Choosing a Theme for Your Wedding Stationery
It might seem a little strange to talk about choosing a theme for your wedding stationery, but if you want a coordinated theme throughout your wedding it may be something you will have to think about early in the wedding planning process.
One of the first things you will do is to send out save the date information, whether it be on a formal save the date cards or the more informal save the date magnet. This card/magnet is the ideal way to give your guests a little taste of what your wedding day will be like. The design you choose will not necessarily be the same as the stationery you will require nearer the date, but you should be looking at something that reflects the style of your wedding.
This article lists 10 things you may wish to consider when choosing a theme for your wedding stationery and of course they will help you choose your overall theme and colour too.
Your Own Style
Make sure you choose a wedding theme that reflects your own style. This will mean you are comfortable on the day and your guests will recognise it as your wedding. Not sure what your style is? Look around you: how do you decorate? What do you wear? Where are you happiest? If your home is all clean lines and modern furniture you should probably select a modern theme. If you love making and baking perhaps shabby chic is more you.
What Defines You as a Couple?
Sit down together and look at what you have in common. What are your shared interests and passions? Write down words and places that define you as a couple. If you are drawn together by a love of travel this can be a great stationery theme, incorporating luggage labels on the invitations and place names on your table plan.
Your Wedding Venue
You will probably have chosen and booked your venue before you send out your save the date cards. Your choice of venue will play a major role in your wedding style. A wedding in a stately home may lend itself to a vintage Downton Abbey style wedding, whereas booking a Tipi leans more towards a festival theme. The venue may also have an influence on the colours you choose. Some hotels may have strong colour themes and you may have to be careful about colour clashes.
Time of Year
The season of your wedding day needs to be considered. If you are having a winter wedding you might like to go with warm and opulent or you might prefer a white and blue Frozen-themed colour scheme. Pastels work well in spring for a romantic wedding and summer is perfect for bright colours. If flowers are important in your plans talk with a florist to see what is in season and this will help you with your colours too.
Your Dreams
When you close your eyes and imagine your wedding, what do you see? Is it pink and pretty or do you see smart sophistication. Did you always want to be a princess for the day or a glamourous bride? This is your day. Choose a theme that can make it yours.
On-line Inspiration
Pinterest and Etsy treasury boards will bring up ideas for weddings that you could not have dreamed of. Have fun pinning and sharing what you like. Set up different boards or treasuries for different styles and colours. You can have a board just for stationery ideas and another for food. It can be inspiring, but all the options can be overwhelming too. In fact so many ideas can make it really hard to choose, so make sure you don’t get too carried away.
Close Friends and Family
Ask for help in choosing a theme and colours, but don’t be bullied in to something you don’t want. If you are not very good at coordinating colours, ask someone who is. You should also consider your bridesmaids when choosing colours and styles - be willing to go for a spectrum of colours that will suit them all and, potentially different dress styles if necessary.
Your Budget
Remember to set a budget early and stick to it. Your budget is a vital part of wedding planning and gives you an amount to spend on the theme and colour palette. Sometimes the simple things are the most effective. Just use the colours you want as spot colours on the stationery and ribbon in the flowers. If you are on a limited budget pick a theme that is easy to pull off. Your friends might love helping make bunting or putting together informal flowers, if so the rest of your wedding will need to reflect that cosy feel.
Mood of the Wedding
What mood do you want to put over at your wedding? Fun, informal, romantic, sophisticated or traditional? The choice is yours. The mood you want will have an effect on everything – the venue, the colour and the theme. How do you want to remember your wedding day?
You probably will consider all the above as you plan your wedding theme. It will be an exciting time and you will have plenty of ideas. At the end of the day, our advice would be to keep the theme and the colour palette simple but then go with it from start to finish. Make sure everything is beautifully coordinated and fits the theme and your wedding day will look stunning and be amazing.
What Defines You as a Couple?
Sit down together and look at what you have in common. What are your shared interests and passions? Write down words and places that define you as a couple. If you are drawn together by a love of travel this can be a great stationery theme, incorporating luggage labels on the invitations and place names on your table plan.
Your Wedding Venue
You will probably have chosen and booked your venue before you send out your save the date cards. Your choice of venue will play a major role in your wedding style. A wedding in a stately home may lend itself to a vintage Downton Abbey style wedding, whereas booking a Tipi leans more towards a festival theme. The venue may also have an influence on the colours you choose. Some hotels may have strong colour themes and you may have to be careful about colour clashes.
Time of Year
The season of your wedding day needs to be considered. If you are having a winter wedding you might like to go with warm and opulent or you might prefer a white and blue Frozen-themed colour scheme. Pastels work well in spring for a romantic wedding and summer is perfect for bright colours. If flowers are important in your plans talk with a florist to see what is in season and this will help you with your colours too.
Your Dreams
When you close your eyes and imagine your wedding, what do you see? Is it pink and pretty or do you see smart sophistication. Did you always want to be a princess for the day or a glamourous bride? This is your day. Choose a theme that can make it yours.
On-line Inspiration
Pinterest and Etsy treasury boards will bring up ideas for weddings that you could not have dreamed of. Have fun pinning and sharing what you like. Set up different boards or treasuries for different styles and colours. You can have a board just for stationery ideas and another for food. It can be inspiring, but all the options can be overwhelming too. In fact so many ideas can make it really hard to choose, so make sure you don’t get too carried away.
Close Friends and Family
Ask for help in choosing a theme and colours, but don’t be bullied in to something you don’t want. If you are not very good at coordinating colours, ask someone who is. You should also consider your bridesmaids when choosing colours and styles - be willing to go for a spectrum of colours that will suit them all and, potentially different dress styles if necessary.
Your Budget
Remember to set a budget early and stick to it. Your budget is a vital part of wedding planning and gives you an amount to spend on the theme and colour palette. Sometimes the simple things are the most effective. Just use the colours you want as spot colours on the stationery and ribbon in the flowers. If you are on a limited budget pick a theme that is easy to pull off. Your friends might love helping make bunting or putting together informal flowers, if so the rest of your wedding will need to reflect that cosy feel.
Mood of the Wedding
What mood do you want to put over at your wedding? Fun, informal, romantic, sophisticated or traditional? The choice is yours. The mood you want will have an effect on everything – the venue, the colour and the theme. How do you want to remember your wedding day?
You probably will consider all the above as you plan your wedding theme. It will be an exciting time and you will have plenty of ideas. At the end of the day, our advice would be to keep the theme and the colour palette simple but then go with it from start to finish. Make sure everything is beautifully coordinated and fits the theme and your wedding day will look stunning and be amazing.
