Doing it yourself

Making your own wedding stationery is a creative approach that lets you design something to suit your day perfectly...

Receiving an invitation which has been handmade by the bride and groom feels extremely special. It’s a wonderful gesture, and the card can become a keepsake of the day. Do have a good think about it first, though -- it’s a time-consuming process, so can either become an enjoyable part of your wedding preparation, or a major regret.

Is DIY stationery right for you?

If you're thinking about making your own stationery, the first thing to do is to be realistic about how much you would like to make, and how much time you have. If you're having a relatively small wedding and plenty of time, creating your own could be an excellent idea. If, however, you're inviting hundreds of guests and only have two months before your big day, you’ll be better off sticking with a personalised range.

But that doesn't mean you can't make other items of stationery. Don’t forget that as well as invitations, you might need place name cards, order of service sheets, menus, seating plans and thank-you cards. Table names and menus are a simple way of having some artistic input without too much work, as you’ll probably only need to make 10 to 15 in total. Place cards can also be a simple way of being creative. See the Confetti DIY wedding stationery pages for everything you need.

The benefits of creating your own stationery

  • Perfect if you want to use your creativity and artistic skills to create completely unique designs
  • Getting creative is fun. Evenings spent with bridesmaids making cards can be a highlight of wedding planning
  • You’ll have the chance to create an unusual design or wording format that you might not find in a personalised stationery range
  • DIY stationery tends to be less expensive

Get creative

Have a practice run and see how long it takes you to make something. The key thing to remember is that you don't need to make each and every item of stationery - just one type is fine.

It's also important to assess your creativity. If you're an artistic person, you might decide to try something relatively challenging. If the last piece of artwork you created was at primary school, now's not the time to try your hand at the most complicated design you can think of. Simplicity is the key.

Once you've decided what you're going to create, start practicing and creating as soon as you can. The more time you give yourself, the more you'll enjoy it. And remember, you can always rope in your bridesmaids for a fun night in making stationery with the girls.