What your wedding stationer needs before designing your invitations
Your invitations are the first look at your wedding. Send your stationer your palette, mood and story so they set the right tone.
Quick answer
Send your wedding stationer:
- Your wedding vision: three words, your palette and a few mood images
- References for type, paper and printing you like
- Your wording, or the details they need to write it
- A guest count, with a few extra
- Your mailing timeline and any day-of pieces you'll need
1. Your wedding vision
Invitations are the first thing guests see, so they should feel like the wedding itself. Give your stationer the same vision you give everyone else: three words for the feeling, your palette and a few images. A stationer who knows the wedding is "relaxed, coastal, a little vintage" will choose very different paper and type than one who's guessing.
2. References for type, paper and printing
Collect a few things you love: a restaurant menu, a book cover, a perfume label, an old letter. Note what draws you to each one. Is it the font, the texture of the paper, the color of the ink? Stationers can work with references from anywhere, and they're often more useful than other couples' invitations.
3. Wording
Decide who is hosting and how formal you want to sound, and send the exact wording if you have it. If not, send the details: names, date, time, venue, address, dress code, RSVP date and your website.
4. Guest count and extras
Count households, not guests, since most couples send one invitation per address. Add 10 to 15 extras for keepsakes, late additions and mistakes.
5. Timeline and day-of pieces
Save-the-dates usually go out six to eight months ahead, invitations six to eight weeks ahead. Ask your stationer how long design, proofing and printing take. Mention any day-of pieces you'll want, such as menus, place cards or signage, so the whole suite can be designed together.
Why it matters
Your stationery is often the only piece of your wedding guests take home. A clear brief means it looks like it belongs to your day, not a template.
