Hello, I’m Lauren and I run 33 Pixels, a design studio based in Colchester, Essex. We specialise in wedding stationery designing and printing everything from save the dates, invites to all your on the day stationery needs. Today I’m going to be talking about the stationery you’ll need before, on and after your wedding day. Touching on what to include, design and print options.

First let’s start at the beginning...

Congratulations on your engagement, you’ve posted a pic of your ring on Insta, booked a venue and now it’s stationery time!

You can either send out a save the date or go straight onto invites. It all depends on how much time you have, if you have all the information ready to go straight into your invites and your overall stationery budget.

Save the date is a single page printed pre-invitation which announces your wedding date and lets guests know that they are invited to the celebration. A save the date should be sent from 12 to 18 months before your wedding day and should include:

• The words ‘Save the date’ either as a title or in the main text.
• Your names so your guests know who the save the date is from.
• The date of the wedding.
• Town, city, region or country where the wedding will take place.
• Let people know that your invitations will follow.

A save the date shouldn’t include:

• Venue name(s).
• Time of ceremony or reception.
• RSVP details.
• You can save this information for the invites.

Daytime Invites are an official invitation asking the recipient to attend your wedding and has all the information they’ll need for the whole wedding celebration. If you're having a wedding website with all your information and RSVP then the invite will be a single page print. If you aren't having a wedding website your invite will be a multiple page print with information cards and RSVP cards included. An invite should be sent from 3 to 6 months before your wedding day and should include:

• Who’s hosting the wedding - Who’s paying for it: you or your parents? The request to come to the wedding will come from whoever is paying for it.
• Your names - This is the last time you’ll officially announce yourself by your maiden name before you reach the aisle. So, let your names take pride of place on your wedding invitations, that is, if you're following tradition and taking your partners last name!
• The guest names - If you’re hand writing the names on the invites let us know so we leave a space for them. Or they can be printed on the invites or envelopes for a small fee - Name each person specifically, making sure you specify whether it is just them, the kids and/or a plus one as well.
• Your wedding date and times - Add the date and don’t forget to include the ceremony start time on your wedding invitations too.
• Your venue or venues - Include the details for both the wedding ceremony and the reception if you’re holding them at separate locations. You’ll need to include the names and addresses of both.
• Dress code - If you are having a dress code remember to include it.
• Finish time - Remember to include when the evening reception ends - some venues have a strict end time so you’ll want to get everyone out quickly. Most popular way of wording this is: ‘Carriages at midnight.’
• RSVP requirements - When is the latest date for guests to let you know if they’ll be attending? How would you like them to do it – by phone, email, RSVP card or by responding on your wedding website? Make it easy and clear for guests to get back to you. The sooner you know, the sooner you can get your seating plan sorted and food numbers ordered. If you are having a wedding website add a line of text with the URL and that this is where they can RSVP and find more info.
• All other information - are you having children at your wedding? Got the details of local hotels and taxis? Including a map if your location is hard to find? Doing breakfast or lunch the next day? All this information should be included on a separate page.
• Wedding website - if you are having a website add the URL so everyone can access all the information. Remember to make the URL as short and snappy as possible as it'll be printed on the invite and the longer it is the harder it is to type.
• Gift details - if you want gifts, have a gift list or would rather money towards your honeymoon let guests know, this can be worded nicely or written as a poem.

Evening invites will be similar to the daytime invite but without the ceremony details and a later arrival date. These should look the same as your daytime invite and should be sent out from 3 to 6 months before your wedding day.

Now you know what to include let's talk design and print, we offer a bespoke and a pre-designed service for stationery all printed and beautifully assembled with seals, ribbon or belly bands:

Bespoke Service - http://33pixels.co.uk/project/invites-bespoke This service will provide you with a unique design made to the colours and theme of your day, printed on a range of different papers either in foil or normal print. You can have whatever you want and all designs are bespoke to you. If you are finding it hard to decide on a style of stationery this is the service for you. We start with a chat and find out what you like and want included and then design a range of stationery options, send it to you for approval, once tweaks have been made and a final design has been chosen it goes off to print - we offer illustration, foil printing, wax seals, logos made with your initials, addressed printed envelopes and much more. We have a range of papers available from uncoated and textured to silky velvet feel for added luxury. All can be printed in full colour and foil print.

