Everything to Know About Day-Of Wedding Stationery

When couples think about wedding stationery, the first two items that typically come to mind are save-the-dates and invitations. The first is used to announce when you plan to wed to those you plan to invite, and the second is used to formally invite your loved ones to your wedding and provide all of the details. But there are even more wedding stationery pieces to consider, particularly for your actual wedding day—and I thought I would share more about some of the most popular ones below. Let’s get started!

Welcome Bags:

If a lot of your guests are traveling to your wedding, a welcome bag for each room where guests are staying (left at the front desk of the hotel for the staff to present) is always a nice touch. Typically, welcome bags include a few snacks local to the city where you’re getting married, bottles of water, and a schedule of events for your wedding weekend (reminding guests of transportation times and locations is always helpful!). In terms of stationery, the labels and schedules in these bags are a great way to continue to use your wedding paper theme and color palette!

Ceremony Programs:

Similar to a schedule of events inside a welcome bag, ceremony programs are another excellent touch. A program is helpful because it’s an area where you can share the order of events for your ceremony as well as quick facts about each person who will appear throughout this part of your day. Overall, programs allow everyone to follow along, which creates a more engaging atmosphere for all.  

Custom Signs:

There are many small details and moments you can customize throughout your wedding day, and signs explain each one! For example, if you’re offering a signature drink at your reception, create a sign that shares the drink’s name as well as the ingredients. Then consider a sign for your guest book, your card table, and your favors (if you’re having them). Think about including directions if there’s something similar guests need to do, too.

Escort Cards:

Most couples will choose to assign guests to a specific table for the reception. In order to inform guests about where they’re sitting, you need escort cards! Each one typically includes the guest’s name and table number. Sometimes there’s also a symbol or a note about what they ordered for dinner on their RSVP. The key with these is to organize them in alphabetical order by last name for guests to easily find their card. Another idea is to create a sign with guests’ names and table numbers. Either way, this is something a graphic or stationery designer can create!

Place Cards:

If you’re hosting a more formal wedding, you may also want to add place cards to your tables. These cards are used when you want to assign guests to a specific seat a table (not just to the table itself). If you’re planning to go this route, be prepared for your catering team to ask you to provide them with a table diagram to follow that specifically notes where they should place each card.

Menus:

Several weeks typically pass between when guests return their RSVPs and when they attend your wedding day. During this time, many people can and will forget what they ordered to eat. One idea is to remind them by placing an icon or a note on their escort card, but another way to present this info is with a menu. You can detail what will be served for the main course, and you can also share information about your salad and dessert courses too. Consider placing a menu at each setting or add a sign or two to the center of each table for everyone to view.   

Thank You Cards:  

After traveling to your wedding day, celebrating with you, and giving you a gift, guests love receiving thank you cards. They’re definitely not a thing of the past! Consider asking your stationery designer to create cards for you that include your wedding’s style and color palette to continue your paper theme. You can also choose to add a photo from your wedding day to the front of the card! Either way, make sure to add a handwritten note to the inside before you pop it into the mail.

What wedding day stationery are you planning to include at your celebration? Do you have any you would add to this list? What about questions? Feel free to comment below, or send me a note! I always love chatting about paper.