What’s Your Wedding Season?

How Your Chosen Date Can Inspire Your Wedding Stationery Design

Weddings are all about celebrating connections. The most important one being between you and your future spouse, but also your connections with the people you love, your community, where you live, the places special to you and the time of year you’ve chosen to celebrate. In a world where having everything, all the time, is often prized above real connections, I love helping my couples slow down and think about the season they have chosen (or could choose) for their wedding and the personal touches and style that we can add to their wedding.

Nature really does know best about most things, and leaning into its natural cycles can enhance all aspects of your big day. For me, the exciting part of working with the seasons in my designs is the sheer variety of inspiration they offer. For the wedding day itself, a single venue can be transformed to embrace any season using colour, lighting, textures, fabrics, and flowers, producing something unique to you as a couple. This can be carried through into your stationery design, where I can help you illustrate all the personal seasonal elements you have chosen.

There is something to love in every season. I’m here to walk you through each one and show you what can be done with my favourite design and illustration tools: colour, style and materials.

SPRING:  Fresh, Romantic, Floral

Always a good place to start, as a time of new beginnings, spring brings with it natural freshness. The days are getting lighter, and everything feels more optimistic.

·      Colours – for spring, fresh and light colours always come to mind, such as pale shades, pastels, neutrals, and greens.

·      Styles – this is where I love to add soft, romantic and whimsical touches, whether through beautifully swirling script fonts or watercolour florals inspired by the seasonal flowers you plan to have.

·      Paper – in keeping with the softer colours and styles, I like to go for a lighter background choice with a beautiful textured finish for the most natural feel.

SUMMER: Bright, Bold, Beautiful

A time not to hold back! With maximum daylight hours, summer is naturally supercharged, and I love injecting my summer-themed designs with that bold energy and brightness.

·      Colours – for summer, I always gravitate towards brighter, more vivid pops of colour in my designs, and the season’s flowers offer endless inspiration.

·      Styles – there are lots of opportunities to be playful and whimsical with summer designs, especially with big, bold watercolour florals or venue illustrations bursting with seasonal flowers.

·      Paper – I like to keep backgrounds light to contrast with the bolder colours and illustrations. A textured finish adds visual interest, and layered coloured cards are a fun touch and pop of colour.

AUTUMN: Rich, Warm, Mellow

The daylight hours may be declining, but the sun has done its work, and autumn brings with it all the abundance of harvest time. There is so much richness to tap into at this time of year; Autumn definitely goes out with a bang!

·      Colours – this is where all the richness lies, with warm, earthy, muted, mellow, deep tones, and added coppers and golds.

·      Styles – autumn particularly lends itself to textured, layered designs, and for watercolour illustrations, trees and foliage come into their own. Though the autumnal florals still have an abundance of colour to offer.  

·      Paper – there is no need to hold back here; use deeper, darker backgrounds, textures, and layers to bring warmth to the invites.

WINTER: Sophisticated, Simple, Elegant

With the fewest daylight hours, winter naturally has a slower pace and indoor focus, which lends itself beautifully to simpler, more intimate celebrations. It’s also a magical season, and though you must work harder to find warmth, it’s all the more satisfying when you do.

·      Colours – winter is a time for rich, deep tones with touches of metallics, and cooler colour palettes come into their own.

·      Styles – I like to keep my design more minimal, simple, and clean, which lends itself perfectly to line-drawn illustrations and watercolours of venues in their seasonal glory.

·      Paper – here, darker backgrounds can add an elegant richness, and in keeping with the gift-giving season, I love to add personal embellishments, including velvet ribbons, wax seals, and gold leaf edging.

I hope this has given you lots of inspiration on how the seasons can help you set the tone for your wedding day, and now it’s over to you. What season is your wedding? And once you know, I’m here to help you make the most of it with my bespoke design services or house collections that are ready to go.

Love Fran x

Wording Wisdom: Your Guide to Wedding Invitation Etiquette for Every Family Situation

Before we launch into this potential minefield of a topic, I want to give you hope!

There is a wedding invitation out there, worded to perfection to suit you as a couple and the celebration you want to hold, and that acknowledges who is supporting you in doing it. It can be done, no matter how intricate your situation is.

And for more good news, you don’t need to start from scratch; there is a wealth of tradition and etiquette to draw on, developed over centuries of couples facing the same dilemmas as you are right now. Your wedding invite needs to work hard for you, and understanding the established etiquette will give you a good start. The final wording, however, is always yours to choose – so feel free to adapt and mould whatever you see here until it’s the best fit for you as a couple.

Setting the tone

An invitation is an announcement of a special event, and every event needs a host. They are the ones who do the planning, send the invites, pay what needs to be paid, and make sure everyone is taken care of on the day. It’s a big role, and traditionally it was the sole responsibility of the bride's family. Thankfully, times have changed, and the couple getting married now has much more autonomy over the whole process. Often taking on the role of hosting and settling the bills themselves, with their family's support. Your invitation is an important opportunity for you to acknowledge who is contributing to your wedding and to let your guests know as well.

So, the two key questions you need to ask yourself before designing your invitations are:

1. Who is hosting your wedding?

2. What tone are you aiming for?

1) Announcing the host is how you would traditionally start your invitation. Who is requesting their presence? This is where it can get tricky: the host could be multiple people – you, as a couple, either parent (s), both sets of parents, divorced parents, a blended family, or a mix of all the above. There are many good reasons to tread carefully with your wording, and I have lots of examples of how to handle this sensitively.

2) The formality of the words you choose to announce your host also plays a key role. It’s important to find the right level of formality for the wedding you’re planning. "Request the honour of your presence" would suit a black-tie event, whereas "invite you to celebrate" is more relaxed for a barn wedding.

Here’s how it can be done!

