A lot goes into picking out the perfect wedding invitations. We hit up one of kickass wedding pros Graphic-Poetry owner Liz Maute, who creates the most elegant custom & semi-custom wedding invitations. Liz has done this for years and is giving us tips for how to start planning! Most couples will begin to plan for stationery after the “big ticket” items are nailed down, like your venues, photographer, etc. Let’s dive into what you should know!
Get your budget under your belt
The internet will tell you wildly different percentages and numbers for this. The stationery expert has seen between 2-8% suggested, sometimes even as low as 2% (really?) and as high as 15% (whoa!) …..truthfully, YOU ultimately get to decide where & how you want to spend your budget.
Be realistic. Nothing makes any wedding pro’s heart hurt more than talking to a lovely couple, getting excited about all the possibilities, and then sending them a proposal that is not in their budget because they weren’t upfront on what they were willing to spend. Not sure what’s in your budget? Ask! Most designers have a range of offerings and can make recommendations!
Your wedding invitation budget will also depend on what kind of level of customization and personalization you want, the Graphic-Poetry owner explains. There are more than enough avenues to choose from: DIY, online stores, and even Etsy offer some benefits.
Consider your timeline
Book your stationery vendor as far out as six months to a year before the wedding. Don’t go past four months out. If you’re looking to work with a vendor to create a custom or semi-custom design, do this as early as possible! Many splurge-worthy services like foil or letterpress printing, wax seals or calligraphy take longer than standard printing timeframes (2-4 weeks vs. 7-10 days for perspective). Nice things take time!
Make a wedding website
No, it’s not cheesy! It can help you save on costs and communicate with your guests. Plus, it’s a fun thing the two of you can do together! Some sites will allow your guests to RSVP through the website. If you’re comfortable with guests responding this way, it can save on the additional postage and envelope of sending the response through the mail and may be faster, too!
A wedding website is perfect if you’re looking for a super convenient way to post all of the details guests need to know and you want a quick way to relay changing plans (ahem, covid), or have itineraries for out-of-town guests. It’s also a fun way to share your story! Many couples like to post how they met, got engaged, and introduce their bridal party on their website. It’s also a great place to discreetly put your registry information, too.
Take a look at Graphic-Poetry’s work!
Special thanks to Nicole Gatto Photography & Leanna Alexis⠀⠀