Your Guide to Wedding Stationery Etiquette

Your wedding stationery sets the tone for your special day, offering your friends and family an exciting glimpse into the celebration you’re planning (and what they can expect). Each element of your wedding stationery plans an important role within your wedding journey – from Save the Date cards through to thank you cards after the big day.  As an experienced wedding stationer, I’ve put together a guide to help you navigate the essentials, including timings, wording, guest lists and so much more.

Timings: When To Send Your Wedding Invitations

Let’s start with your Save the Date Cards. These are the very first glimpse of your wedding that your guests will see, so timings and visuals are key! Typically, I’d recommend sending out your Save the Date cards around 8 months prior to your wedding date. For destination weddings, this needs to be a little longer, so your loved ones have advanced warning – I’d recommend 12 months before the big day arrives. Keep it simple: you only need to include your names, the date and the venue / location. Also mention that a formal invitation will follow so you don’t need to include the finer details just yet.

Next up? Your wedding invitations! AKA - the core of your wedding stationery. Invitations should be sent around 4 to 6 months ahead of your celebration (and again, further in advance if you’re having a destination wedding). While this timeframe can feel generous, it’s always courteous to give people enough notice to book childcare, secure the time off work or arrange accommodation if they’re travelling from afar. You’ll be surprised by how quickly the special day comes around!

Wording: How To Write Your Wedding Invitations

While you can certainly stick to traditional wording, nowadays you don’t have to if you don’t want to. I recommend writing your wedding invitations so that it reflects the tone and style of your wedding day. If you know that your wedding is going down the more formal route, include traditional phrases such as, “Mr & Mrs John Smith request the honour of your presence at the marriage of their daughter, Louise Smith, to Mr James Brown.” This phrasing is typically used if the parents of the bride are hosting the wedding day. However, if you’re having a more relaxed event or you’re hosting it yourselves, a simpler and more modern approach will work perfectly. In the past, my clients have used phrases such as, “We’re getting married! Join us on [DATE] to celebrate our big day.” Ultimately, the choice of your wedding invitation wording is completely up to you!

 The most important part of your wedding invitation wording is that the details are clear and correct! It may seem obvious, but it’s easy to get a typo! Triple-check the date, time, venue and RSVP information so that there’s no room for confusion.

The RSVP Information 

You’ll need a definitive idea of your guest list to confirm your catering, seating arrangements and much more, so make it as easy as possible for your friends and family to get back to you within a timely manner (which is actually much harder than you think!).

Be sure to include a clear deadline – chances are, you’re going to be chasing guests for a response otherwise. I’d recommend a deadline of 4 – 6 weeks prior to the wedding. Include a pre-stamped envelope if you’re including paper RSVP cards so that it’s easy for guests to respond promptly. If you’re having a wedding website, include the URL or even a QR code for easy accessibility.

The Details: Addressing your Wedding Invitations

 Traditionally, wedding invitations are addressed with formality, detailing full titles and names on the envelope. However, if this doesn’t sit right with you both as a couple, don’t feel you have to follow suit. Whichever way you choose to address your guests on your wedding invitations, just make sure it’s consistent throughout the entire guest list. And if you want a personal touch, you’ll be pleased to know that I can handwrite each and every single one of your invitations, so that from the moment they are posted through the door your guests will feel truly special.

 By following some of my handy wedding stationery etiquette tips, your guests will feel as informed as they do excited! Don’t forget you can browse my wedding stationery collections here, or get in touch to find out more about my bespoke designs and how the process works. I still have availability for weddings in 2025 and I’m already beginning to think about 2026 love stories too!