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A Bride and Groom’s Guide on Wedding Stationery Etiquette


Eden Harrhy Guides for Brides DIY Wedding and Countryside expert
Eden Harrhy Updated:
8th of March 2023

The wedding invites and stationary that soon-to-be-married couples choose will set the tone for their wedding. These wedding essentials should go beyond traditions and reflect who they are as a unit founded on love, respect, and trust. Traditional etiquette doesn't have to look or feel restrictive.

Brides and grooms can infuse their unique personalities in their wedding stationery by being a little more creative. Here are eight essential and highly flexible stationery etiquette worth following.

Pencil with leaves and envelopes

Save the Date

There is a broad timeframe for sending them out when it comes to Save the Dates. You can mail out Save the Dates six to 12 months before your wedding date. This preliminary invitation is a nice gesture that allows guests to schedule their affairs and prepare for their wedding day. When writing Save the Dates, you must include three essential details, namely the date, city, and country of your wedding. Also, ask your guests their pronouns to ensure you address them using the correct titles. 

Click here if you are looking for chic spruced-up Save the Date cards and other wedding stationery essentials. 

Invitation suite

Your wedding invitation can be as elegantly simple or intricate as you’d like. To ensure you mail out an impressive invitation suite for a wedding that your guests will be more than happy and excited to attend, you must first choose the different types of stationery enclosed in an envelope. Traditionally, an invitation suite consists of a primary wedding invitation card, an outer envelope, a details card, a reply card, a reply envelope, and a rehearsal card. In addition, you can personalise your invitation suite by adding your preferred embellishments, such as belly bands, wax seals, vellum wrap, and ribbons, to name a few. 

Mailing and postage

The postage is a crucial finish touch to any wedding stationery. Sadly, this detail is often overlooked when setting a budget by couples. Do not forget to bring your wedding invitation suite to the post office to confirm their postage. This is because wedding stationery, such as an invitation suite, usually weighs more, requiring more postage. In addition, it is good practice to include a stamp on the return envelope so that your guests can RSVP by mail. Ideally, a wedding invitation should be sent out six to 12 weeks before the wedding. 

Day-of essentials

After successfully sending out your wedding invitation, the next thing that should be on your list is the day-of stationery essentials. When working with a wedding planner, you must collaborate with them to identify the different day-of stationery you’ll need during the ceremony and reception. The most common stationery used in modern and chic weddings includes ceremony programs, welcome signage, bar menu, food menu, seating chart, place cards, and order of events signage. 

Final thoughts

Quality wedding stationery can be expensive but ensuring that your needs are taken seriously is worth the investment. By selecting the right stationery for your wedding, you can be sure that your letters will always make the best possible impression.

Eden Harrhy Guides for Brides DIY Wedding and Countryside expert

About the author


Eden Harrhy

Eden is a country girl that loves the great outdoors and all things relating to farm and DIY weddings. Whether you plan to get married in a marquee at home or hosting your big day in a gorgeous barn wedding venue, Eden is the best person to speak to about weddings in the countryside wherever you are marrying in the UK. A lover of arts and crafts, Eden is also our resident DIY wedding expert and can help you to come up with ideas for making your own wedding decor, stationery and so much more.

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