Wedding Stationery 101: Stationery Timeline

It has FINALLY happened… the love of your life has popped the question and you have set the date… but now what?!? The engagement season can be such an exciting time yet overwhelming at the same time. But no need to panic, I have broken it down for you that you may be on top of your stationery game!

While many wedding details are important and must be checked off the list, but wedding stationery is one that has strict deadlines that you don’t want to miss. By sticking to the the timeline (a free infographic near the end) , I guarantee the wedding planning (at least for stationery) will be less hectic.
Consider me your “Wedding Stationery Fairy Godmother.”

7 - 9 Months

To get the ball rolling once you have set the best day ever (aka your WEDDING DAY), I always tell my brides to start compiling your guests lists. Since I was not the first one to get married in my family, we conveniently had an ongoing list of addresses in excel… but I still needed to get our friends’ addresses! There is no need to let this part be hectic either… get the addresses the easy way. I recommend using the free services from Postable or Zola.

This is also the time you should be getting in touch with your stationery designer. I know it seems so early but as cliche as it is… Rome wasn’t built in a day and neither will your wedding stationery! To see the madness behind the beautiful wedding invitations here is my design process.

6 - 8 Months

This is the time to start designing and mailing out your SAVE THE DATES. If you’re wanting pictures for your these, I recommend getting them done ASAP if you haven’t already. If you are having a destination wedding, I recommend you sending them out 9 months in advance. The Save the Dates officially announce your wedding date has been set… you are letting your wedding guests know that the BIG DAY is coming and to mark it on their calendars. Essentially, it is for your guests more than it is for you… they have to start planning travel and accommodations if they are coming from out of town (or if it is a destination wedding).

download and print a PDF version of this timeline

4 - 6 Months

This is the time the wedding starts to get real… your WEDDING INVITATION SUITE. By this time, you have a complete list of guest addresses, you have pinned all the inspiration images on your Pinterest board (let’s be honest…you have probably had it started before you were even dating your significant other). Now it is time to start designing your invitations.

The difference between an empty room and a reception is people… you have to send out the invitations for your guests to know when the BEST DAY is going down! When working with my clients, I create a mood/inspiration board for them so we are all on the same page on what your dream is! Also during this time, it is important to start getting some ideas for your day of stationery (programs, menus, etc…)

3 Months

DESIGN wedding invitation suite. Check! PRINT wedding invitation suite. Check!

Now lets get these bad boys addressed and assembled ready to go to the post office! At this time you would have these addressed by a calligrapher (or yourself especially if you have fancy writing) or you can have your addresses printed onto the envelopes.

*** If you are using a calligrapher, make sure to book them in advance so they can allot enough time to painstakingly write on every envelope the guest address AND the return address!

This is also the time for you to start designing the rehearsal dinner invitations!! It’s the “party” that kicks off your Wedding Day! You practice for the big day and then you eat and drink before you get to wake up on what seems to be the day that never would never arrive!

Photo credit: Chynna Pacheco Photography

2 Months

The day has come that it is time to officially invite your wedding guests! Etiquette for a destination wedding is to send out 10 - 12 weeks before… and 6-8 weeks for a “normal” wedding! I recommend you having a completely assembled wedding invitation suite to be weighed at the post office so you know the exact amount of postage needed. When you are considering your time frame for ordering and mailing your custom wedding stationery, one of the most important things to take into account is if most of your guests live locally to your wedding venue, if most of your guests are traveling in from out of town, or if your guests will be traveling overseas for a destination wedding. 

For your response cards, they should be returned 3-4 weeks before the wedding… don’t worry, as the stationery designer, I will put the date on there for you. It gives you enough cushion that if cousin Betty Lou twice removed didn’t send her card in time, you can follow up with the guests who haven’t accepted or denied coming to your wedding.

True story - we didn’t weigh our wedding invitations and had to add an ugly 15 cent stamp on to our envelopes. Needless to say, I wasn’t happy but I had other fish to fry leading up to my wedding day. Moral of the story… weigh them so your envelopes can look just as pretty as your invitation suite!

1 Month

Time to mail out the REHEARSAL DINNER INVITATIONS! Yes, you can send your bridal party an email or text of when to show up but the rehearsal dinner is the Groom’s Parents’ party… it’s their time to love on the future Mr. and Mrs. so give them the privilege to send an actual invitation for the rehearsal dinner.

In regards to etiquette, you are supposed to invite out of town guests to the rehearsal dinner… plus don’t you want to cordially invite your grandparents and any special attendees (readers, ushers, etc…) to enjoy this joyous occasion before you walk down the aisle in the most beautiful dress ever!?!

This is also the time to be finalizing the programs, menus, etc… and having them printed and ready to go! Your wedding will carry on without these stationery items but wouldn’t you want to let your guests know who these beautiful ladies and dapper gentlemen standing next to you are! Plus everyone wants to know how long you will be standing up there… they are really there for the cake and dancing!

download and print a PDF version of this timeline

Now I know, you might be thinking “what if I do not have a long engagement or if I am reading this blog post a little bit too late?” Don't fret… Contact your favorite wedding stationer(s) ASAP and discuss your personal wedding time frame. They/I might have availability in our design calendar and can potentially recommend ways to save time in your design timeline if possible! 

