Welcome to the whimsical world of wedding stationery, where your love story is beautifully told on paper, setting the tone for your big day. I’m Heidi, and as the owner of idieh design, I’ve designed custom wedding stationery for hundreds of clients from Phoenix, serving both local couples and couples with destination weddings worldwide. I created this ultimate wedding stationery guide as a resource to support you in the decision-making process of planning your wedding.
Having worked with countless newly engaged couples, I know how planning your wedding can feel like a whirlwind of excitement — and a mountain of decisions, too. Sound familiar? No worries, I got you!
Inside the Ultimate Wedding Stationery Guide
From save-the-dates to thank-you cards, this ultimate wedding stationery guide will help you navigate the enchanting realm of wedding stationery on your journey to the aisle (and beyond!). I’ll break down everything you need to know to create a wedding invitation suite that truly captures the essence of your love story.
So, grab a cup of coffee (or maybe a glass of champagne?) and let’s dive into the vibrant world of wedding stationery!
Semi-Custom vs. Custom Wedding Stationery
Choosing between custom and semi-custom wedding stationery is like deciding between a bespoke gown made for you and a designer dress off the rack. Custom wedding stationery offers a blank canvas, allowing you the creative freedom to infuse every detail of your love story into your wedding invitations through personal touches like specific colors, fonts, illustrations, wording, and printing techniques.
At idieh design, we love collaborating with you to create an invitation design that embodies your personal style and vision, ensuring your invitations are as unique as your romance. Custom wedding stationery is perfect for couples who want a truly one-of-a-kind suite that celebrates their individuality and unique partnership.
Left: Custom wedding invitation suite | Right: Semi-custom wedding invitation suite
On the other hand, semi-custom stationery design offers more flexibility and affordability. These are curated, pre-designed invitations that allow for some personalization—such as colors and text—and add-ons, like embellishments and printing upgrades (more on these later!). Semi-custom wedding stationery is perfect for couples who want something beautiful and unique without the higher price tag or longer lead time of fully custom designs.
Both options offer benefits, so consider your budget, timeline, and personal preferences when making your choice. Here at idieh design, we specialize in both, ensuring every couple can find their perfect match. Whether you opt for semi-custom or custom stationery, your invitations should reflect the style and vibe of your wedding, providing guests a first glimpse into your big day.
(Oh, and we feel it’s important to mention that when you partner with idieh design, we assemble, stuff, stamp, seal, and deliver your invitations directly to your guests. You read that right. You’ll thank us later, promise.)
Wedding Invitation Inserts: What Information to Include
Your wedding invitation suite is more than just an invite; it’s a sneak peek into your big day and a treasure trove of information for your guests. Besides the main invitation, consider including inserts like RSVP cards, weekend events cards, accommodation details, and maybe even a map.
These inserts help your guests plan their trip and ensure they have all the necessary information. Don’t forget the essentials: who, what, when, and where.
Be sure to include the date, time, and location of your ceremony and reception. If you’re hosting additional events, like a welcome dinner or farewell brunch, include those details as well.
Pro tip: We also like to house these details on a personalized wedding website, which we then lead your guests to with a URL or QR code in your invitation.
For a comprehensive breakdown of what to include, check out our detailed guide to wedding invitation suites. Remember, clarity is key—ensure your guests have all the info they need to celebrate with you.
Wedding Stationery Printing: Features & Styles to Consider
|| Flat Printing ||
Digital printing (also known as flat printing) is versatile and cost-effective, perfect for vibrant and intricate designs. It allows for a wide range of colors and is suitable for both simple and complex designs.
Printing techniques can add a touch of magic to your wedding stationery, elevating it to fit perfectly into the overall look and feel of your big day. From classic elegance to eclectic chic, these printing techniques can make it easy to create unique wedding stationery that set the tone for your celebration.
More inspo: Chloe + Graham’s whimsical wedding stationery
|| Letterpress & Embossing ||
For a more timeless and elegant look, consider letterpress or embossing, which create a tactile feel on the paper. Letterpress involves pressing the design into the paper while embossing creates a raised effect that adds a luxurious touch.