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Section 1: The Classic Scenarios (Married Parents Hosting)

• Wording Tip: For a traditional look, remember to spell out all dates and times (e.g., Saturday, the twenty-fifth of May, two thousand and twenty-four, at five o'clock in the evening). Modern invites use numerals (e.g., Saturday, May 25, 2024, at 5:00 PM).

• Pro Tip: Use "honour of your presence" for a religious ceremony (house of worship) and "pleasure of your company" for a secular ceremony.

Section 2: When the Couple is the Host

This is the most common modern scenario, simplifying the process by placing the focus squarely on the couple.

• Wording Tip: Using "Together with their families" is a gracious way to acknowledge parental support without getting into the specifics of who paid for what.

Section 3: Navigating Divorced and Blended Families

This requires the most sensitivity. The key is to list the hosts by their current relationship status and level of involvement/contribution, with a new line for each separate hosting party.

Key Etiquette Rules for Divorced Parents:

1. Separate Lines: Divorced parents' names never appear on the same line. A new line indicates they are separate hosts.

2. Order: Traditionally, the mother's name is listed first, unless the father is the primary host/contributor.

3. Stepparents: A stepparent who is married to a hosting parent is included on the same line as their spouse, but should be listed only if they are involved in the couple's life and wedding planning.

• Sensitivity Tip: If your parents' relationships are complex or strained, the "Together with their families" option is a safe, diplomatic, and modern solution that avoids prioritising one host over another.

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For my final etiquette nugget, let’s look at how to include the names of your guests.

• Formal – the names of your guests do not appear on the printed invitation itself. Instead, they should be written on the envelope.

• Informal – here, the guest’s name can be incorporated into the main invitation. For example: Emily and Michael request the pleasure of [guest’s name(s)] to join them in celebrating their marriage.

I hope this has helped you navigate the intricacies of invitation wording.

It can be a lot! But whether you're going for traditional or modern, hosting solo or with an entire clan, these are just guidelines, I also have a handy guide that you'll recieve when it comes to filling out your wording form when you've booked me, to make it even easier.

I'm always on hand to chat through options, you can see various examples from previous clients on my website and instagram or pop me an enquiry to book in a call to get the journey started—I would love to help.

Love Fran xxx

To save the date or not save the date that is the question...

All the details of save the dates, what to include, think about and consider when planning your wedding stationery.

Save the Dates – Your Wedding Stationery Guide

 So, you have shared the happy news of your engagement, wedding planning is well underway behind the scenes, and now it’s time to take the next step. Letting your guests know to expect an invitation and clear their diaries, now that you’ve set the date.

The save-the-date is essentially a teaser of what’s to come without any firm need for commitment yet. Ideally, they are sent 8-12 months in advance. And they are your first official opportunity to let your guests know you would love to share your celebrations with them. While it also allows your guests time to start planning, ensuring you have all your favourite people with you on your big day.

There is sound logic behind the tradition of sending a save the date, but like all wedding traditions or must-haves, they are best taken as a guide or suggestion. It’s always a good idea to carefully select those traditions that will best serve you as a couple and will help you achieve your dream celebration.

To save the date or not save the date, that is the question…

Pros of sending a save-the-date:

·      Welcoming – it’s a friendly gesture to let your guests know you’re thinking of them.

·      Reserve a spot in your guests’ diaries, avoiding disappointment all around.

·      They are especially helpful for a destination wedding when your guests will need to free up more time.

·      Budgeting – weddings can be expensive to attend; therefore, your guests may appreciate the extra time to plan financially and spread out costs.

·      Giving your guests the opportunity to book accommodation and travel in advance can be a great cost-saving for all.

·      Allows you to gauge numbers; though you’re not asking for RSVPs at this point, you will be able to get a better idea of who can or can’t make it. This could open up spots for people who were not able to be included on the first list.

·      Start building excitement for your big day by giving people something to look forward to.

·      Introduce your wedding theme – this is a great opportunity to show your wedding stationery theme and set the tone for the event itself.

Cons of sending a save-the-date:

·      Limits flexibility – if you don’t want to be tied down too early to a date and location, then the save the date may not be for you.

·      You may not have time! If you’re planning to hold your wedding in the next 6 months or so, I would skip straight to the full invitation. 

·      Additional time and cost – this is an extra step in the planning process that may not suit your budget or schedule.

·      Requires a firm guest list very early on. This can be a challenge as a lot can change in family and friendship groups if you’re thinking a year ahead. Bear in mind, it’s never easy to take back an invitation, even a loose one.

·      More time to be pressured into inviting your third cousin, six times removed! If you anticipate a lot of opinions on your guest list, keep it close to the chest for as long as possible.

There are sound arguments on both sides, and I’m always happy to explore all the options with my couples to create the best solution for them. Whether you are looking for a bespoke design or one of my house collections, I've got your save-the-dates and/or invitations covered.

If you're still with me reading this, I can assume you’re on the pro’s side, so here’s what you need for your save-the-dates. In terms of content, you don’t need to go overboard on details at this stage; your names, the date, and the location of the wedding are more than enough. Unless you're having a destination wedding or planning additional events around the day, then you may want to include more particulars.

The best part is how you present your save the date, and this is where I love to include a bespoke illustration for my couples, whether it’s of the venue, your favourite flowers or animals. This is a perfect opportunity to give a first glimpse of what your guests have in store and the tone you're hoping to achieve for the day.

I have done many different styles of save the dates, from the traditional card with envelopes to printed magnets. They don’t need to be large, A6 or A7, square, rectangular or bespoke shaped – whatever best suits you. If you’re looking for further inspiration, my house collections can be found here, all of which come with a save-the-date design ready to go. If you have any questions about my house collections or bespoke services, my enquiry form can be found here, and I look forward to hearing all about your plans.

 Love Fran xxx