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Stationery Items
'Cards that don’t cost the Earth'
The Guest List
Keeping Children Happy

Stationery Items
Even with the most informal Weddings, your guests will be most at ease of they know what is required of them. They will be looking to you to provide this guidance. This is where your stationery plays a vital role. This section provides you with a clear description on the purpose of each items of stationery to help you decide which you require for your special day

Wedding Invitation
Invites guests to the ceremony, reception and party afterwards.

It is good etiquette to send an invitation to the groom's parents and, if you're having a church wedding, to the minister. If your reception includes a formal dinner and dance and you want guests to wear black tie and evening dress, 'Black Tie' should be printed in the bottom right corner of your invitations.

With formal invitations, guests' names are handwritten in the space provided in the wording of the invitation, and full titles are used. If you're sending an invitation to a married couple, the correct form of address on the envelope is 'Mr and Mrs Michael Smith'.

Send at least 8-12 weeks before the day to be safe, this will allow time for replies to come back and numbers to be finalised.

Evening Invitations
Invites guests to the evening party only (i.e. those not attending the wedding ceremony or immediate reception).
Send 6-8 weeks before the day.

Wedding/Marriage Announcement (price same as Invitations)
Informs friends and relatives of your marriage or forthcoming wedding before/following a small private wedding or weddings abroad.

Reply Card (70p each)
Sent out with invitations to encourage guests to reply promptly.
Plain postcard style printed in a typeface to match your invitations, with your return address on one side and acceptance details on the other.

Order of Service/Ceremony
Provides your guests with a programme of the service/ceremony and a lasting memento of your wedding. One per guest is the norm, with a few extra copies for clergy, choir, etc. Wording can be printed approximately 3 weeks before the day, when arrangements have been finalised. It is important to thoroughly check through the service details, words to the hymns and music with the minister or priest before supplying a clear, complete copy for printing.

Order of the Day
If you are having a civil ceremony you may like to give your guests printed details of the ceremony, reception, etc.

Blessing of the Marriage (price same as Order of Service)
Similar to the Order of Service, but with wording specifically for weddings that have not taken place in a church of other religious establishment.

Seating Plan
You'll need one of these if you're having a seated meal, well displayed so guests can easily see where to sit. Each beautifully framed seating plan is quoted for separately as price is dependant upon frame, no. of tables/guests and design.

Table No./Table Name
Double sided A-style, designed to be free standing but can easily be flattened to use with customer/hotels own stand.

Menu
Providing the finishing touch to your wedding table. One or two per table should be sufficient. Your hotel or caterer may be able to supply these free, so you may wish to check before ordering from us.

Place Card
If you're having a seating plan at your reception, you'll need place cards for the tables. For a small additional charge you can have your guests names in embossed lettering to match the rest of your stationery (see price lists).

Thank You
A polite and easy way of thanking people for attending and/or their gifts and a good way of giving them your new address if you are setting up a new home after your marriage. The insert page is left blank for your own wording but if you would prefer something printed, please add 10p per card.

'Cards that don’t cost the Earth'

Due to our personal concern for the environment we source our embellishments from reputable 'green' suppliers wherever possible. Our cards are made from 75-100% recycled board and our envelopes are from 100% recycled paper.

We feel that choosing recycled products is a positive step to help conserve the Earth's natural resources and reduce the amount of waste which otherwise goes to landfill. Recycling paper can also reduce the energy required in production by up to 50% with similar effects on pollution and carbon dioxide emissions. Recycling also reduces water use by up to 50% and involves fewer chemical processes.

The Guest List

This section is designed to assist you in writing your guest list and covers some of the tricky situations that can crop up.

The size of your guest list is dictated by your budget. If you've set your heart on a certain venue, this may also limit numbers. Once you've set a maximum head count, don't be tempted to exceed it. Don't reply on a drop-out rate either, because you'll be in trouble if all your guests accept.

The easiest way to start your list is to include everyone you'd like to invite, then start crossing people off. This is a difficult process, but start by dropping people you haven't seen for several years. You're not obliged to invite colleagues from work or an escort for single friends. Most people create their guest list with their parents. Even if the couple themselves or the bride's parents are paying for everything, it's only fair that everyone has a chance to say whom they'd like to invite.

Deciding how to share out the list between the different parties can be tricky. Things can be awkward if parents feel their share of the guest list should be larger than the bride and groom would like. There may be distant relatives they want to invite for etiquette's sake, while you would rather invite more friends. Most couples have a two-tiered reception, inviting a small group of guests to the ceremony and meal, then having an evening party to which additional guests are invited.

Remember that if you invite someone to your wedding, it should be because you really want them there, so you and your fiancé/fiancée should have the final say.

Keeping Children Happy

If you do include children, think about ways to keep them happy. You could hire an entertainer or a bouncy castle. A special children's table at the reception is a great idea, with crayons and paper or maybe mini plant-pots and oasis for them to make tiny flower arrangements (you could ask your florist to provide a few loose flowers and foliage) and child-friendly food. There are also companies that provide crèche services for weddings – you could check whether the hotel has something in place already and let your guests know through your invitations.

If you decide not to include children, it's diplomatic to let people know verbally, so that you can explain your reasons and avoid causing offence. Bear in mind that some guests won't be able to find babysitters for their children during your wedding and therefore won't be able to come.

It is generally accepted that there can be an exception to a ‘no children’ policy - this is your immediate family - it's natural to invite little nieces and nephews even if you're not having any other children.

Stationery Items
'Cards that don’t cost the Earth'
The Guest List
Keeping Children Happy

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