Stationery and Invitations

Well, you’ve chosen the date, booked the ceremony and reception venues and even had a few dress fittings – your wedding day is fast approaching.
And with that in mind, it’s time to consider your wedding invitations and stationery.

Your wedding invitations and stationery should be in keeping with the overall theme and style of your wedding, perhaps matching in with the colours of the bridesmaids gowns, or similar.  By maintaining a simple theme that flows through each aspect of your ceremony and reception, your wedding is sure to be a visual delight for all.

Generally, a traditional style wedding calls for traditional invitations and stationery, such as professionally printed cards or notelets.  Modern wedding invitations and stationery, on the contrary, are most effective with unique designs and even gift boxes for your invitees to open.  Figurines of the bride and groom, trinkets with wedding location details printed on accompanying swing-tags are just some of the examples of modern day wedding invitation ideas.  These ideas are only limited by your imagination.

You should consider ordering (or making) your wedding invitations and stationery at least 4-6 months prior to your wedding day. Begin by shopping around for invitations. This may include looking at invitations in bridal magazines, stationery stores or online invitation companies to compare ideas and prices.  Keep in mind what colours, fonts, sizes and media you wish to use.

Determine the overall style of invitation and stationery that you would like to have. Will your invitations be contemporary, traditional, romantic or fun? What are the overall colours and themes that will be used in your wedding? When you have decided upon a design and style for your wedding invitation, be sure to follow the theme through by selecting the same or a similar design for your envelopes, reply cards, name cards, wedding programs and all stationery that will be used on the day.

Without a doubt, your wedding invitations are the most important aspect of your wedding stationery.  It will provide your invited guests with all the relevant information of your upcoming wedding including the date, time and location of the wedding, whom is hosting it and what they should wear.

The overall look of your invitation will also give a hint as to the style of wedding that you will be having.  Elegantly engraved invitations will give the impression of a formal or traditional style wedding, whilst an invitation sent accompanied by a bunch of balloons would indicate a more party-style event.

Wedding Invitation Etiquette

Wedding invitations are usually issued by the parents of the bride or groom, or by the bride and groom themselves (or whoever is hosting the event).  Generally, one invitation is sent to each family unless there has been a divorce in the family.

You should consider sending your wedding invitations at least 8-12 weeks prior to your wedding.  This will allow your guests ample time to RSVP, and to arrange accommodation and transport, if required.  It will also allow you time to organise other aspects of your wedding that will be governed by guest numbers, for example, the size of your cake, how many bomboniere to order, and reception venue numbers.

If your wedding location is in an area where your guests may not be familiar with, it may be worthwhile including directions and a map.  In addition to a map, you may wish to also include a gift registry card (if you have one) and an RSVP card.

Generally speaking, gift registry cards will be issued to you by the store that your registry is held at.  These may be placed in the envelope with your invitation so that your guests may be informed of your bridal registry and how to go about purchasing a gift from it.

An RSVP card makes for an easy and convenient way for your guests to reply to your invitation.  The card may be enclosed with your invitation and may assist you in finalising reception arrangements and provide for all who plan to attend.   It is always a good idea to keep a list of your guests, this way you can tick off your RSVP's when they arrive. You will find a guest list within the Bride Guide to assist you.

Choosing the wording for your wedding invitations will be determined by your personal taste, formality of your wedding and by who is hosting the event itself.  There are many ways that you may choose to word the invitations, and several examples are listed below.

You should be sure to list all names of those who are invited to your wedding on each invitation.  When completing the names of invitees who have children (or significant others) whom you also wish to invite, you should avoid writing the guests’ name followed by ‘and family’. Rather, list all names of those invited on the invitation.  This will make it clear as to who is officially invited.

Traditionally, envelopes should be addressed with official titles ‘Mr. and Mrs Smith’ with first names usually being omitted.  The abbreviations for Mr., Mrs., Ms., Miss, Master and Dr. are used as official titles. Traditionally speaking titles for clergy, judges and military officers, the entire title should be written.

It is recommended that you include a return address on your envelope to ensure that all mail not received is returned to you.  This way you can ensure that all guests have received their invitations.

The costs involved with sending your invitations will vary depending upon the size, shape and weight of your wedding invitation (an it’s contents). Ensure that you check with your local postal service of the costs involved with posting your wedding invitations.  They also have a variety of wedding seals and stamps to add that special touch.

