
to
Mr (Groom’s Name)
at (Ceremony Details)
on (Day, Date, Month, Year)
at (Time)
and afterwards at
(Reception Details)
Bride and Groom's Parents Hosting
Mr and Mrs (Bride’s Parents Name)
request the pleasure of your company
at the marriage of their daughter
(Bride’s Name)
to
Mr (Groom’s Name)
son of
Mr and Mrs (Groom’s Parents Name)
at (Ceremony Details)
on (Day, Date, Month, Year)
at (Time)
and afterwards at
(Reception Details)
Mr and Mrs (Bride’s Parents Name)
request the pleasure of your company
at the marriage of their daughter
(Bride’s Name)
to
Mr (Groom’s Name)
son of
Mr and Mrs (Groom’s Parents Name)
at (Ceremony Details)
on (Day, Date, Month, Year)
at (Time)
and afterwards at
(Reception Details)
Bride and Groom and Families Hosting
Together with their families
(Bride’s Name)
and
(Groom’s Name)
request the pleasure of your company
at their marriage
at (Ceremony Details)
on (Day, Date, Month, Year)
at (Time)
and afterwards at
(Reception Details)
Together with their families
(Bride’s Name)
and
(Groom’s Name)
request the pleasure of your company
at their marriage
at (Ceremony Details)
on (Day, Date, Month, Year)
at (Time)
and afterwards at
(Reception Details)
Bride and Groom Hosting
(Bride’s Name)
and
(Groom’s Name)
request the pleasure of your company
at their marriage
at (Ceremony Details)
on (Day, Date, Month, Year)
at (Time)
and afterwards at
(Reception Details)
(Bride’s Name)
and
(Groom’s Name)
request the pleasure of your company
at their marriage
at (Ceremony Details)
on (Day, Date, Month, Year)
at (Time)
and afterwards at
(Reception Details)
Groom's Parents Hosting
Mr and Mrs (Groom’s Parents Name)
request the pleasure of your company
at the marriage of
(Bride’s Name)
to their son
(Groom’s Name)
at (Ceremony Details)
on (Day, Date, Month, Year)
at (Time)
and afterwards at
(Reception Details)
Mr and Mrs (Groom’s Parents Name)
request the pleasure of your company
at the marriage of
(Bride’s Name)
to their son
(Groom’s Name)
at (Ceremony Details)
on (Day, Date, Month, Year)
at (Time)
and afterwards at
(Reception Details)
Divorced Bride's Parents Hosting
(Bride’s Mother’s Name)
(Bride’s Father’s Name)
request the pleasure of your company
at the marriage of their daughter
(Bride’s Name)
to
Mr (Groom’s Name)
at (Ceremony Details)
on (Day, Date, Month, Year)
at (Time)
and afterwards at
(Reception Details)
(Bride’s Mother’s Name)
(Bride’s Father’s Name)
request the pleasure of your company
at the marriage of their daughter
(Bride’s Name)
to
Mr (Groom’s Name)
at (Ceremony Details)
on (Day, Date, Month, Year)
at (Time)
and afterwards at
(Reception Details)
5. Tips on how to make my stationery unique.
Wedding invitations are the first glimpse that your guests will see of your wedding and sets the tone for the day. Choose a stationery design that reflects you as a couple and your special day. Having a consistent theme across all your stationery is important and will make your wedding stand out. Personalising your stationery and favours is key. Handcrafted wedding stationery is also a way to make your invitations completely unique as well as adding embellishments, such as diamantes. Having a monogram will help differentiate your stationery.
For further information, please contact:
Vaishali Shah
T: +44 20 7242 1877
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