Wedding Stationery is a bit of an obsession here at One Fab Day. Beautiful wedding stationery sets the tone for the event - there's nothing like receiving a gorgeous invitation in the post to build the excitement for the guests, it also gives a great idea of the style of event you are planning - a festival style bash, a city chic event, an elegant and formal affair, or a barn dance style hooley...

Image by Anna G via One Fab Day

So here we're concentrating on all you need to know before choosing your wedding stationery - a handy list of all the different bits and pieces of wedding stationery that you may need depending on the type of wedding you're planning. That way you can think about it all well in advance, and won't miss anything or have to make any last minute rush orders. It will help you stay on budget and figure out which pieces are essential to your celebration (like your wedding invitations) and which ones you may not need.

Stationery by Appleberry Atelier | Image by Anna G via One Fab Day

Keep in mind, though, that this list is not meant to be exhaustive. Many of these wedding stationery elements are optional, can be done as a DIY project (such as Be My Bridesmaids cards), or can be sent electronically or added onto your wedding website (such as Save the Dates or wedding weekend info).

Stationery by Lavender Press | Image by Studio Brown via One Fab Day

Before The Wedding

While most people think of the wedding stationery as being the invitation and the various bits at the ceremony and reception, there are a number of items of stationery you may require to get the party started - these are all optional of course, but may be of interest depending on the celebration you're planning...

Engagement Announcement (Optional)

• Spread the news you're tying the knot with an engagement announcement. This is often used by couples living away from home.

Engagement Party Invitations (Optional)

• To invite guests to the engagement party. Be sure to only invite those guests who you plan on inviting to the big day.

Stationery by Nicnilla's Ink | Image by Wonder & Magic via One Fab Day

Save The Date Cards (optional)

• A Save the Date signifies to the guest that they are invited to attend your event and should "save the date".
• Save the Date cards are not official invitations, they simply give the bride and grooms names, the date and some brief details of the location, town or area town the wedding will be held and notification that the formal wedding invitation will follow.
• Save the Date cards are perfect for couples who need to give their guests advance notice of the wedding, particularly useful if you are getting married abroad or are inviting guests from abroad so they may begin to make travel plans.

Be My Bridesmaid Cards (optional)

• You're going to need your best girls around for help and support - giving or sending a Be My Bridesmaid card is a lovely gesture.

Hen Party Invitations (optional)

• If you're having a particular theme for your hen party, it could be fun to send a card to the hens to set the tone.

Stationery by Keyhole Creations | Image by Hello Sugar Photography via One Fab Day

The Wedding Invitation Suite

Wedding Invitations

• The invitations are the most important piece of your wedding stationery. They invite your guests to  your wedding ceremony and the following reception and inform them of the date, time etc.

RSVP Cards (Wedding Acceptance/Wedding Regret/Response Cards)

• Sent with your invitations, these cards allow guests to tell you whether they are attending or not.
• They also can be used to find out if your guests have any dietary requirements in advance.
• RSVP is the initials for the French words 'répondez s'il vous plaît' which translates to 'please respond'. When using 'RSVP' on your reply card, it should not be preceded by the word please.
• While it can be optional, we recommend sending RSVPs with your invitation, even if you are requesting guests reply online. Including contact, website information or RSVP information on the main invitation can clutter the design.

Stationery by Jill Elaine | Image by Whims and Joy via One Fab Day

Direction Information (Directions, Maps & Accommodation Information)

• Maps and direction information is useful to help out of town guests with the location of your church/ceremony venue and reception venue. 
• Accommodation information contains contact details and web references for local hotels or B&B's for guests who may require it.

Stationery by Raise Your Words | Image by Peter Carvill via One Fab Day

Evening Invitations/Afters Invites (Optional)

• For additional guests that may not be attending the ceremony. Evening Invitations are formal invites for the wedding reception and celebration only.

Wedding Weekend Info or Events Itinerary Insert (Optional)

• This card lets the guests know if there are other activities planned prior to or following the wedding ceremony and reception, such as a welcome party, a dinner the night before, or a second day BBQ. Particularly useful for a 2 or 3 day wedding, or if the wedding location is far from home or abroad.

Stationery by Paper Daises | Image by Laura Watson Photography via One Fab Day

Wedding Website Card (Optional)

• While your wedding website details can easily be added to your invitation or wedding weekend info, some couples prefer to list it on a separate card insert. It's also an easy way to point guests to one spot that sums up all of the information they may want to look at.
• If you need to cut invitation costs or if you have a lot of extra details, you can omit the Direction Information and Wedding Weekend Info or Events Itinerary Insert options and simply point guests to the website. The downfall may be that older guests who aren't tech savvy may not be as obliged to look online. 
• You could also add a Wedding Website Card insert with a bespoke QR code. This allows guests to easily access all of that useful wedding website info with a single click.

Belly Band (Optional)

• This is an optional add-on and can be made of paper, fabric, twine or ribbon. It wraps around your invitation suite to hold it all together.