More inspo: Emily + Kevin’s minimalist wedding stationery
|| Foiling ||
Foiling adds a dash of glamour with metallic accents, available in various colors such as gold, silver, and rose gold (there are colors, too!). It’s perfect for couples looking to add a bit of sparkle and shine to their invitations.
More inspo: Geyse + Adam’s modern wedding stationery
|| Die Cutting ||
Die cutting allows for unique shapes and cutouts offering endless possibilities for creativity. Because die cutting is highly customized, it adds a layer of sophistication and a one-of-a-kind feel.
More inspo: Julie + Michael’s sunny Arizona wedding stationery
Each technique offers its own flair, so choose what resonates with your wedding theme, personal style, and budget.
Wedding Invitation Embellishments
Embellishments are the cherry on top of your wedding stationery sundae! They add style and personality to your invitations, menus, programs, and more. Here are some examples of embellishments we can add to your custom wedding stationery.
|| Envelope Liners & Wax Seals ||
Envelope liners add a pop of color and surprise, while wax seals bring an added dimension. These small details can elevate your invitations and make them truly memorable.
Check out Molly + Ari’s garden-inspired wedding invitation suite with a floral-infused wax seal and monogrammed envelope liner!
|| Belly Bands & Ribbons ||
Belly bands and ribbons tie your suite together, both literally and figuratively, while adding a cohesive and polished look.
Don’t miss Dalton + Kevin’s funky wedding invitation suite, complete with a 70s-inspired floral belly band!
|| Jackets ||
Jackets can come in different forms, but the most popular are vellum jackets and laser cut jackets. Vellum jackets offer a sheer, sophisticated layer, adding depth, texture, and intrigue to your suite, while laser cut jackets add a delicate, tactile vibe with a luxurious touch.
Brianna + David’s classic wedding invitation suite was the perfect fit for an elegant vellum jacket and white wax seal.
|| Pockets ||
Pockets keep everything neatly organized, ensuring your guests have all the information they need in one place.
We took it up a notch for Peyton + Jacob’s luxury wedding invitation suite, which featured a monogrammed silk box with a pocket to keep all the inserts together.
We’ve even hand-stitched (Japanese-bound) all of the inserts in an invitation design for a truly custom one-of-a-kind piece! All that to say, the possibilities are endless when it comes to your dream wedding stationery.
With so many options, you can mix and match to create a suite that’s as unique as your love story. Don’t be afraid to get creative and let your personality shine through these embellishments, leaving a memorable first impression for your guests.
Paper for Wedding Stationery: Materials & Sizes
|| Wedding Invitation Materials ||
Gone are the days of one-size-fits-all stationery. From luxurious & colorful cardstock to delicate handmade paper, the material you choose helps set the tone for your wedding stationery.
Cardstock is a popular choice due to its durability and versatility, while handmade paper offers a more tactile, organic experience. For something truly different, consider unique options like metal, wood, or fabric for a truly standout suite. These materials can add an unexpected and memorable touch to your invitations.
Left: Custom wooden menu design | Right: Gold metal invitation
|| Wedding Invitation Sizes ||
When it comes to size, traditional invitations are usually 5×7 inches, but don’t be afraid to play with dimensions. Larger or uniquely shaped invitations can make a bold statement and leave a lasting impression on your guests. Consider the overall aesthetic you want to achieve and choose materials and sizes that complement your wedding theme.
Creating a Wedding Guest List
Your guest list is the foundation of your wedding stationery. After all, if you don’t have a guest list, who are you sending these gorgeous invitations to? From save-the-dates to dinner menus, your guest list will help you determine how many prints you need for each piece of wedding stationery.
We can’t lie, though. Creating a wedding guest list is one of the trickiest (and most tedious) parts of wedding planning! However, it’s a crucial step you’ll need to take before you can order stationery. Here’s how to get started:
- Start by brainstorming everyone you want to invite to your wedding. (Remember to consider who else may have a say in who makes it on the guest list, like your parents and who they want to attend.)
