Everything To Know About Stationery

There are so many details that go into planning a wedding and the big day itself! Stationery is an extremely important facet of the wedding because let’s face it – without an invitation, there would be no guests to share in your special day.

Fun Fact: a stationery designer will probably correct you if you write stationary which is defined as something that does not move in contrast to stationery which is writing paper, especially with matching envelopes (as per the Oxford Dictionary).

About Red Bicycle Paper Co.

Red Bicycle Paper Co. is the ultimate destination for beautiful, unique, and custom wedding stationery in South Western Ontario. Owner & Designer, Heather Nagle, believes that a truly memorable invitation will not just announce your event, but reflect who you are, and for your budget.

Whether you’re looking for something elegant and classic, clean and contemporary, functionary and pretty or something completely out-of-the-box, Heather will take your vision and create an invitation that is completely yours!32

The first piece of stationery that your guests will receive will be the Save the Date. The purpose of the Save the Date is to let the guests know that they are invited to your wedding and should reserve that day in their calendar. These typically provide the guest with the couple’s names, the wedding date and details such as location or town where the wedding will be held. The save the date will include that a formal invitation to the wedding will follow.

Save the date cards are not mandatory however are very useful if you have quite a few out of town or out of country guests or are getting married in an alternate country then where you and your guests reside – for example a destination wedding. This will allow them to begin preparing their travel plans. We also recommend sending out Save the Date cards if your wedding is taking place on a Holiday or Holiday weekend that people normally spend out of town or with family and friends – for example New Years Eve, Easter, Victoria Day, Christmas etc.

If you are unsure as to whether a friend or family member is making the final guest list, DO NOT send them a save the date. Wait until you are certain as you typically do not want to un-invite guests after they have received a Save the Date. (Covid-19 affected weddings play by a little bit of different rules as guests understand that government regulations restrict the number of guests allowed. Guests, while disappointed that they will not be able to share in your special day physically, understand the difficult decision the couple has had to make).

Save the date cards do not have to match your wedding theme or invitation stationery but we recommend having a cohesive flow to the full stationery suite. The cards themselves are usually A2 (4.25 x 5.5”) or no larger than 5” x 7” and typically mailed to the guests 10-12 months before the wedding.

All stationery in this article is work by The Red Bicycle Paper Co.

As per Heather from Red Bicycle Paper Co., “wedding invitations are your guests’ first peek into your wedding. Your invitation should give your guests an idea of how to dress, how formal or in-formal your wedding will be, and what to expect on your special day”. She also says, “a beautiful wedding invitation will spark anticipation from your guests and be a marker point in your planning process (yes, this really is going to happen!)”.

A wedding invitation suite is comprised of multiple parts – some mandatory and others optional.

The invitation is the most important piece of your wedding stationery and provides your guests with all the ceremony and reception details. Be sure to include the host of the wedding which can be the couple, the bride’s parents or both families etc. You will also want to make sure the wedding date, ceremony location and start time are included as well as reception venue name, location and start time. We suggest other details be listed on separate cards as to avoid overcrowding the invitation.

Let your creativity flow and use your colours or overall décor theme in your stationery design. If using a professional stationery designer for your wedding invitation suite, we recommend booking a consultation 10-12 months before your wedding to discuss the details. The rough turn-around time from design and printing to delivery can be 4-6 weeks. If making your own stationery, start looking online for inspiration around 8 months before and have your design finalized 6 months before the wedding. Depending on the complexity of your design and craftiness required, we suggest you begin creating your invitations 6 months before your wedding so that they are ready to send out 16 weeks before the big day.

Keep in mind that the invitation is the star of the suite, so don’t be afraid to try something special whether foil, different shape or paper type. You can use more cost-effective options for other stationery pieces.

Tip: If making the invitations yourself, we suggest you make one full invitation suite, place in an envelope and take it to your nearest post office. Have them weigh and measure the suite in order to quote postage. This will allow you to stay within a budget and have the option of modifying the design to fit within cheaper shipping parameters.

How many to order or make? You will only need one invitation suite per couple/family that you are inviting. Typically, this works out to be 55-60% of your final guest count but will ultimately be affected by how many families and single guests are invited. Always order a couple extra just in case – this will avoid re-ordering fees if you forget a guest or an invitation gets damaged or lost in the mail. And be sure to keep 1 or 2 copies for your photographer to capture day of.