These are some typical examples of the wording you could use for your wedding invitations:

In addition to your wedding invitations, there are several other items of stationery that you may require, depending upon the style of your wedding.
The list below will assist you in planning for all your wedding stationery needs and ensure that you don’t forget anything.

RSVP Cards

As previously mentioned, RSVP cards make for an easy and convenient way for your guests to reply to your invitation.  These cards are usually printed with your invitations and request that the invitee select a response from the card and send back to you.  These are mailed with your wedding invitations.  Some examples are below.

Examples of RSVP Wording

These are just a few ideas to make planning a little easier.

You may choose to change the wording around or combine one or two of the above examples in order to suit your personal taste and style of your wedding.

If you choose to enclose a gift registry or wishing well card, these should always be printed separately to your invitation.

Gift registry cards will usually be issued to you by the store that your registry is held at, and therefore it is unlikely that you will be required to have these printed.  If however, you decide upon a wishing well, then it is likely that you will need to consider the wording for the card to be included with your invitation.

Wishing wells (if you are not familiar with them), request that your guests consider giving money in place of a gift.  The guest usually places an amount of cash (or a cheque) inside an envelope and places it into a wishing well, which they will find at your reception venue.  Generally the envelopes are kept anonymous and the amount that each guest gives to the couple remains undisclosed.

Although this form of gift giving may have been considered to be bad etiquette several years ago, it is becoming more and more accepted in modern times.  With many couples now living together prior to marrying, guests are now often grateful that they are not required to have to search for an appropriate gift for the couple who may already have a fully furnished home.

Wishing well cards usually contain a poem or similar in order to request money.  Some examples are listed below.

These are just a few ideas to make planning a little easier.  You may choose to change the wording around or combine one or two of the above examples in order to suit your personal circumstances.

No doubt, a great deal of time and effort will be spent on planning your wedding ceremony.  Your ceremony readings, poems songs and selected wedding vows will hold a special place in your heart for years to come.

In order for your guests to keep track of your ceremony a wedding ceremony booklet, or order of service booklet is traditionally printed for your wedding day.  Not only will they be able to read through a copy of your readings and vows, however they will be able to retain the booklet at the end of your ceremony as a keepsake.

The design and style of your booklets should be in keeping with the overall theme of your wedding, as well your invitations and other stationery.  An example for the layout of your ceremony booklet may be found below.  For a more comprehensive outline of the order of service, please refer to our ‘Wedding Ceremony’ chapter.

• Front Cover.
• Names of Bridal Attendants.
• The Processional – you may wish to print the name of your chosen song that you enter the ceremony with.
• Opening Commentary / Welcome – a copy of the official welcome is usually printed.
• First Reading.
• Second Reading.
• Giving Away.
• Declaration of Marriage / Statement of Intentions.
• Exchanging of Wedding Vows – you may wish to pint a copy of your wedding vows.
• The Exchange of Rings.
• The Declaration of Marriage.
• The Signing of the Marriage Certificate – you may wish to print the name of your chosen song that is played whilst signing your marriage certificate.
• The Final Blessing and Presentation.
• The Recessional – you may wish to print the name of your chosen song to exit the ceremony.
• A thank you to friends and family is often printed on the last page of your ceremony booklet.

Place Cards

Another item of stationery that you should consider are place cards.  Place cards are printed with each of your guest’s names, and are used at the reception to designate where each guest is to be seated.

At the majority of weddings, place cards are simply small folded cards with the name of the wedding guest printed (or written) on the front.  There are however, many unique ways to present a guest’s allocated seat at the table.

Many brides choose to attach the guest’s name to a trinket or bomboniere box, or even have the guest’s name engraved on a wine glass or printed on a wine bottle.  The options are endless.

For more ideas, you may wish to refer to our bomboniere chapter.

Thank You Cards

Thank you cards are sent to your guests shortly after your wedding in order to thank your guests for their attendance at your wedding and for their gifts.

The design and style of your thank you cards should be in keeping with the overall theme of your wedding, as well your invitations and other stationery.
You may wish to include a change of address card with your thank you cards, if you have moved to a new home since your wedding.

Be sure to shop around for great ideas and competitive prices when it comes to your wedding stationery.  Printers and stationers will often match other competitor’s quotes in order to receive your business. 
And if your budget is a little ‘tight’, don’t forget that you can always make your own invitations and stationery.  There are many DIY kits available and a variety of ideas online.

Remember, that not everything has to cost a fortune when it comes to getting married.