Mariée Ami, known for their elite wedding planning services, also offers remarkable graphic designers to ensure no one wedding is ever the same. Illustrators Mary Baugh and Caroline Borders give you some of their tips.
1. THE LIST IS KEY
The list is by far the hardest part of wedding planning. It is a tedious task, but the entire wedding hinges around the guest count! Our advice is to start early, and use an Excel document to make the list easy to navigate. We suggest using headings for each column so that mail merging your document is a piece of cake. It is also extremely important to spell out EVERYTHING! Your calligrapher will address directly from your document, so no abbreviations are welcome here.
2. KEEP THE TIMELINE ON YOUR MIND
A crucial part of wedding planning is staying on schedule, and the paper process is no different. In a perfect world, your paper timeline starts 7 to 8 months from the wedding. Save the dates are typically sent between 4 to 6 months before the wedding date. We encourage our destination brides to mail correspondence as soon as possible so people can make their travel plans! The suggested mail date for wedding invitations is between 6 to 8 weeks out.
3. CURATE INSPIRATION
You can go in two different directions when ordering your wedding paper. You can work with a graphic designer to create something custom or a local paper shop and choose from paper previously designed. Brides are using Pinterest to collect images to illustrate their style. Magazines, books, Instagram and blogs are also great resources.Once your style is determined, you can use it as a jumping off point with the designer or paper shop.
Because paper pieces are often the first thing guests will see from your wedding, you will want them to be able to get the feel of your aesthetic for the day.
4. CARRY YOUR THEME THROUGHOUT
As graphic designers, one thing that we love to do is use your“theme” throughout your wedding. This can be done in many ways, and on many levels. For instance, you can have a logo designed that is used on your save the date and wedding invites and again in the reception merchandise like napkins and koozies.
5. BUILD A BETTER HOTEL BOX
Our go-to hotel box features something salty, something sweet, and something to drink. While that certainly gets the job done, we encourage our brides to look beyond the typical treats and packaging to surprise their guests. Choose local desserts to give your box hometown flavor or add a travel candle to freshen up the hotel room. Another popular stand out is including the bride and groom’s favorite things - this can range from sour straws and gum balls, to popcorn and pralines, to champagne and bourbon. Packaging your goodies is equally as important as what you include. First, think outside of the typical gable box or gift bag. Try a fruit basket, a branded tote bag, or more upscale gift box to house your gift. Then, use cello bags or clear plastic boxes to showcase treats. Top with a ribbon in your color palette and a sticker with your logo or monogram and you are set! Not only does that look much more custom, but it also shows your guests how much you appreciate them coming to celebrate with you.
