et’s talk all things stationery! Keep in mind, your wedding is entirely up to YOU! None of these are a necessity. You can send out your wedding ceremony & reception invite only or send out all of the options below. One thing I absolutely love about wedding stationery is how creative you can be with the colors, designs, texture, etc. You can DIY your wedding stationery, or you can hire someone to make your thoughts & dreams come to life. Here is a list of some stationery you can incorporate into your special day and what to send first!

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1.

The very first piece of stationery you should send is your save-the-dates! I recommend sending them out 8+ months in advance so your guests have time to clear their schedules and ask for time off if needed. If you are having a destination wedding, you should send your invitations about 12+ months prior to give your guests plenty of time to make travel arrangements. But really, it is never too soon to give your guests a heads-up! ​​

2.

The next invitation you should send your guests are your bridal shower invite! Make sure to clearly communicate with your close family and friends about who will be planning your bridal shower. You can ask your bridesmaids, maid of honor, or other friends/family to plan it for you, or you can plan it yourself! You can send out a physical invitation, or you can send out a digital invitation via email or text, or send out a detailed email/text. You can make it however formal or casual you want it to be! I recommend sending these out about 1-3 months before your bridal shower to give everyone plenty of time to order off of your registry or find a thoughtful gift. 

3.

Onto the bachelorette party! The same rules apply to your bachelorette party invites as your bridal shower invites… meaning, there are no rules! You can keep it super casual and make a group message with all your besties, or send out formal invitations. Or both! Make sure to give all your girls plenty of time to prepare for your party. I recommend sending these out about 1-2 months prior, or longer if you are planning a bachelorette trip!

4.

 Alright onto the main event, your ceremony & reception invitations! You should send these out 2-4 months prior but again, the sooner you give your guests a heads-up, the better! Now, there are a lot of people out there who would like only close friends and family to come to the ceremony, and then invite all other guests to the reception. Especially if you are serving a formal dinner, it gets really pricey trying to feed all of your extended family and all the other friends of friends. However, I recommend some way of keeping track of exactly the number of guests you're inviting, (their first names and last) and if they will attend the ceremony and reception or just the reception. You can also put a little number on the back of the RSVP, or do an online RSVP like on Zola.com to keep track.

Words by Hannah Argyle

a) Rsvp’s - pre-stamped and pre-addressed if sending out a physical card!

But here is a sub-categorized list of everything you should try to include in the envelope:

b) Ceremony invitation - this should be a separate invite from your reception invitation

d) Dietary restrictions or meal card - this will be an option for guests who will be served a meal to voice any dietary restrictions they have and/or choose the meal that will be served to them. (Optional)

e) A map of your venue or a photo card of the two of you! Especially if you are having a destination wedding, a map will be very useful! (Optional)

f) Info card - this is a great way to invite your guests to welcome cocktails, accommodations you have made for your guests, the day after/before brunch, any activities you will be doing like golfing, hiking, etc. (Optional)

5.

The last thing you should send your guests are thank you cards! Especially for anyone who gave you a gift or traveled far to make it. Show your appreciation! You can even print a few of these beforehand. 

g) Guest dress code - be lenient with shades and be realistic! If you ask for a crazy unique color, many people might not attend with having to buy a new uniquely colored outfit just for your wedding, keep that in mind! (Optional) 

Welcome sign - this should include both of your names, welcoming your guests into the venue.   

Now let's move on to the stationery you will need for the day of. Make sure to order or print this plenty of time in advance! 

Timeline of the day - make sure to keep your guests informed of exactly how the day is going to play out and what time you will be starting the ceremony and reception. You can do a little brochure or card to hand out at the beginning or prop up a sign close to the entrance.   

Escort board - this will help your guests know what table they are sitting at and where it is located in the room. You will use an escort board if you will have assigned seating, which I know is very hit or miss, but it really does help make your day seamless! As guests won’t be meandering and lingering around trying to find a place to sit.  

Table number/names - You can be creative with this as well! You can do classic numbers 1-10+, or you can do the names of ski resorts, your favorite plays/movies, etc!  

Place cards - this will be the first and last name of your guest in front of their chair to indicate their spot on the table.

c) Reception Invitation

Menu cards - this should include all of the details of the food that will be served. This helps the dinner feel a bit more formal too! ​

Signature cocktails sign - if you will be having a bar!

Hopefully, this list gave you some inspiration and helped you find your must-have stationery for your special day!