Are you wondering how the bespoke process works?

​This post is based on the invitation process for one of the awesome couples I got to work with, Sheresa and Jack.

If you have an idea in your head about what you like, feel free to spam my inbox with pictures and words!

​I will also ask you to fill in a questionnaire (which you can peek at here) to give me a better idea of the design direction.

Here's a snippet of Sheresa's responses:

I'll take your ideas and responses and create a moodboard to see if we're on the same page.

From Sheresa's responses and ideas I got the following keywords:

• Elegance
• Minimal
• Romantic
• Luxe
• Timeless
• Classy
• NYC chic

Her wedding colour palette was ivory, gold and navy which I incorporated into my moodboard.

This is the stage where I put all the ideas and pictures together to come up with concepts.

A. CONCEPT: I will deliver up to 3 initial concepts of the main invitation to you (this could vary depending on the scope of the project). From here we choose a direction to go in and then I'll design the other items you require.

B. DEVELOPMENT: You offer your input and suggestions and I'll make the changes accordingly. This is usually the longest part of the design process as there will be a lot of correspondence and revisions.

​C. REFINEMENT: This stage is for minor tweaks before sending off to the printers. Once you're happy with everything and I've got your approval, I will organise the printing and finishing of the invitations. If you are printing the invitations yourself, I will prepare all the necessary files for you.

Sheresa and Jack opted to go for a custom monogram and paper band for their invitation set.

So you've found the perfect wedding location...in a different country! I think destination weddings are awesome - they are fun, exotic and a good excuse for your guests to plan a getaway! Planning a destination wedding is definitely more work than a local wedding but well worth the effort! Being organised is the key to a successful wedding. 

I have worked with different couples who were at various stages of planning their destination wedding. Some couples already had the venue, dates and general order of events locked in and others had just started the organising. No matter what stage you are at in your planning, it is crucial that you send out a save the date notice to your guests as soon as possible.

From my past experience working on destination weddings, this is my recommended strategy to approach the task.
​ 
1) DATE AND COUNTRY. Decide on the dates and the country. You may not have locked in a specific venue yet but having a date range and a general location should be priority.

2) NOTICE. Send out a save the date/notice at least 12 months ahead.

3) RSVP. Some venues require a rough head count prior to booking, so it's advisable to get a RSVP from your guests to see who can attend within 1-2 months of sending the save the date. This will also facilitate with organising the accommodation if necessary.
​
4) INVITATIONS. Send out formal invitations and information once you have all the details confirmed. You shouldn't need to get RSVPs from your invitees as they would've already confirmed attendance during the save the date stage. If you had any guests who were undecided, be sure to follow up with them as soon as you can.

Depending on how much notice you require from your guests to continue planning your wedding, word your save the date in a way that creates urgency to respond but not in an aggressive manner. It is a huge commitment you are asking of your guests to RSVP so early in the process, however it is absolutely necessary. Explain your wedding plans so that your guests understand the process and know what to expect.

If you require assistance with the wording of the save the date, just get in touch with me :)

Once your invitations have been sent you may need other items such as 'order of events' cards (if you are planning activities around the wedding or having a multiple-day wedding fiesta!) Check with your venue or wedding planner about what on-the-day stationery they supply or what you need to supply. 

The following is a guide on the standard stationery you can order for your wedding.

​I've broken it up into two categories: (1) Pre-wedding and (2) On-the-day

Most of these are optional - it's best to check with your wedding coordinator if they provide the on-the-day stationery.

Local weddings: If your wedding is held locally and the majority of your guests are local then I believe a save the date is optional. If you decide not to send save the dates, aim to send your formal wedding invitations at least 4 months before the wedding. Of course you can always notify the specific guests that may require more time to plan and travel.

Destination weddings: YES!! Definitely send a save the date notice! Any wedding plans that require your guests to travel needs as much notice as possible.

If you're after an affordable way to get save the date cards designed, check out our instant DIY templates on Etsy. These are ready for you to fill in yourselves and either send digitally or get printed.

Here's the 6 simple steps of having your wedding stationery specially designed by us:

If you would like to submit an enquiry, please use this form