Stationery Guide and Some Tips & Advice

When you send out the invitations to your wedding, you are setting the tone for the whole day; formal or casual, traditional or modern, low-key family gathering or full on party - the choice is yours.  When your guests receive the invitation, it will be the first glimpse they get into what lies ahead so you want it to hit the right note.  Nowadays with the inclusion of a Guest Information Sheet, an invitation can also be used to convey all the information that your guests will need to ensure everything runs smoothly.  Use the following guide that I have put together to help you plan what you will need and don't be afraid to ask for help - my advice is free!

Items Available

I can produce the full co-ordinating range of stationery to see you through from saving the date and sending to your invites to decorating the tables at your Reception and saying thank you after the big day.   The range includes:

Save the Date	Sent to guests up to 1 year (or sometimes more) in advance to let them know you have set the date for your wedding and allows them to get it in their diary.  Particularly useful for weddings in the summer months or if guests will need to make travel / accommodation arrangements.  Why not send them out with your Christmas cards the year before the wedding?
Day Invitations	Sent to guests that you are inviting to both the Marriage Ceremony and the Evening Reception.  Remember it's one per couple / household not one per guest.
Evening Invitations	Sent to guests that you are inviting to the Evening Reception only.  Again, one per couple / household not one per guest.
Guest Information Sheets	Included with the invitation, this provides useful information such as church/hotel/venue address, accommodation options, transport arrangements, dress code, wedding websites, gift lists etc.
R.S.V.P. Reply Card	Included with the invitation to encourage a quick response from your guests.  Can also be adapted to ask for any special dietary requirements / seats required on bus.  Etiquette dictates that you should put a stamp on the RSVP envelope.
Order of Service	Used for church services and given to guests at the church (normally handed out by the ushers), these contain the entrance and exit music, hymns / songs, readings etc during the service.  Also becoming popular to detail the bridal party.
Order of the Day	For non church services i.e the ceremony and reception is taking place in one venue.  Contains a running order of the day so your guests know how the day will run.
Thank You Cards	Sent to guests to say thank you for attending the wedding and for any gifts given.
Seating Plan	Placed somewhere prominent at the Reception for people to find out which table they are seated at.
Table Names / Numbers	Used to identify the tables on the reception room.  Normally double sided so they can be seen from anywhere in the room.
Place Cards	Placed on the tables at the reception meal so guests know where they are seated

Stationery Design Options

There are number of different shapes and style of invitations to choose from including:

Traditional Cards with Printed Inserts:  Available in two shapes - square and tall and both are available in large size for day invitations and a smaller for evening invitations.  All the cards come with matching insert paper.

Pocketfolds:  These open up to contain the invitation, a guest information sheet, an R.S.V.P. card and a self addressed reply envelope.  They can be designed to open both landscape and portrait style.  Various shapes, styles and sizes available from the Envelopments range.

Pull Out Wallets:  Similar to a Pocketfold but the invitation sheet is pulled out from the inside of a wallet.  Come in square and tall sizes as well as diamond folds for something more unusual.  Wallets do not include RSVP cards or guest information cards as standard.  An RSVP card can be purchased as an additional extra, but it is not recommended to add an information card as well, as the Pocketfold is more suited to holding all these items.

Flat Style:  A slightly more informal or casual style of invitation, very popular as an evening invitation to co-ordinate with a wallet or pocketfold day invitation.  All my flat invitations have at least 3 layers of card and many have 4 layers, which gives added luxury.

Cardstock and Papers

Most of my designs are made from gorgeous pearlised and metallic "shimmer" or "pearlescent" style card and paper which is superior quality from only the best paper manufacturers.  Most colours come with matching insert paper and many come with matching envelopes for the ultimate co-ordination of your invitations.

I often have offcuts left from making my orders so please feel free to get in touch to request some swatches so you can check out the colours and quality for yourself.

Colour Schemes

I know that you will want your stationery to co-ordinate with the rest of the day and very often the colour scheme is dictated by the colour of the bridesmaids' dresses.  I have access to a huge variety of cardstocks from which to make your stationery.  The most popular option is to have the main card made in a white/ivory/cream shade and bring in an "accent colour" on the design.  This keep things looking clean and fresh.  Although for the more daring bride, I love to create invitations that are made from some of the more unusual colours!  I have made stationery in every conceivable colour scheme from chocolate brown and cream, aubergine/burgundy/claret/maroon (v.popular!), navy and white, black and ivory, orange and white, hot pink and black, sage green, completely neutral white or ivory (for those that don't want to give their colours away before the big day!), silver, gold, tiffany blue.....the list is endless.  All in all I have access to around 250 different card colours for the ultimate in colour matching and I love a challenge!

Embellishments

There are a huge variety of embellishments available to decorate your stationery including satin and organza ribbons, Swarovski crystals (my signature look), diamante buckles and monograms.  These can all be colour co-ordinated to suit your theme.  Although hand decorated stationery is gorgeous, it is often a case of "less is more" and a stunning effect can be achieved with keeping things simple.

Fonts

You can view a selection of the most popular by clicking here.  If you have a font in mind that is not shown, it can be obtained for you although an extra charge may be applicable.

Suggested Wordings

I have put together a selection of popular wordings for your invitations depending on your personal circumstance although these are just suggestions and I will be happy to print whatever you want.  Click here to download suggested wordings (PDF)

And Finally........What is the signature style of Perfect Match Designs?

If I had to describe the style of my stationery, I would say it's simple and elegant with clean lines and a contemporary twist.  When I show my designs at the wedding shows, many of the brides say they love my style because it's simple and not overly "fussy".  If this sounds like your style, then why not talk to me to discuss your ideas.