With less than a month until Princess Eugenie and Jack Brooksbank's royal wedding, their invites have long since been signed, sealed and delivered. The beautiful invitations - which have been revealed to the public by Vanity Fair - show that the couple have opted for a traditional embossed design with scriptive font.
However, if you're still trying to find the perfect wedding stationery for your own big day, help is at hand from luxury wedding stationer Grace Sherriff. The founder and chief designer of norma&dorothy shares her secret of securing A-list-worthy wedding stationery without a royal price tag...
1) Budgeting is essential:
Work out how much of your wedding budget you will allocate to stationery at the start of your wedding planning journey. You don't want to splash out on Save the Dates and leave little to no budget for a table plan. But be savvy - ask your preferred suppliers if they offer discount. You'll find many stationery companies will value your loyalty – especially if you’re going to use the same company for all your wedding stationery. And remember, bespoke designs might be uniquely personal but buying a ‘house collection’ will save you hundreds.
© Photo: TwitterPrince Harry and Meghan sent out elegant die-stamped invitations
2) Be realistic:
Pinterest is full of wonderful wedding stationery ideas, but all those fancy finishes come at a huge cost. Be realistic with your expectations of what your dream design may cost.
STORY: The difference between Meghan and Kate's wedding invitations
3) Ask the experts:
Don't be afraid to ask your chosen supplier to help you with wording and wedding etiquette. It is most likely the first time you’ve ordered stationery, but a good supplier will have worked with thousands of brides and grooms. Use their knowledge, experience and expertise to your advantage.
4) Do your research:
Find out early on what your chosen stationer can provide. You don’t want to get six months into planning to discover they aren’t able to provide ‘on the day stationery’ to your invitations.
© Photo: TwitterPrince William and Kate's wedding invitations were issued by the Queen
5) Plan in advance:
Ask how long the process will take. It can be surprising how long designing, printing, finishing and posting can take.
MORE: This genius tool lets you check if it's going to rain on your wedding day
6) Order samples:
Most companies are happy to provide samples for a small cost. This is a great way to see the finish and quality up close before committing to the full order. It can also help you understand why some invitations cost more once you’ve seen the finished piece.
© Photo: iStock7) Choose a design you both love:
Don't be offended if older relatives aren't keen on your stationery choices. Stationery trends are forever changing and what your Mum had for her wedding may vary greatly from what you want at yours.
8) Be organised:
Be super-organised with your table plan, menu, place cards and the like. Those last few weeks before the big day fly by and the last thing you want to deal with is making sure you’ve ordered enough Order of Service booklets.
9) Decide on a theme:
Your stationery will bring your wedding theme to life; choose your colours and style early on so this can be used across your stationery to create a curated look.
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