The Basics

A Guide to Printed Wedding Stationery

From Save the Dates (and whether you really need them) to Wedding Invitations, Order of Service booklets, Guest Books and everything in between. Our stationery guide breaks down all the options, what you definitely need, and where you can use for email stationery (if you want).

Read the whole guide or skip straight to the relevant part:

Before The Day Stationery (invites etc) >

On The Day Stationery (table plans etc) >

After The Day Stationery (thank you notes) >

We work closely with our chosen stationery partner, Dotty About Paper, to offer all the printed stationery you need for before your wedding, on the day and beyond. There’s a wide selection of designs and styles, including options to match (or mismatch) your wedding website. Everything is made in the UK and delivered to your doorstep in days. Free samples are available for all invitations, and digital proofs are sent for your approval before every order is created.

Before The Wedding Stationery

Once you’ve got your date and location sorted, the next thing on your list is letting people know. Whether you chose to do this using email stationery or printed stationery, is completely up to you. 

Engagement Party Invitations

If you’re having a casual get together to celebrate your engagement, then text, WhatsApp or email will probably do the trick. If you’re planning to kick things off with a bigger celebration, why not send printed engagement invitations?

Save the Dates

Once you’ve got your date and venue sorted, it’s time to secure your big day in your loved ones diaries. 

Here’s the thing nobody else will tell you- you don’t need to send Save the Dates to everyone, but we recommend sending to anyone you really don’t want to miss your big day. Sending Save the Dates also buys you a bit more time to finalise the details of your wedding without worrying that everyone will be busy.

Printed Save the Date cards are a great visual reminder for your guests, and most likely to end up on the fridge! In fact, as well as cards, we also offer personalised Save the Date Magnets.

Invitations

No invitations = no guests. We might be being a *bit* dramatic, but without invitations they’ll definitely not know the details about your big day!

We recommend sending invitations 6 months before your wedding. If you’ve sent Save the Date cards, you’ve got more time, and if you’re having a destination wedding you might want to send a little earlier. When ordering, don’t forget that you’ll only need one invite per couple and family.

You can keep your invitation simple- an invitation card with instructions to find additional details and RSVP on your wedding website, or go for a full invitation suite. A suite includes:

  • the invitation card
  • separate cards for different events (e.g. ceremony and reception)
  • a card with additional details (accommodation, directions, gift list etc)
  • an optional RSVP card
You can order up to three FREE wedding invitation samples

Whether you go simple or suite for your invitations, you have three options for collecting RSVPs:

  • Via your wedding website. This is a game changer for admin, as you can set up your GettingMarried guest list to match your RSVPs with your guest list and update automatically.
  • In the post with RSVP cards. RSVP cards are usually part of your invitation suite. A traditional RSVP method, but relies on your guests to remember and have a stamp handy!
  • By text, email or WhatsApp. Quick and easy for your guests, but involves lots of sporadic admin for you to remember and update your guest list accordingly.

On Your Wedding Day Stationery

Order of Service

A run down of what’s happening at your ceremony and who’s involved. Your Order of Service will include timings for your ceremony including any songs, readings and essential information for your guests. You can included details for the entire day too if you like; people love to know when they are eating!

Table Plans, Name Cards and Place Cards

You’ll spend a while working out the best seating arrangement for your guests, so you’ll want to make sure they stick to it!

Your Table Plan is a large sign outlining each table and who sits where. If you’ve got lots of tables, or have chosen table names, you’ll probably want Table Name Cards for each table. Individual Place Cards are essential if you’ve got allocated seats on a table for each guest, and you can add guests menu choices (if relevant) on the back.

Top Tip: Add the WiFi password, your wedding hashtag and any other useful info on your Table Name Cards.

Menus, Favour Tags, and More

We’ve worked with our friends at Dotty About Paper to make sure we’ve got all the on-the-day details covered too. We offer personalised:

  • Wedding Favour Tags
  • Wedding Breakfast Menus
  • Wine Bottle Labels
  • Table Confetti
  • Drinks Tokens
  • Gift Card Postbox

And if there’s anything you’d like that you can’t see- let us know! Everything is made to order here in the UK, so if there’s something you like that we don’t offer, we can probably make it just for you.

Wedding Guest Books

Collecting written messages from your guests is tradition at most weddings. Our beautiful quality, hardback guest books are personalised with your name and wedding date and can be matched with the rest of your wedding stationery.

After The Wedding Stationery

Thank You Cards

Not essential but definitely recommended! You’ll have a few weeks post-wedding to unwind (and maybe go away!), and then you’ll want to say thank you to your guests.

Choose from one of many lovely designs, or upload a photo from your big day for the card front. You’ve then got the option to include a printed personal message, or leave it blank so you can write your own note.

Email Stationery

Now we’ve told you about all the printed stationery you need, we’re going to tell you that you don’t need it! Actually, we’re going to tell you about a digital alternative for all your before-the-wedding and after-the-wedding stuff; email stationery.

Sending stationery via email is quick, easy and super convenient for your guests. It’s also easier for you- it links to your GettingMarried guest list so you can quickly send, monitor and collect information from each guest at the click of a button.

We offer bespoke Save the Date, Email Invitations and Thank You Cards that match your wedding website. You can add the option to RSVP and include a link to your wedding website. We’ve also got a guest messenger service, meaning you can email your guests about anything and everything in the run up to (and after!) your big day.
Part of our Guest List Manager upgrade for £69.99, you’ll unlock unlimited email stationery as well as RSVP manager, our Table Planner, Menu Manager and more.