Pro Tip: Don’t forget to include yourselves, your bridal party, and parents on this list! You’d be surprised how often these VIPs get overlooked.
- Refine and prioritize the list based on your budget and venue capacity.
Pro Tip: We suggest focusing only on a list of names first; guest details can come later!
- Once your guest list is finalized, it’s time to move on to collecting the addresses. Recruit your friends and family members to help you gather information for your guests.
Pro Tip: If you find you have more email addresses than mailing addresses for the majority of your list, consider using Postable to easily collect guests’ mailing addresses!
It’s important to have a clear idea of your guest list early in the planning process, as this will affect many aspects of your wedding, including your stationery needs and investments. For more guidance, check out our blog post about starting your wedding guest list.
Ordering Wedding Invitations: How Many Do I Need?
The guest list is complete — now what? It’s time to order wedding stationery!
“But, wait… we’re inviting 125 guests, so we need to order 125 invitations… right?”
Negative.
It’s common for couples to assume they should order as many invitations as the number of guests on their list. However, the real number of invitations you’ll need is determined by the number of households on your guest list, not individuals. A single family doesn’t need four individual invitations!
Outside of that, you’ll also need to factor in a few extras. You know, just in case there’s an addressing error or an accidental tear while stuffing envelopes. You’ll probably want a copy for your photographer to shoot on your wedding day, too. Don’t forget to factor in an extra set if you plan to save it as a keepsake!
For more insight, read our blog post to determine how many wedding invitations to order for your big day.
Postage for Wedding Invitations
Guest list? Check. Invitations ordered? Check.
Now, it’s time to think about sending them to your guests. And, just a heads up, mailing wedding invitations involves way more than just dropping them in the mailbox. (Seriously, we don’t recommend dropping them in your mailbox!)
Our best advice is to take a fully assembled suite to the post office to determine the correct postage needed for wedding invitations. Then, you can easily multiply that by the number of invitations you plan to send out. Voila!
Pro Tip: Ask different clerks and/or different branches for suggested postage to ensure it’s consistent.
The main factors that affect postage for wedding invitations are weight, size, and thickness. Over an ounce? You’ll need more postage. Is it a square? More postage. Is it rigid and non-bendable? More postage! And, don’t forget the postage for those RSVP envelopes, too!
Next, to the always hot topic: To hand-cancel wedding invitations or not? Our best advice is to hand-cancel your invites when it makes sense or is required. In other words, if you have a bulky or unevenly-shaped invitation that could be damaged if it goes through a postal sorting machine (or simply won’t go through the machines due to being too rigid or too thick), it must be hand-cancelled.
In order to hand-cancel wedding invitations, you must include the non-machinable surcharge in your final postage amount. Without it, the postal system will either return your invitation due to insufficient funds or force them through the sorting machines, only to be damaged.
Pro Tip: If you have a super flat invitation, we suggest skipping the hand-cancelling / non-machinable surcharge (unless you prefer to pay for the additional postage) since your wedding invitations are still going through the sorting machines unless the surcharge fees are accounted for.
Be advised! If your invitation is over ¼” thickness, it’s classified as a parcel and postage is determined based on the distance it must travel. A parcel generally starts at $5.25+ per envelope.
Pro Tip: If you work with us, we have access to discounted rates starting at $4.25.
When a couple wants to track their wedding invitations or prefers an added layer of protection, we sometimes mail their invites as parcels by packaging them inside rigid mailers and shipping via USPS Ground Advantage. With this option, we can provide our couples with real-time updates on the percentage of invitations that have been delivered and the status of those still in transit.
Anyways, we’re not going to sugarcoat it. Postage can be tricky, but when you collaborate with us, we’ll be by your side to guide and assist you every step of the way. For more details, check out our blog post that outlines all the factors that affect how much postage you’ll need for wedding invitations.
