Your London Wedding - Jul/Aug 2019 (Issue 66)

in mind at the design stage – if you’re sending your invitations well in advance, you can also opt for second class stamps. MAKE A DATE When to send invitations is the eternal question – traditionally, they were sent just two to three weeks before the big day but nowadays, we’d advise leaving a far greater margin, especially if your wedding date falls within the school holidays – many parents make their holiday plans well in advance. It’s also common courtesy to give people plenty of notice if attending your wedding will require them to travel far or arrange child care. “Although the general rule of thumb is considered to be six to eight weeks before the big day, many couples feel that this is much too close to their wedding,” says Kysha. “Sending invitations is the easy bit, collecting timely RSVPs – not so much! “Numbers are key and affect many things, including your catering, seating arrangements and venue layout, so the earlier you secure those figures, the faster you can get to work on those tasks.” MATERIAL GIRL There’s no doubt that zero waste is a hot topic at the moment, and you’ve almost certainly thought about the impact of your big day on the planet. The good news is that there is a raft of eco-friendly options out there for printed stationery. “With people ever more eco-conscious, couples are choosing environmentally-friendly invitations made from recycled or natural materials,” agrees Alpa. “Increasingly we’re seeing couples trying to incorporate natural materials and have plastic-free weddings,” says Vaishali. “This is not a passing trend but is becoming a global movement, with all suppliers recognising the damaging effect of plastic. At Ananya, we plant trees for every stationery order that we receive, as our way of giving back to the environment.” CONTACTS: Ananya Cards, ananyacards.com | Dapper & Bride, dapperandbride.com | Papier, papier.com | VishawArt, vishwart.com What’s hot in wedding stationery? ❤ Experiential weddings : We continue to see an exploration of experiential wedding design, with more installations, interactivity and a focus on the guest journey. For stationery, this means elevating suites with more hand-finished touches, tactile mediums, and unexpected elements – for example, through statement placecards that wow guests as they reach their seat. We see this trend being important in 2020 too. – Vaishali ❤ Watercolour: We love the simplicity of watercolour stationery and the dreamy effect it creates. We’re seeing a combination of darker, bolder colours with natural hues also. – Alpa ❤ Green florals: Delicate blooms and green florals are proving very popular but minimal typography is a style we’re increasingly seeing as well. – Christina ❤ Metallics : Metallic and foil printing adds a beautiful texture and feel to your stationery and looks luxurious to boot. – Kysha ananyacards.com vishwart.com vishwart.com papier.com dapperandbride.com STATIONERY 73