When you come to plan your wedding stationery, you might feel a little unsure about what you will need beyond wedding invitations.  There is actually a whole range of options and tricks that might suit your big day when it comes to on-the-day stationery.  Each on-the-day stationery element adds another layer to the special details in the styling of your day.  Let’s go over three things that you might not have thought of when it comes to stationery for your ceremony and reception.

You need more stationery than you think

I was recently on a call with a client, and after discussing all the items she was planning to order, she mentioned something about her ceremony that caught my attention.  I asked her if she needed order of service cards or booklets, and it suddenly dawned on her that she had forgotten to ask about these.  It’s easy to forget some things when you have a whole wedding to plan!  There are many choices when it comes to on-the-day stationery, each relevant for a different type of wedding, and it’s important to allocate space in your budget for these.  Some items you might like to consider are:

• Place cards and menus
• Table seating chart
• Welcome sign
• Way-finding signage
• Bar signage
• Signage for wishing well or guest book
• Order of service cards or booklets
• Vow cards
• Bomboniere tags
• Personalised notes to guests
• Decals for flooring or bars
• Table numbers

Having a second event, like a next-day brunch? Don’t forget to include stationery for this as well.  It’s important to ask your stationer about all these options from the beginning, so that the items can be designed as a suite.  This will ensure everything is cohesive, and carry that beautiful styling throughout the event.

Combine your place cards and menus

This is becoming more and more popular, and for good reason!  Adding menu information to the place card for each guest is both practical, and creates a hero piece for the centre of the place setting.  Put the place card on top of the menu, or place them both into a little pocket to add intrigue when the guests arrive at their seat.  There are so many creative options here, so speak to your stationer about what you’d like to achieve.

Rethink your table seating chart

I know you’ve seen a table seating chart before.  The wedding party table is at the top, with each table listed underneath by number, right? Well, there’s a better way to do it.  Imagine being a guest at your wedding, walking up to the reception area, and looking at the single table seating chart along with everyone else there.  You’re peering at the text to find your name…table 1, no, table 2, no…you get the picture.  To cut the confusion, I recommend to my couples to list names alphabetically. This makes it so much easier for guests to find their seat and then move on to give space to the next person.  The alphabetical table seating chart is definitely not a new concept, but I’d like to see it used so much more. 

These three tips will certainly get you thinking about the stationery for your own day. If you’re still not sure what you need, be sure to ask your stationer for recommendations. 

This blog post was originally published on Ivory Tribe.