How To Design Your Own Wedding Stationery: A DIY Guide
DIY wedding stationery saves a genuine amount of money, and it is where a lot of couples discover that a fifth of the budget was going on paper.
It goes wrong in two predictable places: wording that leaves guests confused, and envelopes that tip into a higher postage bracket. Get those right and the rest is fun.
Honest note: we make cards, prints, pin badges and party decorations in the UK. Laptops, software and printers are recommendations from elsewhere.
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Wedding and engagement cards, printed in the UK.
What you actually need to make
- Save the dates, six to twelve months ahead.
- Invitations with an RSVP method, eight to twelve weeks ahead.
- On the day: order of service, table plan, place cards, menus.
- Thank you cards afterwards, which everyone forgets to budget for.
- Wedding cards from us if you would rather buy than make - Shop the range
Designing them
- Pick two fonts maximum and one accent colour, then repeat them across every piece.
- A5 for invitations, A6 for RSVPs, 90x55mm for place cards are the standard UK sizes.
- Set up at 300dpi with 3mm bleed, and design in CMYK if you are sending to a printer.
- Screen colour is the usual disaster. A laptop with a colour-accurate display - a MacBook Air's Liquid Retina screen, for example - saves you from finding out at the print stage that your dusty sage is actually mint.
- Print one of everything at home before committing.
Printing and paper
- Home printing suits under about 40 invitations if you have a decent inkjet.
- A UK online printer is cheaper and better above that, typically GBP 1 to GBP 2 per invitation.
- 300gsm to 350gsm card feels like a wedding invitation. 250gsm feels like a flyer.
- Recycled or seeded paper is a real option and photographs well.
- Weigh a finished, stuffed envelope at the post office before you buy stamps.
Wording and timings
- Name who is hosting, then who is invited, then date, time, place and dress code.
- Be explicit about children. Vagueness here causes more upset than any other line.
- Give an RSVP date about four weeks before the day, and a method people will actually use.
- Put accommodation, travel and gift details on a separate insert or a website.
- Thank you cards - Shop the range
Found your words? Now find the card
Shop wedding cards Anniversary and wedding cards Greetings cards Wall art and prints
How to write it so it lands
- Two fonts, one accent colour.
- Weigh a stuffed envelope before buying stamps.
- Be explicit about children.
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We make cards, pin badges, prints and party bits in house. These are from other shops we rate, and buying through the link costs you nothing extra.
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Frequently asked questions
Is it cheaper to make your own wedding invitations?
Usually yes. DIY invitations typically cost GBP 0.50 to GBP 1.50 each including paper and postage-ready envelopes, against GBP 3 to GBP 6 for bespoke stationery.
What size should wedding invitations be in the UK?
A5 for the main invitation, A6 for RSVP cards, and 90x55mm for place cards. Keep the stuffed envelope inside large letter dimensions.
What paper weight is best for wedding invitations?
300gsm to 350gsm. Anything lighter feels flimsy in the hand, which is the first thing guests notice.
When should you send wedding invitations?
Save the dates six to twelve months ahead, invitations eight to twelve weeks ahead, with an RSVP date about four weeks before the wedding.
What should wedding invitation wording include?
Who is hosting, who is invited, the date, time, venue, dress code, RSVP method and deadline, and a clear line about whether children are invited.
Do you sell laptops?
No. We design and print greetings cards, enamel pin badges, prints and party decorations in the UK. Laptops and software are recommendations from elsewhere - the only things linked to our own shop are ours.