How far in advance should you book your wedding stationery?
The complete UK guideline for ordering all of your wedding stationery.
So often I get asked when do I actually need to book in for our wedding invites, don't they only take a few weeks? The production on invites, at times may only take a few weeks, yes. However the research, consultation, designing and proofing is where the most time is spent. Booking in early means there is no rush decisions made, but a carefully and curated design bespoke to each couple.
Photo Credit: Photography by Hana
Why should we book early?
Wedding stationery tends to sit in the middle of your to-do list for booking vendors, when you start out initially you are so excited and book the main leading vendors; the venue, the photographer, the videographer and the celebrant. Then as things settle and you don't worry about booking anything else for a while, you might consider the stationery but never fully commit. Then you start getting busy and find yourself amidst of vendor emails again and feel overwhelmed.
Booking in your stationery a year in advance can seem too early, but there are a few reasons this can be helpful.
Booking in early is key.
By securing your date in the diary of your chosen stationer (at this point it's hopefully with me at Flutterbeeze) you have certainty that your invites will be ready for when you want to have them posted out. There is not a rush of when to get this done.
You should start the conversation around your invites at the very least of 2 months prior to when you would like to send them out. Although for many stationers they are booked out well in advance especially for peak season.
Avoids disappointment.
So for example if your wedding is in July, you need to be looking to post these out in April with an RSVP date of 6 weeks prior to your wedding. Which means these would need to be in production in February.
Therefore booking a year in advance secures that production slot, booking in with the stationer that's style reflects your vision.
What if we don't know what we want our stationery to look like?
You are not expected to know exactly what you want at the time of booking in, booking in early secures your production slot in the stationers diary. After consultation and research a design can be refined to meet your themes, colours, tastes and any special finishes you would like to include.
Photo Credit: Victoria Photography
What happens at consultation?
During your consultation, we will look through which styles would work for your day (considering what information you need to include) what designs and colours match your day and what vibe you are trying to portray. A bespoke design will then be created and proofs sent over electronically to review, this is the stage for making any amendments.
The silent hero of wedding stationery.
Booking in early means there is lots of room to discuss all of your requirements, creating a consistent look and feel that your guests recognise and absorb and enjoy. The unsung silent hero of any wedding stationery is the on the day items, that keep the theme from the invitations running. Signage to direct guests where to go or to sit, a memory table sign to remember those who cannot be there on the day, a menu card to remind guests what delicious food is to come.
Photo Credit: Flutterbeeze Wedding Stationery
The perfect wedding stationery timeline.
To break it down, the earlier that you book, the higher the chance you get to book the stationer that you want, so screenshot this timeline for reference.
Stationery | Book in by | Send out by | Why |
Save the Dates | 12-18 months in advance | 12 months in advance | Allows guest plenty of notice, especially for peak holiday season |
Invitations | 9-12 months in advance | 3 months in advance, with an RSVP of 6 weeks in advance | Gives time to chase up RSVPs for those who have not responded yet, final numbers to caterer/venue |
On the Day | 2 months in advance | Collect at least two weeks prior | That last week will be spent doing last minute appointments |
Thank you Cards | At the same time as your on the day items | One month post wedding | Shows Appreciation, organise with on the day items, one less thing to remember after the big day |
So what are you waiting for?
Wanting to work with Flutterbeeze Wedding Stationery, reach out today and secure your slot in the diary with a £50 non-refundable booking fee that is deductible from your total balance.
Photo Credit : Derek Christie Photography
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