Frequently asked questions regarding your wedding stationery

Booking

 

Q How do we book?

Check out the step-by-step design process article I’ve written here. Spoiler alert, the best way to get the ball rolling is to drop me a line through my contact page.

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Q When should we book with you?

The sooner you get your booking in place the better as my diary fills up quite quickly. At the latest I would say between 2 – 3 months before you would like to receive your stationery, and then that’s gambling that my diary has the space! Dropping me a line to find out my availability is a smart move. You can always book your slot well in advance by paying a deposit, even if you haven’t got all the details finalised.

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Q We’re not sure what our theme or style will be, can we still book with you?

Absolutely! Keep in mind the initial step of the design process outlined here is to get the conversation started about what style you’d like and what your budget allows for. As always, I recommend putting together a mood board on Pinterest or a similar platform before our video call so we have something to steer us in the right direction!

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Q How do we pay?

You’ll be invoiced twice, the first time to pay a deposit to secure my services, and the remainder will be paid ahead of me sending your suite to you. The invoice will carry details of how to make the payment by BACS.

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Q Is our deposit refundable?

Sadly, the short answer is no. Once you’ve paid your deposit I’ve likely invested time in various admin for your suite and sourcing materials specifically for you. Should you need to reschedule, I may be able to accommodate your new date without the loss of a deposit, but this is a best-case scenario and at my discretion.

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Q What is your cancellation & returns policy?

Everything I create is personalised to you, and so if you choose to cancel, you will at the very least lose your deposit. Spelling, grammar, and any other errors are your responsibility and should be picked up by you ahead of giving me your final approval. I am not liable for any mistakes of this nature. Once you have approved your artwork and the suite has gone to print, I consider the sale final and you will be liable to pay the full bill.

 

Returns are not accepted due to a change of heart; again, everything is created specifically for you. If there is a problem with the final product once you receive it from the courier, let me know as soon as possible so we can get your project back on track!

 

The deposit is non-refundable under any circumstances.

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Q Is there a rush service available?

Not really. Every process takes time and I won’t produce anything that’s not up to my standard. If you’re working to a short deadline though, my semi-bespoke suites might be a good compromise for you.

 

In the likely event that I do have diary space available, there are hefty rush fees involved.

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Q Is there a minimum order?

My minimum booking is £100. If you’re going to be getting your wedding suite through me, this will be taken care of through the semi-bespoke or bespoke route. If you’re looking for calligraphy only, this can be tricky to achieve with smaller weddings, but drop me a line and I’ll see if there’s a way we can work together.

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Q How should we send our information to you?

Everything should be typed out so I can copy and paste! This leaves less room for errors. I don’t accept screenshots or pictures of anything handwritten.

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Q Do we have to order our ‘on the day’ stationery at the same time as our invitations?

Not necessarily, but it is advisable. This ensures a better consistency across colour and paper/card with the pieces designed for your suite.

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Q Do you work with LBGQT+ couples?

You bet I do! I love Love, and am thrilled to be able to create your dream stationery suite regardless of your background or orientation.

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Timings

 

Q When should we confirm all of our information for invitations?

On our initial call, you should be able to tell me where and when, as well as the rough quantities involved.

 

When we have our consultation call between six and seven months before you're wedding, that's when I'll need confirmed information from you, as that's when we'll be discussing wording and final quantities.

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Q How many invitations do we need?

I suggest one invitation per address, this will cover entire households, couples or individuals, plus around 15% extra. The 15% allowance is for your keepsakes plus any last-minute additions to your guest list. Reprints are very costly so we want to get everything covered in one print run where possible, and at the same time not order too many as that’s a sad waste of materials.

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Q How long will our invitations take?

How long your invitations take is dependent on several factors, such as papers used, different printing methods available, quantity order and different embellishments. I usually allow at least six to eight weeks for design and printing as a rule of thumb, but you’ll be advised of estimated delivery dates when you place your order.

 

If you’re ordering from the semi-bespoke line, this is usually quicker and more like two to four weeks for wording, colour tweaks and production.

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Q When should we send save-the-date cards?

Preferably eight to 12 months before the wedding, literally as soon as you’ve booked your venue! Having a rough idea of your guest list at this point is also super helpful so you make sure to get all your save the dates to the right people and their diaries! Other people have left it to around four to six months before the wedding, but you do run the risk of a diary clash. For destination weddings, you should give tonnes of notice if extensive travel arrangements are necessary.

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Q When should we send our invitations?

If you haven’t sent save the dates, allow for four to eight months before the wedding, or earlier if possible. Again, we’re trying to limit diary clash with your guest list, and they may need to arrange childcare, travel, accommodation... the list goes on!

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If you have sent save the dates, you can probably hold off until 16 weeks before the wedding for international guests, and eight to 12 weeks for those in the same country as you.

