A quick guide to wedding stationery

When it comes to wedding stationery you may be a little baffled as to what you need and what purpose the different stationery serves. The following is a quick guide of the options available to help you decide what stationery you need for your wedding day.

Save the date cards

These little cards are a way of informing the world that you have set a date for your wedding. They're not essential by any means but are a good idea if you're having a wedding in the peak holiday season as it gives your guests plenty of time to make a note of the date in their diaries and clear their schedules. If you wedding date falls near a holiday, such as Easter or Christmas it also means that guests can book any accommodation ahead of time. You can send them just as soon as you have finalised your date.

Wedding invitations

These are the official   invitations to your wedding ceremony and reception and are normally sent out at least 6 weeks in advance. They should give the time and date of your ceremony as well as the venue. They may also include a reference to your wedding registry and directions to the venue.

Evening invitations

These are sent out to guests who are simply invited to attend your evening celebrations. They are normally sent out once replies have started coming in from your main invitations. They need to state the time of the evening function, it's format and the address and directions to the venue. Some couples also include a reference to their wedding registry.

Place cards

These are cards which sit on the table to allow guests to find where they are sitting. They will simply have the guests name written on them. Quite often a board will be in place to let guests know which table they are sitting on, especially if a large wedding is taking place.

Menu Cards

These are for sit down meals and normally each place setting will include a menu card which has a brief description of the food that is being served for each course.

Order of service

These are handed to the guests who are present at your wedding ceremony and quite simply indicate the order of your service. They may replace wedding and hymn books and have all the words printed on them, or they may simply tell you which hymn or prayer has been chosen and what page to find it on.