You don’t know what you don’t know.
Have you heard this before? If you’re a new wedding planner just starting to get your feet wet, this statement might feel like your current motto. Fear not! Today we have a guest blogger, Jennifer of Fireflies and Dew Drops, who gives us her best advice on how to help a client pick out wedding stationery.
Wedding Stationery
Wedding planners are the superheroes of the wedding world! You may feel like you are on call 24/7. You’re a problem solver putting out fires from one minute to the next. You are often asked to pull off the impossible and somehow you make it happen. Each bride is looking to you for advice, support, and encouragement. Some of your brides know exactly what they want, others have no idea, some are super organized, and some are… well, let’s face it… a hot mess. So when your clients are looking for wedding stationery, what advice can you give them? Well, there are a few things they should consider.
When to start looking for wedding stationery
A couple should begin looking for their Save the Dates, invitations, and RSVPs after they have decided on a wedding date and secured a venue. Quality wedding stationery could take several weeks to be ready for shipping. Save the Dates are typically sent 6 months prior the wedding. Therefore, your brides who want Save the Dates should start looking at least 8-10 months prior to their wedding date. If your clients are not purchasing Save the Dates, they have a little more time. Invitations and RSVPs are traditionally mailed 6 to 8 weeks prior to the wedding and should be ordered at least 4 months in advance.
Where clients can purchase their Save the Dates, invitations, etc.
Wedding stationery can be bought almost anywhere. You can walk into Walmart, pick up some groceries, and grab generic invitations before walking out the door. However, there are so many more options you can suggest to your brides. After all, we are not talking about ordinary cards here. These are their wedding invitations, they set the tone of the wedding giving guests a preview of what to expect. If you have a preferred vendors list (which I recommend) research some local wedding stationery artists and add them to your list. Recommend a few that offer different options at varying price points.
Truth about Pinterest-perfect wedding stationery
The best advice I have been given was by an amazing lady named Leesa, from Simple Elegance Events. Leesa tells her brides to “get off Pinterest!” I know Pinterest is a magical place where the ideas are endless! However, that can be an overwhelming problem. Now your clients are comparing their wedding to weddings at a much higher price point. This includes wedding stationery. With basic invitations running between $250.00 to $400.00 per 100 cards, comparing “Pinterest Perfect” wedding stationery can be a disappointment. You can use Pinterest as a jumping off point for inspiration, but for many of us, $6.00 per invitation is not in our budget. The lower priced options on Etsy and Zazzle lack the personal touches and little details that an affordable wedding stationery designer can add so your brides get more bang for their buck.
What do your clients need to share with a stationery designer?
Have the couple talk about their wedding: The theme, look, and feel of the wedding (rustic, classic, traditional, modern, boho, or elegant). Their wedding stationery should include their colors and mimic their theme. Help prepare your clients by getting an understanding of these things.
➡Their personal style: Wedding invitations should reflect not only the theme of the wedding but the personal style of the couple. Do you like glitter or lace? Diamonds or pearls? Do you want a more rustic look or classic elegance?
➡Their love story: It is the small little extras and personalization a stationery designer will add to your invitations that will make them special. So make sure your couple tell their story! How did you meet? Talk about the proposal and what you love doing together. All this information gives the designer inspiration that will help them create the perfect invitations for your clients.
➡Their editing process: Can the client approve the design before printing? How many changes can be made to the design? Couples will want to approve the design prior to having them made to ensure there are no misspellings or mistakes. They also need to make sure that their vision was captured by the designer and make any necessary changes.
➡Their budget: How much does your client have to spend on the invitations, etc.? Then refer her to someone who will be able to meet her needs.
Last words on wedding stationery
So there you have it… using these simple steps to help your brides find the perfect wedding stationery, you have saved the day once again with your wedding planner superpowers!
Fireflies and Dew Drops offers semi-custom and fully customized stationery options that are not only beautiful, but affordable. Jennifer’s goal is to meet each client and build a relationship with them through personal consultations and providing clients with updates on the progress of their design. By understanding the needs and personal style of each couple, Jennifer is able to create stationery that reflects their unique story with her one-of-a-kind wedding stationery.