Tips from Heather, Red Bicycle Paper Co. 1. Don’t spend your entire stationery budget on your invitations. Save some room for day-of stationery and signage. 2. Don’t save your stationery till the last minute. Invitations and day-of stationery are important elements that need time to design and produce. 3. Don’t forget to invite your parents and wedding party! Even though you know that they are attending your wedding, it’s still thoughtful to formally invite them. 4. Let your personality shine! Have fun, swear, be you! If you have a favourite sports team, or met your partner somewhere unique, include a small (or big) element in your stationery!

RSVP cards are sent out as part of the invitation suite 4-6 months before the wedding and are necessary even if you are having your guests reply online. These cards allow your guests to tell you whether they can or cannot attend your big day. Be sure to include the reply by date, a line for their name(s), a response of whether they accept or regret and a space for them to write how many guests will be attending. You may also want to include meal options or whether the guest has any dietary restrictions or allergies.

A good rule of thumb is to have your reply by date 5-6 weeks before your wedding so you have time to chase down stragglers. This time frame will also allow for you to finalize the seating chart, place setting cards and guest counts with your vendors.

RSVP cards are typically 3.5 x 5” in size with a self-addressed and pre-stamped envelope. Postage is not required for any invitations being mailed to guests living in the US or overseas. Guests outside of Canada will need to use a stamp from their Country on the RSVP envelope.

Tip: Number the back of your rsvp cards and keep a chart so if any come back blank, you know who it belongs to!

You do not want to overcrowd the invitation so the following is optional information to include as separate cards in the invitation suite envelope.

This is useful to assist out of town guests with the location of the ceremony and reception venue. You can also include directions and information for accommodations for the out-of-town guests. Hotels will often set aside a block of hotel rooms and offer a small discount if booked by a certain date.

It is typically viewed as tacky to have the registry information on the formal invitation. If you and your fiancé have a registered for gifts, consider using a separate insert card detailing the store or web URL or note that the information can be found your wedding website. As this card is in the invitation suite envelope and does not require separate mailing, you can make this card as small as you’d like – within reason and legibility of course.

If your wedding is to be a 2 or 3 day event with multiple dinners or parties, it is a good idea to include an events itinerary.

We recommend that you coordinate your day of stationery with your invitations when possible. It takes the colour scheme to the next level and keeps the theme consistent throughout!

A ceremony program is a sheet or booklet that outlines the order of the wedding service. It can include the names of the couple, the bridal party and the officiant as well as songs, readings and any tributes to loved ones who have passed away. This piece of stationery can differ greatly between religions and cultures.

While the table numbers do not have to be a stationery item, we do suggest having a legible number on all tables. Whether its vinyl or paint on wood or a gorgeous printed paper designed by your stationery artist, have the number face the reception 36 hall entrance doors so its easily visible as guests enter the

Photography (Left) JLP Studio www.JLPStudio.ca @jlpstudio_

Seating charts are typically on display at the entrance to the reception area and allow your guests to locate their assigned table. This sign has endless opportunities for customization and can be created by your stationery designer on foamboard or poster sized paper to be framed or can be on a mirror, windows or acrylic with calligraphy or vinyl. Couples have also used wood boards with hand painted or vinyl lettering. Whatever you choose, we suggesting keeping it consistent with your colours or theme. Names should be listed alphabetically with the corresponding tables noted after the name or can be arranged per table.

Place cards are used in conjunction with a seating chart and is a card positioned at each place setting. These can either be on their own as a card size 2” x 3.5” once folded down or any size and shape you wish. They can also form part of a favour left for each guest and can either have just their first name or first name with the last initial.

Escort cards are normally in lieu of a seating chart/place setting card and are typically set up on a table at the entrance of the reception. Guests would find their names, alphabetically arranged, and the card would indicate their table number. Escort cards are typically the size of a business card once folded down (2” x 3.5”) but can ultimately be in whatever shape or size you choose. Each card will include the guests first and last name as well as table number.

The menu card informs the guests what to expect for their meal whether it is a plated dinner or buffet meal. We want to reiterate that keeping it consistent with your colours or theme will bring the entire table-scape together. Menu cards can be customizable to any shape and size but it is very common for them to be a 4” x 8” flat card placed on every or every other place setting. If trying to cut down on stationery costs, feel free to place one or two menus per table instead of each place setting.

A thank you card is the final stationery item and you should plan to send one out to each of your guests approximately 3 weeks after your wedding. In each card, you should include the gift giver’s name(s), what they gifted and a note of appreciation. Most photographers will provide you with a couple of wedding photo sneak peaks within 1-2 weeks of your wedding and you can include a small print in each card if you wish. 37