Stationery by Lenka Caliigraphy | Image by Adam & Grace via One Fab Day

On The Day Wedding Stationery

Order of Service/Ceremony Booklet

• The order of service/ceremony booklet is used for the wedding service and contains the names of the bridal party, name of the officiant, the plan and songs, music etc. These differ greatly between various religions and can also be used for civil ceremonies. Some parishes require these, some do not.
• Additional information could be added to make the program more personal to the day such as quotes or poems, bios of the bridal party, "in memory of" tributes to loved ones who have passed on, or a thank you to the parents and guests.

The Wedding Program/Reception Programme (Optional)

• This informs guests of how the evening/reception will unfold from the meal to the speeches that will be made, the cutting of the cake and the first dance. At Irish weddings this isn't very usual, but sometimes is written as a blackboard sign. Helpful if you have lots of things planned, or a venue with many rooms.

Stationery by Jill Elaine | Image by Whims and Joy via One Fab Day

Vow Booklets (Optional)

• If you are planning on writing your wedding vows, chances are you'll need somewhere to write them down. This is where the wedding vow booklet comes in.

Signage (Optional)

• Wedding day signage are a fun and informative element to add to your ceremony and reception decor. They can be used to indicate your wedding day timeline, custom cocktails, men's and ladies' rooms - basically any spot you can think to customise!
• Ranging from small to large, these come in all shapes, sizes and styles. 

Stationery by Tecoma Studios | Image by Cleya Asulon via One Fab Day

• The menu card informs the guests of the meal ahead. It can contain the food options or the set menu and choices for those with dietary restrictions. Often, venues can provide this for you.

Seating Plan/Table Plan

• Seating or table plans are on display at entrance of the reception area and show your guests a plan of the table layouts so they can easily find their seat. These can correspond with the place cards or escort cards and the table numbers (names).

Place Cards (Optional)

• Place cards are 'placed' at the seat of each guest and inform him or her where to sit. These also can form part of a favour left for each guest.

Escort Cards (Optional)

• Similar to place cards, escort cards are however used to 'escort' a guest to their table assignment rather than be placed at their seat. Usually has guests first and last name and table number. This will correspond with the table/seating plan.

Stationery by Paper Daises | Image by Laura Watson Photography via One Fab Day

Table Numbers/Table Names

• Placed on each table, table numbers or names are used to identify the table to your guests, so that when they read the table plan or pick up their escort card, they can immediately recognise the table card that matches it.

Wedding Table Thank You Notes (Optional)

• Instead of a menu (or in addition to), many couples are placing a sweet thank you note to wedding guests at each place setting. These are typically printed with the same message on each card and include the couples' new married name and wedding date.
• Add an extra personal touch by hiring a calligrapher to write each guests' name at the top, which would make this note also double as a place card. 

Image by Tiffany Longeway Photography via One Fab Day

Wedding Stationery for After the Wedding

Thank You Cards

• Thank you cards are sent to your guests shortly after the wedding, thanking them for their gift and for attending your wedding. Thank you cards are also often used to thank bridesmaids, flower girls and the host of your hen party.

Wedding Announcements (Optional)

• To announce the couples marriage to family and friends if couple have a small intimate ceremony or elope.
• Couples often choose to do this at Christmas and send out as their first Christmas card as a married couple.

Change of Address Cards (Optional)

• Change of address cards can be useful if the bride or groom has changed their residence following the wedding.

Stationery by Paper Daises | Image by Laura Watson Photography via One Fab Day

Other Optional Wedding Stationery

If you're planning a lot of gorgeous details and decor ideas at your wedding, like having a sweet bar or dessert table, an audio guestbook, a photobooth, baskets in the bathrooms, a fingerprint guest book etc, then you need to think about appropriate signage and stationery for it. Customarily, these will coordinate with your stationery theme or your overall wedding concept and can be designed to match by your stationer.

Common things you might want to include:

• Wedding Welcome Bag or Basket Tag
• Wedding Welcome Bag or Basket Inserts
• Unplugged Ceremony Signage
• Ceremony Seating Tags
• Printed Confetti Envelopes

Image by ID Photography via One Fab Day

• Custom Bar Signage
• Custom Printed Napkins
• 'Advice for the Couple' Cards
• Wishing Tree Tags

Stationery by Ivory Isle | Image by Brosnan Photographic via One Fab Day

Image by Peter Carvill via One Fab Day

• Wedding Guest Book Signage
• Bathroom Basket Signage
• Memory Table Signage

Stationery by Ivy & Eve Paper | Image by Paula Gillespie via One Fab Day

• QR Code Photo-Sharing Signage
• Wedding Favour Tags
• Sweet Buffet Tags
• Wedding Newspaper
• Cake Table Signage or Labels
• Wedding Speech Bingo
• Fingerprint Tree

For more wedding stationery advice, check out Ultimate Wedding Stationery Guide complete with invitation styles 101 to easy-to-follow cost breakdowns so you’ll stay on track.

Looking for someone who can make all of your stationery dreams come true? Check out our list of recommended wedding stationers.