As wedding stationery is my passion, I thought I’d give you a few tips on how to choose yours! Your weddings stationery sets the scene for your big day and gives guests an idea of what your special day will be like.

Personally, I wouldn’t worry about picking a theme for save the date cards – these can get sent out as much as a year in advance, so you may not even have chosen a theme yet. If not, choose something you like the look of – it really is that simple!

For some couples, their invitations help set the tone of their wedding day, and in deciding, may help you decide on flowers and other accessories. To help you decide, think about all the things you love, a favourite colour, your ideal décor, the place you are getting married, whether you want something traditional or modern.

We offer 14 designs through our website at Cards by Sophie, and we welcome bespoke orders too. If there is something you’ve found or a particular item that has become your inspiration for your wedding, let us know. We love a challenge and are keen to work with you to ensure the stationery is exactly as you envisaged.

So, once you have decided, what do you order and when?

Here’s our handy guide:

1. Order Save the Date cards once you have fixed your wedding date: as a general guide at least 9 months to a year before your wedding. Send these out as far in advance as possible if your wedding is at the height of summer or mid-week.
2. Order Invitations, RSVPs and pocketfolds. Aim to be sending out invitations at least 2 months prior to your wedding. Remember to allow enough time for your stationer to make all your items (we ask for 4-6 weeks). Once you’ve found a design, choose a colour theme. Your stationer will then send out a proof so that you can check all the details are correct.
3. Order on the day items. These can be ordered much nearer to the actual wedding and include anything that will be used on the big day itself! We know how long it takes sometimes to finalise things such as details with the vicar, caterer or even your final guest list, but as a general guide we usually request these be finalised around 4-8 weeks before the wedding.
4. Order favour boxes and thank you cards. Many clients purchase these at the same time as the invitations – however they can be left until nearer the time!  Thank you cards and favour boxes can be tailored to match the rest of your stationery.

If you are ordering stationery package with us, then don’t worry – we give you plenty of reminders as to when we need your information! Our suggested timescales are exactly that – suggested! We realise that it’s not always possible to stick to them, but don’t worry – we can often help out if you have a tight timescale. Drop us a line, we love to help!

For more info, or to see more of our range please visit our website www.cardsbysophie.com.