You’ve said “YES!”, now let the planning begin! As you begin your wedding planning process, stationary is usually at the top of the list for decisions and ordering. Along with your dress ideas, venue top picks, bouquet inspirations, and overall design, we know you’re building your Pinterest board with wedding invitation suites to compliment your vibe.
Stationary can play a key role within the overall design of your day, but it's also your first opportunity to set the stage for the event. Whether you decide you would like a Save the Date or not, your wedding stationary gives your guests a glimpse of the look, feel, and tone of the celebration.
Of course, we’d like to share that every detail is important. However, the overall design does make the largest impact. Below you’ll find our favorite details to consider as you pine over all the options. We will start with the envelope and work our way through the experience as if we just received it in the mail.
Envelopes
Between the envelope and calligraphy (coming up next) these are the first elements your guests experience. Take advantage of not only the visual but also the tactile here – paper quality matters.
Overall, the main things we receive in the mail these days are bills and junk mail. Let your special article stand out with a colored envelope that compliments your design. We’ve seen so many of these lately and are loving all of the colors.
Keep in mind darker colors will require light and/or white opaque calligraphy. If you are using a calligrapher this will be no issue to accommodate. If you are having your addresses printed, be sure to check that your print shop has the capability to print in white. Printing in white is not very common and must be done by a specialty print shop.
Envelope liners are another way to really wow your guests. Feel free to get creative! As guests open the envelope, they could find a mid-century pattern or a custom watercolor of your venue. Chat with your local print shop, browse Etsy, or work with a local artist to create this fun detail.
Calligraphy
With calligraphy, couples have the option to have their addresses printed or hand-written. If you’re up to the challenge you could even hand-write your own! Typically time can be more valuable and doing calligraphy yourself could be a daunting task.
Many print shops will print your addresses at little to no additional costs. You can work with the shop to select a coordinating font and color. We may be a little biassed on this one, but we prefer calligraphy and hand-lettering over the printed option. Calligraphers can help you work through various styles to select the one that compliments your invitation suite perfectly. We are seeing that loose hand-lettered styles are becoming more and more popular. Browse your calligrapher’s IG, or check out Etsy to choose an artist whose style will compliment your suite.
Design
Last but certainly not least design elements of the suite itself are key and the most important. Overall design guides all of your other decisions around your stationary.
Wording – wording sets the tone for your event. This may seem self-explanatory, but the wording that you choose will inform your guests how formal or laid back your celebration should be. The more formal the language and format, the more your guests will plan to wear the long formal gown vs the short sundress.
Paper elements – your basic invitation suite will have the invitation itself, RSVP card, and envelope, but there are so many additional options to consider depending on the details of your celebration. Will you be inviting many out-of-town guests? If so, you may want to include a card with nearby attractions and favorite restaurants or at minimum a details card.
Consistent aesthetic - Will the invitation suite be the only items you need to be printed? Day of details, menus, table cards and thank you cards are other paper elements to consider when purchasing a suite. Even your save-the-date can be included in the cohesion of the overall design. The color palette, design details, and calligraphy should remain consistent throughout.
Regardless of whether you work with a designer, design your invitations online or order through your local print shop, don’t get overwhelmed by all of the options out there. It’s easy to get caught up wanting the current design trending on Pinterest. Don’t be afraid to stay true to the stationary that most represent you and your significant other. This is YOUR day!