Wedding Invitation & Stationery Checklist

When it comes to your wedding stationery, there are things to do before, during, and after the wedding…so where do you begin? Here’s an overview of each wedding stationery item that a couple may need for their special day:

Wedding Stationery - Before the Wedding

Engagement Announcements/Engagement Party Invitations

Hosting an engagement party is a great way to announce the big news to your friends and family and include them in your celebration.  Engagement party invitations will announce your big news you family and friends and can take on a style of their own.  They don’t need to reflect the colours or theme of your wedding as more than likely, you won’t know these details this early in the piece.

When considering the invitation wording for your engagement party, make sure you include all of the information about the event itself, such as the date, time, location, and attire.  If you have had your engagement photos taken or have some lovely shots of you together as a couple, include one of these with the invitation or announcement and make sure you only invite those guests who you plan to invite to the wedding.

For the modern couple, send wedding announcement eCards to family and friends all over the world to announce your engagement.

Save the Date Cards

Save the Date cards are basically early wedding invitations and are emailed or mailed by post to inform the wedding guests ahead of time of the wedding date and to ‘save the date, so that they can make special arrangements (such as time off work and interstate/overseas travel arrangements) in advance.

Save the Dates are generally mailed out 6-12 months prior to the wedding and contain basic information such as the wedding date and location.   If you have already selected your wedding colour theme, co-ordinate your Save the Dates with the same colour them as a consistent and stylish way to lead into the formal wedding invitation.

Bridal Shower Invitations

Bridal shower invitations generally provide information about the bridal shower party, such as date, time and location.

Bachelor/ette Party Invitations

Bachelor/ette parties usually have a theme. Get creative and include the theme of the night/weekend into your bachelor/ette party invitations. Include all of the information that is needed for the bachelor/ette party such as date, time, location and any additional information such as accommodation and other instructions.

Bridesmaids' / Groomsmen's Thank You Cards / Personal Stationery

During the lead up to a wedding, there are many opportunities for a couple to send out personal thank you cards to their bridal party, friends or important family members as a nice way to show their appreciation for the love, gifts, support and assistance.

Wedding Stationery - For The Wedding

Wedding Invitation Set

The wedding invitation is a card or set of cards that formally invite a person, couple, or family to the wedding. Wedding invitation etiquette recommends an invitation for each of the following on your guest list:

• Each couple married or living together
• Each wedding party attendant, plus his/her partner, if applicable
• The officiant and his/her partner
• Each single guest
• Each single guests' partner/date (if known in advance)
• Any child over the age of 18, even if they still live with their parents
• One for you as a memento

In addition to the number from the above, it’s a good idea to order extra invitations and envelopes to account for any mistakes and changes to guest lists from the time you order the invitations to the time you actually receive them. It's more economical to order the extras at the time of printing/ordering than at a later date. An extra 20 to 25 extras should be plenty.

Once you receive your invitations, you should give yourself at least one week to proofread them for errors. Start assembling them about three months prior to the wedding date and start mailing them out 6 to 8 weeks before the big day.

Invitation - This card formally informs the guests of the ceremony. The wedding invitation wording will let the guests know who is hosting the event, the names of the bride and groom and the ceremony details such as date, time, venue and location. If the reception is held in the same venue as the reception, ‘Reception to immediately follow’ or ‘Reception to follow’, or similar, is usually included at the bottom of the invitation.

Reception Card - A reception card is generally used if the wedding reception does not immediately follow the ceremony or if the guests will need to travel to a different location. The card details the address of the new location, the time that the event begins and any other information about the reception (such as a cocktail hour etc.)

Wedding Website Card - A wedding website card notifies the guests of a couple's wedding website for guests to easily access everything in one place, including wedding photos of the couple after the big day - very handy for interstate and overseas guests.

Map Insert - Maps provide more detail about the ceremony and reception locations and are included to help provide directions to wedding guests that are unfamiliar with areas or locations.

Response Card (with envelope) - Response cards are used to obtain information such as the number of wedding guests attending and their menu preferences to help finalise plans with reception venues and caterers. The response date (RSVP date) is set between 3 to 4 weeks before the big day to let their wedding guests know when to reply by. RSVP cards should be ordered at the same time as the invitations since they will be sent out together.  One RSVP card should be ordered for each invitation.  For guests who don’t send it back on time, a quick phone call or online RSVP reminder will do the trick.

Rehearsal Dinner Invitations

Rehearsal dinner can match the style of the wedding, or they can take on a look of their own to suit the colours and theme of the rehearsal dinner venue (such as Spanish, Italian or Asian). Information such as date, time and location should be included on the invitation. These invitations are typically mailed out 3-4 weeks prior to the wedding.

Ceremony Wedding Programs

A ceremony wedding program includes the couple's names, wedding date, ceremony location, order of events, poems, acknowledges friends and family readings/musical performances, name of the officiant and exact order of the ceremony.

Reception Menus

A reception menu is generally placed at the plate of each guest, informing them of the meals they are about to enjoy. Reception menus also make for lovely mementos from your wedding.

Escort Cards

Escort cards are typically placed near the main entrance of your reception venues room to escort your wedding guests to their designated table. Wedding guests look for their names, pick up their card and take it to their table.

Table Cards

A table card is used to identify the table to your wedding guests, so that when they pick up their escort card, they can immediately find the table card that matches it. Tables are traditionally numbered, however couples can use their creativity and name their tables using flowers, colours, honeymoon locations etc.

Place Cards

Place cards are placed at the table setting of guests to inform them where to sit.  Place cards also identify to catering staff the guest's choice of menu items.

Wedding Guest book

A wedding guest book are elaborate wedding books that give your wedding guests an area to leave their best wishes and congratulations. This is one of the most treasured mementos that a bride and groom will have from their wedding.

Wedding Stationery - After the Wedding

Thank You Cards

Thank you cards are the perfect way to let your guests know that you appreciated their attendance to your wedding and any gifts that you may have received from them and is also the couple's first stationery that includes their newly shared last name.

Order your thank you cards at the same time you order your wedding invitations. It is good etiquette to send thank yous for each of the following:

• every person or couple on your wedding guest list
• every two wedding announcements you mail (as these may also result in gifts)
• every member of your wedding party and for every supplier who assists you with your wedding
• an extra 10 to 20 cards just in case of mistakes and additional gifts

Completed thank you cards should be mailed between 2-3 weeks after you have received the gift. Any longer than 2 months is bad etiquette.

Wedding Announcements

It’s not possible to invite everyone to your wedding, so that's where wedding announcements come in. Wedding announcements are only mailed to family and friends who were not invited to the wedding, to inform them of their recent marriage. Wedding announcements should include the date and location the ceremony took place.

Announcements should be ordered at the same time of the invitations. One announcement should be ordered for every person or couple who was not on the guest list. It's also a good idea to order a few extras just in case you need to shorten the guest list at a later date. Wedding announcements are mailed either the day of or the day immediately following the ceremony.