Nothing is more daunting than planning a wedding – I'm seven months out, FYI – but having a list of the best wedding stationery has helped me tenfold.
I won't lie, aside from the invitations themselves, I really had no clue with where to start or what I'd actually need. It wasn't until I invested in a wedding planner book that I realised just how many parts of the day (and the lead up to the day) require physical materials. Think: Save the Dates, welcome boards, menus, place settings, guest books, thank you notes… the list goes on.
SKIP TO: Does all my wedding stationery have to match? | Save the Dates | Invitations | Bridesmaid proposal cards | Order of Services | Welcome boards and seating plans | Menus, name cards and table numbers | Guest books | Thank-you cards.
Meet the expert: Molly Park, Chief Product Officer at Papier.
“When you're just starting to plan your wedding, one of the first things you can do is begin by defining your style and theme that you’d like,” says Molly. “My tip would be to describe your wedding in three words – whether it's ‘romantic, timeless, elegant’ or ‘modern, fun, intimate’. These three words will act as a reference point throughout the stationery process. Every time you're looking at designs, you can ask yourself if it fits the vibe you're going for and ensures you keep everything consistent with your vision.”
Think about the scale of your wedding, too. Realistically, if it's an intimate ceremony with a small guest list, are you going to need a seating plan board or will people be fine finding their name cards on the tables? Is a guest book an essential (they're a lovely keepsake to look back on), or would you rather save that money and put it towards something else – say, your wedding shoes or bridesmaids dresses?
Molly recommends you make a list of what you actually want and then you can figure out your timelines. “For example, Save the Dates are typically sent 6-12 months before the wedding, so you’ll want to decide on those first,” she says. “Invitations usually follow about 8-12 weeks before the wedding, but it’s good to plan ahead so you’re not rushing at the last minute.”
“For the paper pieces you'll need on the day, such as your wedding signs, order of service and other bits and bobs, it’s best to sort these 1-2 months before the big day. And take a moment to share your heartfelt thanks with thank-you cards, which should be sent within six weeks after your wedding.”
Does all my wedding stationery have to match?
No, of course not, you can go as wild as you like – it's your wedding! If you wish to have uniformity, however, it's nice to go with a design that'll flow from the lead up to your nuptials to the big day itself. Me and my fiancé knew we wanted something that not only suited the vibe of our venue, but that tied in with our colour theme too. But equally, it can be really fun to mix and match styles and do something totally different each time.
“Our floral prints continue to be our bestsellers. This year we’ve seen couples choosing delicate florals as they’re timeless and suit so many different wedding styles from a country wedding to a chic city ceremony, but we’re seeing typography styles trending too. As minimalism continues to be a trend across fashion and home, couples are choosing simple designs for a fresh understated feel,” Molly says.
Papier have loads of different collections, most of which come in a few different colours too – which is particularly great if you already have something in mind. If not, you can take their quiz to find your perfect wedding style when you're stuck for inspiration.
PRE-WEDDING STATIONERY
Save the dates
When you should send them: 6-12 months before the wedding.
PSA: These aren't a necessity, and actually you can make your own digital versions and simply email them to your guest list instead to save some money and be more environmentally friendly. They are a traditional part of the wedding process, though, so if you're looking to stick to the formalities then they're a must-have.
Save when you shop for wedding stationery with these Papier discount codes at checkout.
Invitations
When you should send them: 8-12 weeks before the wedding.
It goes without saying that this is probably the most fundamental item when it comes to your wedding stationery – how else will your guests know the ‘who, what, when and where’ specifics of your big day? You can include as much or as little as you want here, too. For example, we added a QR code to our Details card which takes our guests to a website where they can find answers to any questions they may have (such as accommodation and timings etc).
If you're looking for the best wedding invitations overall, see my full round-up.
Save when you shop for wedding stationery with these Vistaprint discount codes at checkout.
Bridesmaid proposal cards
When you should send them: As soon as possible, you'll want the help of your bridesmaids throughout each process.
As well as bridesmaid proposal boxes, or even instead of, you may wish present your bridesmaids with a card that asks the question for you. If that's the case, look no further than the below designs.
Save when you shop for wedding stationery with these Not on the High Street discount codes at checkout.
ON-THE-DAY STATIONERY
Order of services
When you should sort them: 1-2 months before the wedding.
A more traditional item of wedding stationery, and therefore not a necessity, your order of service does exactly what it says on the tin: tells your invitees exactly what to expect and when. You can do this via an in-hand card or leaflet, similar to an invitation, or save paper and print it on a large-scale board for everyone to browse in their own time.
Welcome boards and seating plans
When you should sort them: 1-2 months before the wedding.
Speaking of boards, you'll also want to consider a welcome sign which greets people into the ceremony and/or reception, plus a seating plan board which tells people where they'll be sat (and who with) for the breakfast. Heads up, though: unless you plan on attaching these to something sturdy, you'll be needing an art easel or similar to place them on.
When you should sort them: 1-2 months before the wedding.
If you want to go all-out on your wedding day, adding menus and name cards to the tables for your wedding breakfast will help. Sure, your guests have probably pre-ordered their food (unless you're having a more casual buffet or barbecue situation), but it's nice to remind them what to expect if that was done a while ago.
And don't forget when it comes to table numbers, you could opt for names instead. For example, if you're a couple who're known for travelling, you could name each table after a destination you've visited; so some guests will be sat at the ‘Venice’ table while others will be on ‘Santorini’, ‘Miami’ and so on.
Guest books are a fun addition to your wedding day and are a keepsake for you and your partner to look back at. You can keep them simple and just ask friends and family to write sweet notes, momentos or words of advice inside, or you could put a polaroid camera next to it so people might include a selfie as well. Just don't forget to provide the pens!
AFTER WEDDING STATIONERY
Thank you cards
When you should send them: Within six weeks after the wedding.
After your wedding day and honeymoon, it's tradition to send thank-you cards to all your guests and even to your vendors for sharing your special day. I'll be waiting for my first few wedding photographs to come through so I can utilise Papier's custom designs, where you can upload whatever you want and they'll print them on premium paper for you. The brand saw a 90% increase in sales of photo products last year – so you know they're popular.
For more from GLAMOUR UK's Senior Commerce Writer Georgia Trodd, follow her on Instagram @georgiatrodd.
