Four handy tools below to help with your Wedding Invitation Suite planning:  What Do I Need?, When Do I Need It?, What Should I Know?, and What Are My Options?  Read On!

WHAT DO I NEED?

COMPLETE THIS CHECKLIST to ensure you order the stationery pieces you need to guarantee the perfect wedding celebration from start to finish!  

SHARING THE NEWS
 { } Engagement Announcements + Envelopes
 { } Save The Date Cards + Envelopes
 { } Save The Date Post Cards
 { } Save The Date Magnets + Envelopes

INVITATION SUITE COMPONENTS
 { } Invitations + Primary Envelopes
 { } Response Cards + Envelopes
 { } Response Post Cards
 { } Reception Cards
 { } Accommodation Cards
 { } Directions/Map Cards
 { } Schedule of Events Cards
 { } Wedding Website Cards
 { } Rehearsal Invitations + Envelopes
 { } Rehearsal Dinner Invitations + Envelopes
 { } Brunch Invitations + Envelopes

EXTRAS & EMBELLISHMENTS
 { } Unlined Inner Envelopes
 { } Lined Inner Envelopes
 { } Pocket Folders/Wraps/Sleeves/Bands
 { } Envelope Sticker Seals or Labels
 { } Ribbon/Raffia/Twine/Cord
 { } Computer Calligraphy (Name + Address)
 { } Handwritten Calligraphy (Name + Address)

WEDDING DAY PAPER ITEMS
 { } Welcome Notes/Itinerary
 { } Wedding Programs
 { } Place Cards
 { } Table Numbers
 { } Menus
 { } Favors/Favor Tags

FAVORS & KEEPSAKES
 { } Napkins - Beverage/Dinner
 { } Matchbooks/Matchboxes
 { } Coasters
 { } Favor Boxes/Bags
 { } Favor Cones/Envelopes
 { } Flower Seed Packet Favors
 { } CD Favor Jackets
 { } Other:

AFTER THE BIG DAY
 { } Thank You Notes + Envelopes
 { } Marriage Announcements + Envelopes
 { } At Home/New Address Cards + Envelopes  

WHEN DO I NEED IT?

HAVING A PLAN IS IMPERATIVE with so many details to prepare and coordinate. Following a timeline will help keep everything on track. Simply grab a calendar and work back from your ceremony date!

UPON ENGAGEMENT

  • Share your good news with family and friends.
  • Begin assembling your guest list.
  • Select and inform your attendants.
  • Determine a wedding budget and decide who will be hosting the event.

SIX-TWELVE MONTHS AHEAD

  • Select your wedding date and time.
  • Reserve ceremony and reception locations.
  • Order Engagement Announcements and Engagement Party Invitations.
  • Order and send Save the Dates to provide guests ample planning/coordination time. Destination Weddings: 10-12 months ahead and Local/Regional Weddings: 6 months ahead.
  • Order Personalized Stationery/Thank You Notes for the bride and groom.

THREE-SIX MONTHS AHEAD

  • Finalize the style, tone, mood, and sentiment for your “Big Day.”
  • Order Your Wedding Invitation Suite!
  • Decide on Favors + Favor Tags and place your order.
  • Design and order Rehearsal Dinner or “Morning-After” Brunch Invitations if not included in the initial stationery suite order.
  • Your Wedding Invitations have arrived! Prepare for mailing - assembly, addressing, postage, etc.

TWO MONTHS AHEAD

  • Time to Mail Your Invitations! The Invitation Suite should be mailed no later than 6 weeks before the wedding but 8 weeks is preferred.
  • If not already designed with your initial order, now is the time to finalize your Wedding Program, Menu, Table Card, Place Card, Thank You, and Wedding Announcement order.

4-5 WEEKS AHEAD

  • Time to send Wedding Rehearsal, Rehearsal Dinner, Welcome Dinner, or Morning-After Brunch Invitations.

1-2 WEEKS AHEAD

  • Ensure all Wedding Day Stationery items have been delivered to your ceremony and reception locations or provided to your Wedding Planner.
  • Prepare your Wedding Announcements to be mailed by a family member or attendant the day after your wedding.

WHAT SHOULD I ASK?

