Posted on August 09, 2019 by Allison Dupree
Selecting your invitations is an important step in your wedding-planning process. Your invite communicates the formality of your day, all of the important details (time, location, etc.) and of course, the couple of the hour. But unless you are well-versed in the world of stationery, there are many small items that that you might miss by ordering online. That’s where an invitation expert comes in. Here are four services your local stationer will offer that an online resource can’t:
1. A personal connection. One of the best parts about ordering your invitations in person versus online is that you get to make a genuine, human connection. You tell them your engagement story, your wedding vision and personally share all the details of your wedding. You won’t get that through the screen when ordering online. The stationers will be excited to work with you to create the perfect design specifically for you and your fiancé—and your event. They’ll understand your “story” and will be able to create an invite that perfectly captures the two of you as a couple. And if you’re undecided about two totally different invite designs, your stationer can offer an expert opinion and may even come up with a third idea that’s the perfect compromise. Online, you’ll be relying on your own expertise, which may be limited when it comes to stationery.
2. More options to personalize. Perhaps the biggest downfall of designing your invitations online is your lack of options. While it might seem overwhelming when looking at your screen, your options are actually limited. You are often restricted about where you can place text, the choice of fonts and how much extra pizzazz you can include. When you work with a stationery shop, you will be given options and they will make sure that everything you want will be part of your invites. They might even show you options you didn’t know existed.
3. Help with wording and etiquette. While it might not seem like a big deal initially, how you phrase your wedding invitation says a lot about the wedding itself. Take, for instance, the phrases “Honour of your presence” and “Pleasure of your company.” They seem interchangeable, right? Think again. The former connotes a ceremony at a church or a house of worship, while the latter refers to a ceremony not held at a religious institution.
There also can be confusion about how you start your invite. Saying “Together with their families” or listing your parents (or his!) hints at who is paying for your magical day, whether you know it or not.
These are just a few examples of how a stationery expert will come in handy. They will know the ins and outs of invite etiquette and will make sure that your invite accurately reflects your specific event and announces it in the best way possible.
4. Spelling and attention to detail. When ordering through a website, you might have the option to spell-check your wording, but they don’t always catch the little things. You might miss a period after “Mr.” when writing your father’s name or leave “Street” abbreviated instead of written out for your venue’s address. By working directly with a stationer, you can catch these mistakes. Grammar and phrasing are so important on your wedding invitations, so it’s wise to have a professional set of eyes looking at them.—Allison Dupree
