Since the beginning of this year I’ve had a lot of quote requests for weddings in 2020, so I thought it might be helpful for you to understand a bit more about when you should send out your wedding invitations.
I’ve heard from many different people that 2020 will be a popular year for people to get married, and rumours that it’s due to the sound of the number ‘2020’. We’re now coming up to mid-2019, so anyone getting married at the beginning of next year might be wondering when an appropriate time is to book in their wedding stationery designer.
Of course this depends on confirming many things to do with your big day such as the venue, time of the ceremony, and guest list to name a few. But there’s never any harm in booking your stationer if you know what you want, to avoid any disappointment when you’re ready to get started on your invitations!
Every person is different when it comes to sending these out, I’ve worked with couples who sent their invitations out 2 weeks prior to their destination wedding, and couples that sent them out a year before. I also recently held an Instagram poll asking when people would prefer to send theirs out, and most answered the shorter period of time of 2-4 months before the wedding day.
Recommended Timeline
Save the Dates
These can be sent out at early as you like! Typically if you’re having a destination wedding or you have a lot of family and friends overseas, it’s best to get these out as early as 1 year before the wedding date. Otherwise, approximately 9 months before your wedding day is a good aim.
Invitations
As mentioned above, most people that got involved with my polls said they were looking to send invitations out 2-4 months before the big day. Personally I would always aim closer to 6 months before, meaning that booking your stationer in is something you should be doing 8-12 months before your wedding, allowing you time to confirm any details and come up with your stationery wording.
On the Day Stationery
There are many pieces that need completing much closer to your wedding day, and keeping your stationer up to date is key to ensuring they know exactly where you stand and how long it might take to gather everything you need. Table plans are probably the most difficult to predict, as they can change entirely simply when 1 guest drops out. It’s best to let your guests know the RSVP deadline is at least 6 weeks before your wedding, and allow 4 weeks for design, printing, and delivery of your table plan. This is a conservative timeline, but will hopefully allow for any last minute changes if they occur!
How Do I Work?
Every stationery designer is different in terms of their timelines and how long it takes to complete a project. Here I’ve outlined exactly how I work and how long it takes to complete the process.
Semi-Custom:
I have a range of semi-custom invitations designed for couples that are looking for luxury and modern stationery on a more cost-friendly budget, which can be produced in a shorter period of time. I love that I can offer this with hot foiling and luxury envelopes built into the price, as I think everyone should be able to have their dream stationery for such an important day in their lives. Below is a brief timeline of what you can expect if you order one of these semi-custom collections.
1. Order
• Order and deposit confirmation
• Client sends their copy and information for the stationery
2. Stationery Design and Mock-up• Requirement of 1 week for first rounds of stationery design and mock ups to be sent to the client
• Amends from the client made to the stationery design and mock ups, including any foil or paper changes to be mocked up!
3. PDF Approval
• We move into PDF phase, to ensure all of your information is correct before we go into production
• Design and artwork sign off from client
4. Production
• We require 1-2 weeks to create your finished stationery, ensuring everything is perfect before sending these to you anywhere in the world
• Up to 1 week delivery time
All in all, this can take as little as 3 weeks, depending on the client and how quickly they are to share feedback. I always work as efficiently as possible to provide my clients with a positive experience, helping them make decisions and feel supported throughout.
Custom:
I absolutely adore making bespoke wedding stationery for my clients, and have been so lucky in that all my custom clients have amazing taste! If this is something you know you want, it’s much better to book in early and allow extra time as it’s a much lengthier process. Below is a brief timeline of what you can expect if you order custom collections.
1. Order
• Order and deposit confirmation
• Exchange ideas, such as stationery and design images or invite me to a Pinterest board!
• Client sends their copy and information for the stationery
2. Stationery Design and Mock-up
• Requirement of 2 weeks for concepts and design mock ups to be sent to the client
• Discussion of the proposed design(s) with any likes and dislikes
• Development of the chosen stationery concept and design
• Further 2X rounds of amends included
3. PDF Approval
• We move into PDF phase, to ensure all of your information is correct before we go into production
• Design and artwork sign off from client
4. Production
• We require 2 weeks to create your finished bespoke stationery, ensuring everything is perfect before sending these to you anywhere in the world
• Up to 1 week delivery time
This can take as little as 5 weeks to create, but is usually closer to 8-10 weeks before everything is completed and delivered to the client!
I remember being completely overwhelmed by this when I got married, (before I started Nicety Studio) as my husbands family live overseas, and I wanted to make sure they had enough time to plan and get passports/visas sorted out! So I really hope this offers an insight into when you should start thinking about your stationery!
Anna x