Once the save the date or invite is designed the same look and feel can flow through all your on the day stationery and thank you cards.

Pre-Designed Service - http://33pixels.co.uk/project/invites-pre-designed This service includes all aspects of stationery you’ll need for your big day but it’s already been beautifully designed for you. We have three sets of pre-designed stationery:

Fly Away: Tying the knot abroad and want your stationery to reflect this? Our Fly Away set has been designed with a travel inspired overlay so your guests are excited about your wedding as soon as they open the envelope. You can add unlimited information pages to get all the details you need for your guests in one invite.

Decadent: Our Decadent range is all about the glamour. Gold foil on a black bordered background and wax seal grabs attention while setting the tone for your wedding day. This set can be customised by changing the colour of the text, background, foil and wax seal.

Foliage: A modern take on floral invites using silhouettes with calligraphy, sans serif font and hints of colour throughout. Our Foliage set is super pretty and has a real wow factor.

All you need to do is choose which set you’d like and send over your copy. We then put your text in the artwork and changed the colours to match your colour schemes then send it to you for approval. Once approved we send it to print, quality check everything and then send everything over to you.

The Pre-Designed Service is great for amazing looking stationery on a smaller budget.

Next on the list is your on the day stationery. This needs to be designed closer to the time of your event but make sure you leave enough time for the design process, print and delivery we suggest starting this two months before the date of your big day. You’ll need all your menu info, order of the day/order of service info, names for your place cards, table names and table seating plan and any other little finishing touches like a cake sign, direction and car park signs, a label or tag printed for your wedding favours and cards to your bridesmaids and maid of honor.

We can design and print all your on the day stationery keeping to the same theme as your invites, this way everything looks the same and not miss matched. Guests will recognise everything as being part of your wedding. Here is a break down of what you’ll need to include on each item:

Menu - A typical wedding menu outlines the meal courses, including starters, entree, dessert and includes any variations for vegetarians and vegans. You can also include any evening food that you are planning on serving.

Table seating plan - You’ll need an excel spreadsheet with all the table names at the top and then every guest's first and last name under so you can keep an eye on numbers for each table, this is also the easiest way for us to design from as it is clear who is going where..

The top table should include you and your partner and close family. Organise tables by groups of friends and family if possible.

Order of service - You should include the lyrics to hymns or songs that feature in your service, the names and roles of the people within your bridal party, the title and author of any wedding readings included in your ceremony, any key moments in the service, such as a sermon or the exchange of vows and lastly thank you notes to friends and relatives who have helped with the wedding.

Order of the day sign - This is a large sign which shows guests what is coming up for the day. You’ll want to include times of the wedding ceremony, breakfast, speeches, cake cutting, band starting and dancing and what time the wedding day ends.

Cake sign - If you are having a multi-layer cake with different types of cake you’ll want a sign to let people know, it’s also a good idea to include if it’s veggie, vegan friends and gluten free.

Place names - You’ll need the first and last names of every guest and decide if you want yours and your partners place name to be your names or ‘The Bride & The Groom’ / 'Bride & Bride' / 'Groom & Groom'.

Table names - Are you having table numbers or names? Names could be the names of places and venues which are significant to your memories together or countries you’ve travelled together.

Thank you cards

Lastly when your wedding day is finished and you’re back from honeymoon it’s time to design and send your thank you cards. You might want to wait until you’ve got your wedding day pictures back or they can follow on from your invite look and feel. Thank you cards should be sent within 3 months from the date of the wedding and we can design and print them with a two week turnaround time. You should include:

• Thank you to your guest for sharing your special day with you.
• Thank you for their gift and a mention of what you plan to do with the gift.
• End with well wishes.

Thank you for reading and we hope this helps you with your wedding stationery needs. If you need any help and advice with your stationery and the design service feel free to email us at info@33pixels.co.uk and we’ll be happy to help.

Lauren x