If you are interested in beginning your custom wedding stationery design process with me, I would love to hear more about you, your sweetie, and your wedding! Please complete out my wedding invitation questionnaire and we can get this ball rolling!

October... It's practically Christmas

Supposedly it is fall, but in Memphis it still feels like summer! We pretend it is fall with all the pumpkin spice goodies and the pumpkins as decor. But I still break a sweat just walking to the mailbox. Regardless of the temperature, I do look forward to opening the mailbox and receiving holiday cards in the mail! Every year I try to come up with unique ways to display the cards without resorting to putting it on the fridge with a magnet like these ideas down below.

As much as I love receiving Christmas cards in the mail, it seems like each year it gets pushed to the back burner while trying to decorate the house, put up the Christmas tree, and wrap the gifts (because I hate using bags). Since Christmas is right around the corner (roughly 77 days but nobody is counting, jk), here is a quick checklist for you to get ahead of the game this holiday season.

“Married & Bright”; Photo Credit: Kelly Ginn Photography

1. Making a list… checking it twice!

If you don’t already, make yourself an ongoing list in excel with the names and addresses of your friends and family. It will save you so much heartache (and headache) when you have it at your fingertips and can edit it throughout the years. Once everything is compiled, draft a list of who you want to send a card to. If you do this, you’ll be organized and know how many you will need to make or order this season.

2. Card options… sky is the limit!

I’m always interested to see what people do for their cards. One option is to send out handcrafted cards, but if that is you, you better start crafting. Another option is to send out a newsletter to update everyone on the last 365 days. If that doesn’t tickle your fancy but you still want to write a little something meaningful, you can send out what I call the “Hallmark” card… aka a nice designed card that has a blank inside. My personal favorite is the photo holiday card. You don’t have to have a professionally taken photo but it is always nice to have an annual tradition to have photos taken especially when families change with adding in-laws or babies into the mix. Here are a few family photographers I recommend… some of them are even running Christmas specials. If this is the route you are wanting, you better get your photo session booked soon!

• Belisario Photography

• Shelby Renee Photography

• Jacqueline Fugatt Photography

Double Sided Photo Card; Photo Credit: Shelby Renee Photography

3. Beat the Post Office Crowd

Not only will the retail stores be crowded with people, so will the post office. Save yourself time and order stamps online… plus you could personalize them if you wanted to! If you order them online, give yourself a week or so for them to get to you. Make sure you give yourself plenty of time to get your cards made and for them to be delivered. Also keep in mind if the holidays fall on a weekend… it would be awkward to get “Merry Christmas” after the holiday has passed.

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Noel (double - sided); Photo Credit: Belisario Photography

Just imagine come Thanksgiving, you have finalized your address list, created/ordered your cards, addressed them and all you have to do is put them in the MAILBOX!!!!! That is my goal this year… have my Christmas card ready to go out by Thanksgiving (or atleast by that weekend). So come December 1st, my Christmas cards will be in a mailbox near you! If that is your goal, I would love to help you out!

Let me clarify… if you are wanting to be crafty, I am not your girl, but if you want a designed card that you want to print and send out, then YES! I AM YOUR GIRL!

Ready to be ahead of the game… click here for me to create an epic Christmas Card for you!

Have any questions, feel free to email me!

Wedding Stationery 101: Invitation Sizing Guide

Ever wonder what a wedding invitation suite consisted of… besides the piece of cardstock that has the bride and groom’s name on it? A bride and groom can build their wedding invitation suite as big or as little as they desire. When it’s time to make the invitations, best advice is to make sure your wedding guests have all the information they need for your big day. Below is a sizing guides with common pieces that make up the wedding invitation suite and then some.    

Invitation (A9 & A7) - The invitation lists all of the important details - the couple's names, wedding date, time and ceremony location. Check out the different types of invitation wording.

Response Card (A2 & 4Bar) - Your guests will mail this back indicating who is attending as well as their meal choices (if applicable). Sometimes the Bride & Groom like to add a song request line to have played at the reception. Some couples want the response card to be a postcard, otherwise the response card is accompanied with an envelope. Etiquette is to have it include postage and pre-filling it with the return address.

Information Cards - The information card is most commonly used as a reception card. If your ceremony is at a different venue than your reception, you will want to use the small enclosure to note the reception address and start time. Other uses for the small enclosure include accommodations, map/directions, wedding websites, or any other brief information you'd like to share. Sometimes couples use multiple cards or design them to be double-sided to save paper.

Mini (2” x 3.5”) - Minis are a great size for information cards that don’t need a lot of verbiage. These cards are also common sizes for food tents, escort cards, and place cards.

Programs & Menus (#10 & A9) - These are great options to provide guests to hold in their hands as programs. The sizes are great to display on plates or chargers for menus.

The sizes above are common choices and are merely suggestions. Invitation suites don’t have to be vanilla and within set parameters… couples can use whatever size that fits their needs best. I am always an advocate for being outside the box for it should reflect the couple’s personality.