IMPORTANT QUESTIONS TO ASK - The following questions are a GREAT place to begin planning your invitation package and the answers are invaluable to your stationer.

THE BASICS

  • How many guests are we planning to invite?
  • How many invites total will we need if there are families and couples included in our guest count
  • How formal is our event? Will we need inner envelopes, envelope liners, calligraphy, etc.?
  • What is my stationery budget? Is it realistic?

THE PIECES

  • Do we need to send Save The Dates? If so do we need to send them to the entire guest list or just out-of-town guests?
  • Do we want to have the return address pre-printed on the Primary Envelopes?
  • Do we prefer to have the response address printed on the Response Envelopes?
  • Should we consider a Response Post Card instead of a Response Card Set (postage is roughly half for a Post Card)?
  • Do we need to include menu item selection on our Response Cards in order to get an accurate meal count for the caterer?
  • Is my venue difficult to locate? Do my guests need Directions or a Map?
  • Have we booked a set of rooms at a hotel or hotels we need to let guests know about?
  • Does the hotel require a special reservation code we need to include?
  • Are there other weekend events guests will be invited to - Rehearsal, Welcome Reception, Brunch, or Group Activities?

THE EMBELLISHMENTS

  • Do we want to use an Invitation Folder, Wrap, Sleeve, or Band to embellish our Invitations?
  • Do we want to incorporate ribbon, raffia, or cord to bind the Invitation Set together or to wrap an Enclosure?
  • Are we considering Calligraphy (either Computer or Handwritten) for our envelopes?

WEDDING DAY PAPER

  • What stationery will we need on our wedding day? Is the reception venue providing specific pieces like Menus or Table Numbers?
  • Are we giving a Wedding Favor or Welcome Gift? Do we need to include a Note, Sticker, or Tag?

THE DAY AFTER

  • If we are having a small wedding event with a  limited guest list do we need Marriage Announcements to share the news with friends and co-workers?
  • Will we have a new address we need to let friends and family know about?

WHAT ARE MY OPTIONS?

IT’S ALL IN THE DETAILS...TRULY
Every LP+P design element may be changed to suit your fancy - ink colors, fonts, papers, printing method, sizes or styles, embellishments, and more.

INK COLORS
Lilywillow LOVES color which is why we provide our favorite 60 Ink Colors to choose from. Custom ink colors are available and run $25 per ink - any printing method.

FONTS/TYPESTYLES
What does Lilywillow love almost as much as color?  Fonts & Type.  With more than 100 Font Options - scripts, serifs, san serifs, and decorative styles - you're sure to find the typestyle that speaks your language. Custom font matching starts at $25.

PAPER & ENVELOPES
Paper Baby...Our standard paper is 110lb.'s of paper goodness.  This means it's nice and heavy - looks absolutely beautiful in all 3 of Lilywillow's Printing Methods, and stands up to the mailing process.  Available in White, Soft White (cream), and Natural White (ivory) you're sure to find the perfect match. Upgrade papers are available too - 100% Recycled Paper, 100% Cotton Paper, Extra Heavy Weight, Colored Paper, Metallic Paper - you tell us. Upgrade papers start at $35 per use.

PRINTING METHOD
Lilywillow offers 3 UNIQUE Printing Methods:

DIGITAL ($) - High resolution printing from digital files.  Your invitation is sent directly to the press from the computer (no printing plates) and your color options are endless (more than 4+ inks at one time for the same price). The result appears as a flat image upon the paper (no raised or indented feel).

OFFSET LITHOGRAPHY ($$) - The transfer of text + artwork via ink, from a thin metal plate to the paper.  Each ink you select requires an additional printing plate - this is why Lilywillow offers 1 + 2 color printing - the more inks you choose, the more plates are required, and the higher the price.  The color is dense, smooth and flat to the surface of the paper (again, no raised or indented feel).

LETTERPRESS ($$$) - Is considered a fine art. Letterpress involves applying ink to the surface of raised metal type and artwork and then pressing the metal plate into a thick, soft paper at a controlled rate of pressure. The image is indented, sitting down into the paper, and results in an elegantly tactile effect. Each and every piece that comes off a letterpress is unique in some way because of the "hands on" component to this method.