How to Incorporate Art Into Your Wedding
IT'S NOT JUST INVITES
Yes, wedding invitations are superbly important however there are a million and one opportunities to incorporate design at your wedding (and before).
TIMELINE
ENGAGED!
DESIGN (2 months)
PRINTING (2-4 weeks)
ADDRESSING, STAMPING + MAILING (2 weeks)
Let's look at an example. Shondra just got engaged, woot! She's a graphic designer and wants to get creative for her own wedding, she has access to a printer and she feels comfortable with the process. Her wedding is in October, it's January right now.
6-4 months before her wedding Shondra should mail out save the dates
6-8 weeks before her wedding Shondra should mail her invitations
ENVELOPES
For a 5x7 you'll want an A7 envelope, for a greeting card sized insert card (4 1/4 x 5 1/2) it's going to be an A2. Otherwise if you're going with a postcard (4x6) you don't need an envelope. Silly.
Remember that if you are opting to letter the letters yourself you will need to purchase a few extra envelopes to keep yourself from sweating the mistakes. For every 100 envelopes buy 20 extra, at least if you want to take the advice of expert wedding stationer Paige Poppe.
STAMPS
Weigh your invite before you confidently slap your forever stamp on that pretty paper. Because, if you happen to mistakenly mail your invite with incorrect postage, the mail man will be zero happy with you. Zero.
WEDDING PAPER OPPORTUNITIES
Welcome sign
Guest book + guest book sign
Card and gift sign
Bar menu
Individual programs
Guest seat assignments
Place card or escord cards or both
Menus
Coasters
MY FAVORITE IDEA
Add a print to the back of your invite, your table number or your anything wedding 5x7. That way your stationery becomes a keepsake and something that guests will be ecstatic to keep, to frame and to cherish.
ADVICE FROM PAIGE
"Your wedding stationery is the one place where you can have a lot of fun; you can make it punchy, it doesn't have to be minimal or restrained. But it is the first touch point you have with your guests, make it count, help your guests get to know you as a couple."