What ‘On The Day’ Wedding Stationery Do I Need?
25th May 2022
WEDDING STATIONERY IS NOT JUST ABOUT THE INVITATIONS! THERE IS A WHOLE RANGE OF EXCITING PIECES THAT CAN BRING YOUR DAY TOGETHER.
NOW ALL YOUR GUESTS HAVE RETURNED THEIR RSVPS. IT’S TIME TO THINK ABOUT YOUR ‘ON THE DAY’ WEDDING STATIONERY. FROM SIGNAGE TO MENUS, TABLE PLANS AND MORE. DISCOVER HOW SOME SIMPLE ON THE DAY WEDDING ITEMS CAN HELP YOUR DAY RUN SMOOTHLY.
The beauty of ‘on the day‘ wedding stationery is that it can be as flexible as you want. You can have as much or as little as you desire. Ensuring it compliments your day and not over complicates it instead. Don’t listen to the checklists on wedding directories or in magazines, concentrate on your needs for your guests and you will receive stationery that will help your day become the dream you always desired.
Designing your on the day pieces alongside your invitations can really bring your vision to life, tying together all the elements from your place settings to the florals.
I’ve put together this guide to explain what each element is and how it could work at your wedding.
‘On the day’ wedding stationery for your ceremony
Welcome signage
If your ceremony is at the same venue as your reception (or even a separate venue), you may like some welcome signage that can gently guide your guest on where to go.
With clever wedding signage, you can save yourself from being asked the same questions repeatedly. Or shock horror you discover all your guests are in the wrong place at the wrong time because they were unsure where to go.
Welcome signage can include welcome boards, order-of-the-day or directional signage. If you have a wedding planner/stylist or work closely with your venue, it can be good to chat about these ideas with them, as they will know the venues better than anyone.
Order of the day
This is like your welcome signage can be a large board that gives you a running order of times and events through the wedding. A place to highlight times for the ceremony, photographs, wedding breakfast and evening celebration.
Order of Service
These little booklets are placed on guests’ chairs during the ceremony. They guide your guests through your wedding service and inform them about what they can expect to happen. An order of service usually includes readings, hymns, religious traditions or actions. If you are concerned about using lots of paper, simply provide just one per couple rather than per guest.
Vow books
These little books can come in many shapes and forms. They can be a little notebook you write in before your wedding, taking notes for your vows or collecting small mementoes that remind you of each other.
Alternatively, if you are a little nervous you can have your vows printed inside, as a small reminder to follow if your mind goes blank. If you want to surprise your other half with your vows you can submit them to me separately so no surprises will be spoilt before your wedding.
Vow books create lovely heirloom pieces you can pass down to the family. Or why not have them printed on seeded paper, so you can bury them in the garden after your wedding. Binding your love together as wildflowers grow.
‘On the day’ wedding stationery for your reception
Table Plan
A table plan tells your guests where they will sit during your wedding breakfast or meal. Some people have moved away from this tradition and prefer to keep things more relaxed. Allowing their guests choose their own seats.
If you would prefer a table plan they can take many forms and be a great way to keep your guests reassured they are catered for. You can select a large board or framed design. Have individual hanging table cards hung from a vintage frame, and maybe an olive tree like one of my couples who married in Italy. They could be labels on bottles or individual seating cards that your guests collect from a table during drinks. A table plan can be great fun and a place you can let your personality shine.
Table Names or numbers
Naming your tables makes it easier for your guests to find their seats. You may want to choose traditional numbers. Or why not make them more personal and name them after your favourite locations, meal, books, game or pet. Tell a little story about each one to entertain your guests whilst they wait to eat. Table names can add personality to your wedding and get your guest chatting the minute they sit down.
Place names
Once your guests have found their table, now they can find their seats. Traditionally couples used small tent-shaped cards. Today many couples add personal touches with individual flat cards or place names combined with individual menus. Or double up with your favour and add guests’ names to little jars of honey, a mini bottle of gin or wildflower seed packets that your guests can take home. Why not thread some dried flowers into them. Place names can be such a creative area of your wedding
TOP TIP – Get your stationery designer to group the place names and menus together for each table. So when you come to set your table on your wedding day you aren’t having to search through 83 place names to find Uncle Harry who is sitting on Table Two. Saving you or your wedding planner time and stress.
Wedding menu
If you have personalised menus or a few guests with allergies or intolerances, individual menu cards can work well. Combine them with your place cards and bind them together with a pretty silk ribbon, a metal clasp, fine twine or a wax seal.
If you have one set menu, you can choose to have one or two menus on each table so that your guests can share.
Menus are one of my favourite things to design. I love to pretend I’m a guest and pick out what I would like to eat. Who can blame me when you couples certainly have some delicious menus to choose from.
Small Signage
If you have a buffet or sharing platter, small signage can be the perfect way to tell guests their choices or highlight any allergens. You can create fun bar menus with a list of cocktails designed for your day. Or guide your loved ones to a guest book, photo area or bathrooms.
When do we order our ‘on the day’ wedding stationery?
It is always a good idea to book ahead with your stationery designer for your on the day items. I usually like to design them around 1-2 months before your wedding, so I can make sure they are delivered to you at least two weeks before your wedding day.
Depending on your chosen stationery you will need to provide the following types of information.
• Guests’ names and how you would like them to appear on place cards
• Table names
• For a table plan – A spreadsheet listing table names and what guest is to sit on which table
• For order of service – a list of hymns, readings or other service information you wish to provide. In some cases, you may need to provide copyright or permission from your church to print some information. Your church will be able to guide you on this
• For order of the day – A timetable of events throughout your wedding
• Any information required for signage
I have so many couples that contact me just weeks before their wedding, I hate to disappoint them, but time has to be allowed for design, print and delivery. So sadly three weeks before is not possible. It is always wise to book your stationery designer early to avoid disappointment or panic. Most of my couples reserve my studio time when booking their invitations in my diary or arrange a studio date when their invitations are complete.
If you have any questions about planning your on the day wedding stationery or have an idea for something a little different please drop me a message.
If you have any ideas for your ‘on the day’ stationery I’d love to hear them.
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By following this guide you will be left feeling confident, calm and ready to start your wedding stationery journey.