You have a ring sparkling on the fourth finger of your left hand and you’ve signed up for the adventure of a lifetime: getting married.
You’ve decided that nothing could be more romantic than having a palm tree, bougainvillea, and the cerulean blue of the Pacific Ocean as the backdrop for your wedding. No matter if it’s a Tuscany hillscape, or the rolling hills of a Northern California vineyard, you’re not alone.
Destination weddings have skyrocketed in popularity in the last few decades, and their appeal keeps growing.
Opting for a destination wedding will make you stand out from the pack and allow you to spend significant time with your family and friends, instead of just a few minutes catching up.
Your wedding stationery plays an important role in keeping your guests informed and updated about what to expect on your big day, and you’ll learn everything you need to know about your wedding stationery for your destination wedding.
DESTINATION WEDDING STATIONERY TIMELINE
STEP 1 – The first step after booking your venue is to order your Save the Dates
You should order them 10/12 months prior to the wedding date and mail them out 10/11 months beforehand.
As you’re having a destination wedding, sending your Save the Date is an expected courtesy, since many of your guests will have to make travel and hotel arrangements.
Essential information to include on your Destination Wedding Save the Date:
- Include the wording “Save the Date”
- Couple’s names
- Date or weekend dates
- Location: city, state, and country
- Include “Invitation to follow” at the bottom
- Wedding website
- Include the names of those invited to your wedding on the envelopes
What you should not include on your Save the Dates:
- Wedding registry
- Order of events
- Specific details
- Exact timing
- Dress code
- Meal information
Request a custom order or find creative ideas from our semi-custom save the dates in our shop.
STEP 2 – The second step is to order and mail your wedding invitations
Your wedding invitation plays the most important role in your wedding planning journey. It’s going to be the very first element of your wedding that your guests experience and you want to make a good impression. On the other side, it’s going to be a cherished keepsake and you will want to feel madly in love with it every time you look back to it.
You should order them 5/6 months prior to the wedding date and mail them out 4/5 months beforehand.
Your wedding invitation card should include:
- Your names
- Wedding day, date, and time of the ceremony
- Ceremony venue and address
- Reception venue and address
- Dress code
- Wedding website
- RSVP date
- A note about children
- A note about gifts
Additional cards to accompany the invitation suite:
- RSVP card and envelope with postage
- Wishing Well card
- Accommodations card
- Important info about flights, shuttle, and schedule
- Belly-band to hold the suite together
STEP 3 – The second step is to order your thank you cards
The wedding etiquette recommends sending your thank you cards 2/3 months after your wedding day, but you’ll probably receive wedding gifts before your big day, and you will want to keep track of all your gifts.
For this reason and to save your time, start writing down the thank you cards for the first gifts you receive.
Find inspiration and ideas on how to write meaningful thank you notes in this blog post.
STEP 4 – The fourth step is to order your Wedding Day Stationery
Work with your stationer to create matching stationery for a cohesive look throughout your wedding.
- Welcome basket tag: for guests coming from out of town, it’s nice to include a welcome basket with an optional accompanying tag.
- Ceremony program: the more involved guests feel in your wedding ceremony, the more likely they are to enjoy themselves. It typically includes the couple’s names, date, location of the ceremony, a brief welcome, an overview of the proceedings, and the names of everyone involved in the ceremony.
- Favor tags: these usually include the names of the couple and/or the wedding date.
- Menus: menu cards give an overview of what will be served for the meal.
- Table numbers: these will help guests to find their seats and provide some organization.
- Place cards: they designate the table and seat for each guest. They’re typically used for sit-down dinner receptions and help the venue in ensuring each guest receives the correct meal.
The photos of the products you find above are semi-custom and created by Rustic Chic. If you want to order anything or have questions, don’t hesitate to reach out to us. We are more than happy to help you. Click to reach out.
Read our recent blog posts written for you, with many essentials to help you plan your destination wedding:
Download your free printable wedding planner.
Turn your wedding planning into a joyful journey and make it as stress-free as possible by having everything organized in one place.
With our planner, you can effortlessly keep your budget in check, manage your guest list, handle your weekly and monthly to-dos, utilize numerous checklists, and plan out every magical moment leading up to your big day.
Click below if you’re ready to make your wedding planning experience as beautiful as the love you’re celebrating.
Planning a destination wedding involves meticulous consideration of every detail. With guests traveling from all over to celebrate your big day, you’ll organize additional activities to make the most of your time together.
Building a strong relationship with your vendors is crucial, and below are some we recommend.
Cristina – owner and wedding stationery designer at Rustic Chic.
Cristina has worked with 5.5k+ couples worldwide and is known for creating stationery that is much more than just paper and ink. Cristina loves to help couples by elevating each piece of stationery to become a cherished keepsake through the crafting of semi-custom wedding invitations.
She offers semi-custom stationery with 99% customization, ensuring that every detail is uniquely personalized by giving daily support and a transparent design process for a relaxed and stress-free stationery experience.
Book a free Clarity Call or contact us via this link.
Catherine Roten – Founder/Wedding Planner, Impactful Event Co specializes in crafting boutique, and experiential weddings worldwide.
From intimate gatherings to destination celebrations, our customized packages ensure your dream wedding becomes an extraordinary reality.
Website: https://impactfuleventco.shinepages.com/
Direct Contact: catherine@imperfectlyimpactful.com
Roseann and Danielle started Noted Ireland back in January 2021 doing lots of stationery but quickly moved into wedding personalization.
Noted Ireland is a little team of 4 based in Donegal and makes any kind of wedding items, from PJs and Robes to massive personalized signs. They love what they do and won a wedding supplier award in 2023.
Contact Noted Ireland if you want to work with a wedding accessories specialist.