Ordering wedding invitations: 6 questions to answer before you start

Congratulations, you’ve booked the date and venue now it’s time to start getting some of those other things ticked off the list. Ordering wedding invitations and stationery will be one of them. I love to meet couples early on in their planning, excited with all their ideas and inspiration. To really get the most out of this first meeting with me there are a few questions that you can think about beforehand. You might not have definite answers to all of them, but having thought about them and even having a vague idea will help me to develop a sensible and achievable design, price and schedule for all your wedding stationery. Here are a few things to consider before we meet to talk about ordering wedding invitations:

1. When do you want to send your invitations?

You need to give your guests enough notice about your upcoming wedding. I recommend sending your invitations no later than three months before the wedding, but anything up to 8 or 9 months is acceptable. It can depend on whether you have sent save the date cards. If you have, you can afford to go a little later with your invitations. If you haven’t, send your invites earlier. Factor this date in when you’re wondering when to order your wedding invites.

How early is too early for wedding invites?

2. Do you want to send save the date cards?

Save the date cards are not essential but can be helpful for weddings at busy times of the year or where your guests need to travel and book accommodation in advance. The ideal time to send save the date cards is 12 to 24 months before the big day. When you are ordering wedding invitations, get your save the date cards at the same time – if you need them.

What’s the point of save the date cards?

3. Ordering wedding invitations, how many do you need?

Knowing how many invitations you need will allow me to give you a price for each, as well as save the dates if you need them. Don’t forget that for the evening reception, only those extra guests that are coming will need an invitation. Having a rough idea of your total guest number will mean I can price each piece of stationery you might need (for before during and after the day) and also give you a total ‘ball park’ figure for the whole package. This will help with your budgeting and also show you where there are opportunities to cut back on costs if you need to. The golden rule if to remember that you will only need one invitation per couple or family, not one per guest.

How many wedding invites should you order?

4. What style of invitations do you like or are you thinking about having? 

To answer this question it’s a good idea to consider what sort of detail your invites will need to contain. Think about the following:

• Will you be giving your guests a menu choice?
• Do you need to give them accommodation details?
• Will you be laying on any transport?
• Do you want to include a gift wish?
• Do you need to supply them with a reply card?

Answering these questions will give you a clearer idea as to whether you need something like a pocketfold invite, a concertina style or a simple flat invite. Of course, the way you want your invitations to look will come into play here too. Do you want simple & minimal or pretty & romantic? 

Which style of wedding invitation is best for you?

5. Do you want your stationery to tie in with your colour scheme? 

If you have a particular colour scheme in mind it’s a really good idea to bring along swatches, pictures or any other colour inspiration you have. I have lots of materials; card, paper, ribbons and more at my studio. Matching them up in person when you visit is a great way to find out what works and what doesn’t

How to include your colour scheme in your wedding invites

TIP
Start a Pinterest board with your ideas and inspiration, it will be a great help when you come to meet your stationery designer.

6. Yes you’re ordering wedding invitations, but do you need any stationery for your ceremony and reception as well?

While save the dates and invitations will be the first things, stationery wise, you’ll want to get sorted it’s a good idea to think about the on the day items up front too. Consider if and how you would like to carry your stationery theme through to your order of service, welcome signs, menus, place cards and table plan. If you would like me to make any stationery for your wedding ceremony and reception you can reserve production slots when you book your invitations. You won’t need to finalise all the details until 6 to 8 weeks before the wedding but you can relax knowing that you’ve got it sorted and I’ll be in touch with a reminder when the time comes.

What stationery do you need for your wedding ceremony?

What stationery do you need for your wedding reception?

Be prepared, answer these questions before ordering your wedding invites

1. When do you want to send your invitations?
2. Do you need (or want) save the date cards before your invites?
3. How many invitations (and save the dates) do you need?
4. What style of wedding invitations do you like?
5. Do you have a colour scheme/swatches you would like to match?
6. Might you need any stationery for your ceremony or reception?

Having the answers to these questions will make ordering your invitations a doddle for both you and whomever you choose to print or make them for you. If you’re looking to order wedding invitations (or save the dates) in Cardiff any time soon, get in touch! I’d love to meet you either in my studio or over phone/video. You can check my availability and book a meeting with me on my contact page (it’s all very informal and friendly, I promise!).

I also have a really helpful checklist and guide for all the stationery you will need for your wedding as well and how many of each and when to order. Print it out or save it to your phone so you always have it handy for wedding planning moments!

Get your free wedding stationery guide & checklist here

Don’t forget to follow me on Instagram & Pinterest for daily inspiration, tips and advice. See you there! Tip: Save the image below to your wedding planning boards so that you can find this post again later.