 

Allow yourself plenty of time to chase RSVPs (even if you include an RSVP card and self-addressed envelope with the invitation), and remember that your other vendors are going to want to know the final numbers weeks ahead of the wedding day too.

 

Giving yourself more time will also allow you to hit up your B-list guests in case not all of your A-list can attend. From this, you can see why a save the date might seem like an expense that can be done without, but actually makes things a lot easier for you the closer you get to the big day!

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Q When should we confirm our final details for ‘on the day’ stationery?

All of the final details for your on-the-day stationery should be emailed to me six to eight weeks before the wedding, with more time allowed if hand calligraphy is required.

 

As with your wedding invitation suite, you’ll receive PDF proofs of your on-the-day wedding stationery that you will need to approve in writing (email is fine) before production goes ahead.

 

If I’m doing things like place cards, escort cards or seating charts, the wording for these should be sent in a Word, Excel or similar document with no formatting. Again, I don’t accept screenshots or pictures of anything handwritten.

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Q What if we have late changes to our table plan?

The absolute latest I will leave your wedding plan is 2 weeks before the wedding.

 

Any changes after this point may well see you charged an extra fee for a reprint, and may need to be sent to you straight from my printing partner, so will not be quality-checked before arrival with you.

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The Product

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Q What type of paper do you use?

If you’re looking to go down the semi-bespoke route, the card stock used is Tintoretto Gesso which is a fine Italian paper in 300gsm. It has a warm off-white hue and a hammered finish and has a very refined vibe.

 

If you’re going down the bespoke route, the world is your oyster! The sample kits I send out contain two luxe paper options in bright white and ivory and are suitable for a wide range of suites. I work with several craftspeople that produce handmade paper with different hues and finishes if we end up going down that route.

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Q Can you help with the wording for our invitations?

Of course! When we get to the consultation stage, we’ll see if there’s any wording from those that you particularly like and can be folded into your suite. And we’ll also take a look at what I’ve done previously, and tweak it to your unique requirements.

 

You will always need to provide me with the who, when and where though!

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Q Can we see our design before you make it?

Yes! Once we’ve had our consultation, I’ll create two designs of what your invitation suite might look like. Once you’ve picked a direction, I’ll go ahead and roll your chosen design across the whole of the suite that we’ve outlined together, and send you some electronic proofs (PDFs). From here, you have two rounds of amendments, this could be tweaking some sizing or fixing spelling mistakes to make sure we’re both 100% happy with the final design.

 

Lastly, you’ll need to give me written consent that you’re happy with the suite and the costs involved for production so that I’m clear to take the suite into production.

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Q Can we have a physical proof of our stationery?

Physical proofs are available. Standard (digitally printed) proofs are priced from £50 each, any other bespoke print will incur a cost of £100+ depending on materials and processes used.

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Q Can we change our design?

You can, but this will open up another round of design fees if you’ve already chosen a design, or reworking fees if you've gone through your two rounds of amendments. You will also be constrained by timescales and my availability.

 

A further cost may also be incurred if the stock has been purchased on your behalf and production has already started.

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Q Our budget is on the small side, can we still work with you?

Yes! You can look at my semi-bespoke ranges and see which you like the look of. Remember, wording and colour schemes can be tweaked to get the right fit for your wedding day!

 

You can choose only the pieces you need for your suite, and then any budget left over can be used on some fancy extras such as wax seals, vellum wraps, silk ribbons or envelope liners!

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Etiquette

 

Q Who do we send evening invitations to?

Anyone you invite to the ceremony will hopefully be attending the evening reception as well, so no need for an extra invite there. If you do have guests that you specifically want to attend the evening only, they’ll need a separately worded invitation.

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Q Do we need orders of service?

It’s usual if you’re getting married in a church to have an order of service for your guests. This usually takes the form of a small booklet which includes any hymns, readings and any other service details. One booklet per couple is fine, but I’ve often seen them ordered as one per adult.

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Q Do we need a table plan?

If you’re having a sit-down wedding breakfast you should certainly consider a seating plan to avoid the chaos of your guests wandering around aimlessly looking for where they need to sit! If a table plan isn’t your style, you could have racks of escort cards by the door to the room where you’ll all be dining. I’ve seen wedding planners create very cool installations around escort cards too, something for you to consider and chat with your planner or stylist about!

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Limitations

 

Q Can we have a digital-only version to print ourselves?

I’m sorry, but I don’t create printable PDFs.

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Q We’ve seen a design we like, can you copy it for us?

No good stationer or designer will copy someone else’s work, it’s just not ok. I’ll happily look at other invitations and suites you’ve seen and take that as inspiration. And who would want to copy someone else’s suite anyway?

 

If you’re utterly convinced that design is the one you want and nothing else will do, my recommendation is to contact that designer directly.