A custom wedding invitation by Dodeline Design. Photo credit: Aaron and Jillian
What is meant by “Custom Wedding Stationery”?
Most people know about the invitation, but often they are surprised that the stationery is much more comprehensive than that. The wedding paper begins with the save the date, which, while usually a relatively simple piece, is perhaps the most important. If you’re getting married on a big holiday weekend, like Memorial Day, or a big event weekend in your wedding city, like bridge run weekend in Charleston, sending out the date well in advance is imperative to making sure your guests can be there and find accommodation.
After the save the date, you’ll proceed to the wedding invitation, which we’ll dive into more shortly. But you’re not done there!
Once the invitation is mailed, you’ll need to begin thinking about other custom wedding stationery, such as:
- Programs
- Menus
- Seating Charts / Escort Cards
- Place Cards
- Napkins
- Koozies
- Matchboxes
- Signage
- Thank You Notes
- And more!
What goes on the main invitation card?
The centerpiece of the suite is of course the wedding invitation itself. This piece is typically the most formal element (if formal is what you’re going for) and often is printed in a more upgraded fashion like letterpress, engraving, etc. While we love to do an entire suite in more high end stationery types, oftentimes clients choose to upgrade the invitation and have the remaining pieces flat printed as a way to use their budget wisely.
An example of a classic wedding invitation. Photo Credit: Rebecca Hicks
On the invitation card, the hosts should be credited unless they would prefer not to be. Traditionally speaking, that would be the bride’s parents at the top of the invitation requesting the presence of their guests. The venue(s), time, and date should all appear as well. The full, proper names of the bride(s) and groom(s) are usually used here as well.
What else goes in wedding invitation suites?
With the centerpiece figured out, there are a few other things to consider to round out the package. First and most important is your response collection method. Up until the past few years, responses were always collected via a pre-stamped response envelope and card mailed back to the couple or couple’s parents. In recent years, especially post-COVID, many couples have been gravitating towards a reply card that directs guests to reply online. There are plus sides and down sides to both methods, so choose the one that’s best for you.
An example of a details card. Photo credit: Chelsea Paige
It’s also highly likely that you will have other things you need to share with your guests, and for that we recommend including a details card. This card could have everything from hotels to notes about attire to a full schedule – you name it! If there isn’t anything additional you need to tell your guests and you did a traditional reply card, you may want to consider a small website card at least so guests can easily find your registry and other information online.
To make it easier on your guests and to save a little money, you may also consider printing an invitation for your rehearsal dinner and including it in the package. You can print a smaller number and include them only for the guests invited to that event. It’s nice for your guests to know they are invited to an additional event all at once.
A wedding invitation with all the bells and whistles! Photo credit: Aaron and Jillian
What about the pretty stuff?
Beyond the practical side, there are so many other design elements you can include in your wedding invitation suites. Consider holding everything together with ribbon or a paper band. Add a watercolor wedding map to get guests excited about your wedding destination. Create a custom envelope liner for a huge impact right when they open it up. Again, working with an invitation designer will help you hit the perfect balance of design features, logistic necessities, and budget considerations.
In Conclusion
Custom wedding stationery is more than just an invitation. Think about the entire process and package from the save the date all the way to the place card to create a cohesive look and feel for your event. Professional designers can help guide you in the process to make sure you knock it out of the park!
Here at Dodeline, we’ve been designing stationery and working with engaged couples since 2009. Reach out to us anytime to discuss your wedding stationery needs, or follow along on Instagram to see what we’re up to.
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