With clients like Tina Fey and Chelsea Clinton, stationer Cheree Berry knows how to tantalise a crowd. Her tips for your wedding stationery, here.
Don’t slack on your save-the-date
A lot of people say, “Meh, I’ll put that money into the invitation.” Disagree! Save-the-dates are so fun – and they’re the first glimpse your guests get of the wedding to come.
Perfectly matched is perfectly boring
You don’t want your handbag and shoes to match but to complement each other. Same for your wedding stationery. Here’s the test: spread it all out on the table. Does it look like it belongs to the same couple? You’re good!
Gold is not gaudy
My favourite palette is pink and red with pops of gold. Or stem green and peachy coral with gold. Or Tiffany blue, cobalt, and magenta with gold. Do you see a pattern here?
I love a big feast for the eyes
At my wedding, we decorated the dinner tables with orange linen and crisscrossed pink ribbons, gold salt and pepper shakers, mini vintage port glasses with salted caramels at each place setting, and silk-screened napkins draped over gold chairs. We pulled it off: it didn’t look like a circus, I swear.
Your stationer has clever cost cutters up her sleeve. Just ask
Here’s one of mine: it’s free to print your monogram or a witty phrase on the outer envelope if you’re already paying for a printed address on envelopes. In a tiny font, it looks super cute.
A coloured envelope is the cheapest way to dress up your invite
But if you’ve got the budget, special touches like a bevelled edge, extra-thick paper stock or hand calligraphy are definitely worth the splurge.
Even famous parents get involved
I designed Chelsea Clinton’s wedding invitations, and I’ll say this much about Bill Clinton: could any father with an only daughter not get involved? I think not!
Etiquette, schmetiquette
Yes, it’s OK for the bride to collect the RSVPs, even though tradition says they should be sent to the host parents. And instead of listing divorced or separated parents on the invitation, go with ‘Together with their families’ to make everyone happy.
Just because it’s everywhere doesn’t mean it’s over
Take the striped straw. I’ve seen it a million times, but it’s still so freakin’ cute. Add a cool-shaped flag to keep it fresh.
But I’m officially sick of chevron
For the moment. In five years, I will love it again.
It’s your day, but it’s also your guests’
For one wedding, we printed cocktail napkins with a series of pick-up lines for the singles. I especially loved ‘Hello, I’m Mr Right. [Insert groom’s name] said you were looking for me?’
While decor is important, music rules
I’ll dance my face off to Tina Turner’s ‘Proud Mary’, dead sober. So put that one on your playlist.
What does your wedding stationery look like? Tweet us pics at @GLAMOUR_sa with #GLAMWedding to share!
Sarah Browning, 24, is the managing editor of GLAMOUR. She moved to SA from London three years ago and lives in Cape Town. In this #GLAMWedding Wedding Blog, Sarah’s sharing her wedding-planning journey with you. Join the conversation! Tweet your thoughts to Sarah via @GLAMOUR_sa using #GLAMWedding.
Follow Sarah on Twitter: @sarahmbrowning
Read about what Sarah learnt creating her wedding stationery here.
