Wedding Stationery Checklist

Your wedding invitation is your guests’ first peek into your wedding day, so you want to make it shine! Not sure where to begin? We’ve put together a wedding stationery checklist for you to get things in order. You by no means have to include everything on the list, but it’s good to consider all options as some may be more suitable for your wedding than others. Wedding stationery really does set the tone for the event, as well as builds excitement in the lead-up, so you want to get it spot on.

Be My Bridesmaid/Groomsmen Cards

This fun trend is certainly catching on! In addition to asking your BFFs to be your bridesmaid in person, some brides choose to make the event even more memorable with bridesmaid proposal cards. Whether it’s your sister and your best friend, your 6 best gals from high school or 2 or 3 select friends from different parts of your life, why not write them a beautiful handwritten card to ask them to stand beside you on your wedding day? With a heartfelt note written about why this person is so important to you, these cards are something your close friends will be able to treasure for years to come.

Save the Date

Save the date cards are not official invitations, but very important to consider in your wedding stationery checklist to make sure your guests have marked that date in their calendar for you. Send these out if your wedding date needs special attention—you’re having a destination wedding, marrying on a holiday or long weekend, or if you have a lot of guests who will be travelling for the occasion. These cards only contain brief information concerning the location, the date, and the bride and groom’s names. Save the dates should be sent out six to eight months in advance or up to a year in advance if you’re having a destination wedding as a courtesy to your guests. You may also include a wedding website to direct guests to for more information. At the bottom of the card, it is common to put “formal invitation to follow”. 

Wedding Invitations

Ariana Tennyson Photography

This is where you invite all your nearest and dearest to your special day. Whether they’re fun or formal, wedding invitations are the single most important aspect of your wedding stationery. The invitation card should be the largest and most substantial card in the invitation suite. Make sure to include who’s hosting the wedding, who’s getting married, the date, the time, the name of the venue, and city. 

RSVP Cards 

RSVP cards are valuable as they not only provide you with a headcount of attendees but they can also gather up additional information about your guests: dietary requirements, accommodation preferences, whether they’ll need a shuttle to the reception, what entrée they are selecting…hey, you can even get them to RSVP with their favourite song to get them on the dance floor! If guests are to send the RSVP card back to you, remember to include a stamped envelope for your guests’ convenience. Nowadays, it’s also become common to simply supply a link to a website that your guests can visit to submit their attendance and other details such as directions and day-of timelines.

Ceremony Program 

Ariana Tennyson

These are optional, especially if the ceremony is on the shorter side. If you choose to create one, it typically includes the couple’s name, date, location of the ceremony, a brief welcome, an overview of the proceedings, and the names of everyone involved in the ceremony. If this doesn’t fit the feel of your day, a sign telling your guests the timing of the day is the perfect alternative. 

Seating Chart, Escort Cards & Place Cards

XANDRA Photography

Depending on the feel of your wedding, you might choose between a seating chart, escort cards or place cards. As shown above, seating charts (and escort cards) help direct guests to their assigned tables and they can then pick their seat at that selected table. Place cards are more formal than escort cards and simply list the guest’s name and indicate their seat (or “place”) at the table.  These can double up as favours for your guests as they are most likely going to be kept as a keepsake of your special day, so make sure they look memorable! 

Menu Cards 

Kampphotography

It is nice to remind guests exactly what they are eating, especially as you and your caterers have put so much time and effort into creating the perfect meal. Menus act as a great way to really pull your tablespace together, and they’re very purposeful in letting guests know what to expect. Some will include options to choose from (entreé, sides, and dessert) while others (buffet or family style) will simply include the food on offer.

Thank you Cards  

Almost as important as the wedding invitation itself, do not forget to send thank you cards! No matter how crazy the following weeks after your wedding may be, thanking your guests for the time and effort they put into being part of your wedding is vital. Generally, thank-you cards should include the gift giver’s name, what they bought, and a note of appreciation. They should be sent out within three weeks of receiving the gift. If you want to include photos from your wedding on or within your thank-you cards, they can be sent out a little later.