Creating a Realistic Wedding Stationery Budget
Before we dive into budgeting, it’s important to note that wedding stationery isn’t limited only to wedding invitations. It encompasses all the touchpoints throughout your wedding celebration that help personalize the experience and delight your guests, from save-the-dates and programs to escort cards and menus.
At idieh design, we believe that what we create isn’t only stationery, but a brand — it’s decor that creates a cohesive visual vibe and adds so much to the energy of your magical day. Therefore, we advise allocating funds in both the stationery and decor categories of your budget for a realistic snapshot.
To help keep you organized, we created a comprehensive wedding stationery checklist that includes all the stationery items you might consider for your special day. We encourage you to download the checklist, determine the items you are interested in, and estimate the quantities needed for each.
You’ll want to consider items such as save the dates, followed by invitations, and all the wedding day essentials, including welcome signage, menus, programs, table numbers, seating display, bar signage, welcome bag inserts, cocktail napkins, thank you cards and so much more.
As for how to estimate a budget for your wedding stationery, start by determining your overall wedding budget and allocating a portion to stationery (and decor!). We recommend allocating around 4-7%+ of your total budget to wedding stationery & signage + decor.
This is just an average of what our couples allocate for their stationery and signage needs. Keep in mind that many factors can cause stationery costs to fluctuate up or down, such as materials used, production and printing techniques, anticipated guest count, and whether large installations are involved (e.g. seating displays).
Wedding Invitation Timeline: When Should I Get Started?
Creating your wedding stationery is an exciting journey filled with so many possibilities. Whether you choose custom or semi-custom wedding invitations, add luxurious embellishments throughout your wedding day items, or explore unique materials, your invitations & wedding day stationery are a reflection of your love story.
|| When to Start the Wedding Invitation Design Process ||
Overall, starting the process early is key. For semi-custom and custom wedding stationery design, we recommend beginning 6-12 months before your wedding date to ensure you have ample time to provide feedback to land on a solution that feels 100% you. Planning ahead will help you avoid last-minute stress and ensure your stationery is exactly how you envisioned it for your big day.
|| When to Mail Wedding Invitations ||
Wedding invitations should typically be mailed 10-12 weeks before the wedding date, providing guests ample time to RSVP and make necessary arrangements.
Destination weddings are an exception to this rule, as they require more lead time due to travel logistics, accommodations, and potential time-off requests. If you are planning a destination wedding, plan to send invitations at least 3-4 months in advance.
|| When to Mail Save-the-Dates ||
Working back from these ranges, couples should plan to send save-the-dates 6-9 months before a local wedding and 9-12 months before a destination wedding. This early notice allows guests to plan well in advance, increasing the likelihood of attendance.
Regardless of location, couples should set an RSVP deadline approximately three to four weeks before the wedding to finalize headcounts and coordinate with vendors.
In other words, if you’re getting married in the next year, it’s time to start planning your approach! We would be honored to craft your wedding stationery of your dreams — infused with heart and style, all centered around your unique love story.
Reach out today to begin the delightful & exciting experience of creating something truly magical together. Let’s make your wedding stationery as unforgettable as your love story. Ooh, la love!
Choosing the Best Wedding Stationery Designer
Selecting the right wedding stationery designer is crucial to bringing your vision to life. It’s essential to find a stationer whose style aligns with yours, who offers the services you need, and can deliver top-notch products customized to your needs.
At idieh design, we specialize in creating captivating, personalized wedding stationery that reflects your unique love story. With over 18 years of experience, we’re here to make your stationery dreams a reality with our creative flair.
We provide custom and semi-custom wedding invitations, as well as all of the wedding day items—such as menus, table numbers, seating displays, all the way down to the thank you cards after the celebration concludes—to create a cohesive event that is sure to delight your guests at every turn. Our team is dedicated to providing a seamless and enjoyable experience, guiding you through every step of the process. Ready to start your journey with us? Let’s create something beautiful together!
Want more resources like this ultimate wedding stationery guide? Check out the rest of my blog!
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