Wedding Stationery: What You Need and When
Every piece of wedding stationery from save-the-dates to thank-you cards - what's essential, when to order each one, and how to keep costs down.
Wedding stationery splits neatly into two groups: the things you send before the wedding, and the things guests see on the day. Bridebook's 2026 figures put average stationery spend at about £380, but it's one of the most flexible budget lines there is - from a few pounds for digital invitations to well over a thousand for a hand-finished, letterpress suite. This is what's involved and when. For what to actually write, see invitation wording and etiquette.
Before the wedding
- Save-the-dates - optional, but useful if guests will need to travel or book accommodation. Send them as soon as your venue and date are confirmed, usually 8 to 12 months ahead. Cards, magnets, and digital versions all work; only send them to people who will definitely get an invitation.
- Invitations - the main event. A typical suite has the invitation itself, an RSVP card (or a link to your wedding website), and a details card for directions, accommodation, dress code, and timings. Order four to six months before the wedding and send them two to four months out.
- Evening invitations - a separate, clearly different card for evening-only guests, so nobody turns up for the ceremony by mistake.
On the day
These can only be finalised once your RSVPs are in and the seating plan is done, so order them about four to six weeks before the wedding and leave time to proofread.
- Order of service - optional, but genuinely useful for a church service with hymns and readings, or a longer humanist ceremony, so guests can follow along and sing. Less necessary for a short civil ceremony. See order of service, vows, and readings.
- Table plan - the board showing who sits where. Make it easy to read from a distance, and list names alphabetically or by table. See seating plan etiquette.
- Place cards and table names or numbers.
- Menus - one per table, one per place setting, or none at all.
- Signage - welcome signs, an order of the day, directions to the toilets or the bar, an "unplugged ceremony" sign asking guests not to use phones during the vows, if you want one.
After the wedding
- Thank-you cards - many couples order these with the rest of the stationery so they match, with a photo from the day added later. See thank-you etiquette.
Ways to buy it
- An independent stationer or designer - a bespoke or semi-bespoke design, often with matching on-the-day pieces. The most expensive option, and they need booking six to nine months ahead to fit in design, proofs, and printing.
- Online printing companies - choose a template, personalise it, and order. Much cheaper, fast, and good quality, though thousands of other couples may have the same design.
- Do it yourself - designing and printing at home or at a local print shop. Cheapest in money, most expensive in time, especially for things like envelope addressing and wax seals.
- Digital invitations - sent by email or message, with RSVPs collected online. Increasingly common and almost free, though older relatives may still appreciate a printed card. Many couples send digital invitations to most guests and a few printed ones to those who'd value them.
Things that catch people out
- Postage. A thick or square invitation with several inserts may count as a large letter, or need extra postage. Take one complete, sealed invitation to the Post Office and have it weighed before you buy stamps for a hundred.
- Quantity. You need one invitation per household, not per guest - but order 10 to 15% extra for late additions, mistakes, and keepsakes. Reprinting a small batch later costs far more per card.
- Proofreading. Check the names, the date and day of the week, the times, the venue names, and the RSVP date - and get someone else to check too. A wrong date on 80 printed invitations is an expensive mistake.
- Readability. Pale grey ink and swirly script look beautiful and can be hard to read, particularly for older guests. Keep the key details - the date, time, and place - clear.
- The RSVP deadline. Set it four to six weeks before the wedding so you can give final numbers to your caterer in time.
What I'd actually do
Spend on the pieces guests hold and keep - the invitation itself - and save on the pieces that are glanced at once, like menus and table numbers. A simple, well-printed suite with clear wording always looks better than an elaborate one that's hard to read.