If you and your future spouse want a wedding invitation suite that is unique to the both of you, holla at your girl! I love creating custom designs for my bride and grooms! Let me help you tie the little details together so when your wedding guests receive it in the mail, they are almost as excited as you are for your big day! Head over to the wedding invitation inquiry to get the ball rolling!  

Go Shawty... It's You're Birthday

It’s really not my birthday… that’s not until November! August is almost over yet it has been full of family and friends' birthdays. In my family alone, three have the same birthday… my hunk of a husband, his twin brother, and my sister-in-law (my brother’s wife)! Also 2 of my besties share the same birthday! 

The idea of a having a birthday party sounds awesome… you get to choose the theme and food and of course design the invitations and decorations. But let’s be honest, as an introvert, I hate being the center of attention, so if I could plan my birthday party and not be the center of attention I would do it in a heartbeat! Needless to say, my future children have no choice but to let me throw them a birthday party! Until then, I will have to live vicariously through clients when they need me to design invitations and any party decorations and favors!   

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Just look how fun these party decorations and food displays are! No offense to my mother, but she has no creativity... I probably stole all the creativity she had in her, but I definitely didn't have parties like this. Then again, I am an introvert so I really never wanted big parties like these images down below when growing up. Luckily these days with "Pinterest" and "Hostess with the Mostess" at our fingertips, birthday party ideas are endless! 

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The invitation has always been one of my favorite parts of planning a birthday party. It sets the mood for the party. Once you send out the invitation, it makes it more real for the birthday person because it means it's finally happening... the one and only day that is solely about them is finally coming and all of their friends are coming to celebrate them!

Not only does a birthday signify that someone is another year older, but the birthday party invitation shows how they have changed in tastes. If you're a boy, one year it's about batman and legos and then the next year they are into golf. Let's not forget daddy's little princess who can't have too much pink and glitter tutus at her party and then you blink and she has a Kate Spade theme party.  

Got a birthday coming up... first birthday? milestone? or even a surprise party coming up... hola at your girl! Let me help you out with any of your birthday invitation and paper needs. Since I don't have children I can live vicariously through you AND the best part... all the center of attention will be on you since it's YOUR birthday!!! 

Check out the party invitations tab here.

Wedding Stationery 101: Invitation Wording

When it comes to wedding invitation wording, it can be a daunting task these days. You don’t want to forget all the necessary information as well as proper etiquette. Besides providing wedding guests the time, place and date, have you ever thought about how to address who the host of the big day is? In other words, who is paying for the majority of the wedding… bride’s parents? both bride and groom’s parents? bride and groom?

Here are some options on how to word one’s wedding invitations so you don’t have to pull your hair out in the process…

Bride’s parents host the wedding:

Mr. and Mrs. James Halpert

request the honour of your presence

at the marriage of their daughter

Cecilia Maire

to

Mr. Edward Jackson Martin

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Bride’s parents, who are divorced and remarried, host the wedding together:

Doctor and Mrs. Conner William Smith

and

Mr. and Mrs. Andrew Owens

request the honor of your presence

at the marriage of their daughter

Allison Marie Owens

and

Doctor Richard Wright Ford

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Bride’s parents host, and groom’s parents’ names are included:

Mr. and Mrs. Kyle Watson

request the honour of your presence

at the marriage of their daughter

Louise Ellen

to

Mr. Clayton Lewis McKinney

son of

Mr. and Mrs. John Hudson McKinney

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Bride’s parents, who are divorced but still have the same last name, host the wedding together:

Mrs. Mary Caroline Smith

Mr. Eugene Smith

request the honour of your presence

at the marriage of their daughter

Sarah Elizabeth Smith

and

Tyler Nathaniel Henderson

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Bride and groom host:

Miss Anna Claire Jones

and

Mr. Joshua Richard White

request the honour of your presence

at their marriage

or

The honour of your presence

is requested

at the marriage of

Miss Anna Claire Jones

to

Mr. Joshua Richard White

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Groom’s parents host:

Mr. and Mrs. Clayton Andew Williams

request the honour of your presence

at the marriage of

Ms. Anna Hadley O’Donnell

to

their son

Mr. Brian Anthony Williams

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Both the bride’s and the groom’s parents host:

Mr. and Mrs. Charles Owens

and

Doctor and Mrs. Andrew Michael Williams

request the honour of your presence

at the marriage of

Jordyn Olivia Owens

to

Landon George Williams

There are many wording options but sometimes the bride and groom want to add a twist onto traditional wording and make it as simple as possible...

“Together with our families”

or

“Together with our parents”

or

“You are cordially invited to the wedding of…”

Whichever wording option you choose to go with, make sure to have to check off the 5 major points to have in one's invitation...

1.) Hosting (parents, bride and groom, etc.)

2.) Invite (request your honor, etc.)

3.) Bride and Groom's Names

4.) Details (Time, place, date, etc. )

5.) Reception (Reception to follow, dinner and dancing to follow, etc.)