You won’t need everything!

Invitation:
Essential. Your invitation sets the tone and theme for your event, and your guests will get clues as to how formal the event is and what colours the bridal party may be wearing.

RSVP:
Not esseintial. There are three choices. Consider how you would like your guests to RSVP. If you want them to ring or email or use your wedding announcer website, include that information on the invitation and spend the saved money on a nicer invitation. Otherwise you can order a small RSVP Card or a RSVP Postcard.  If you think only a few guest will respond using a RSVP Card, only order enough cards for those guests.

Wishing Well/Gift Registry Cards:
Not essential. Many couples these days use some form of a Wishing Well or Gift/Honeymoon registry.  Most of the companies that provide these services will give you a card to pop into your invitations. If they do not, include a small card to let your guests politely know what you would like to receive. It may be an elegant sentence or two or even a sweet poem. Click here for some examples of Wishing Well Poems.

Map:
Not essential. If you ceremony or reception is being held in an unusual location or if you have many guests who are not locals, you wish to consider including a small map.  This will ensure that no guests become lost and that everyone turns up on time!

Rainy Day Card:
Outdoor ceremonies are beautiful, but are always at risk of the weather. If you have a plan ‘B’ in place for wet weather, consider letting your guests know in advance, that they may receive an SMS or phone call to advise of the change of location.

Information Cards:
If you are providing accommodation or transport, let your guest know the booking name or details with a small card.

THE CEREMONY
Ceremony Booklets: 
These are not essential, however they are a thoughtful touch, especially if you are having a religious service, where your guests will need to respond, or where they may not know what is going on. Some couples like to give the guests a small ‘running order’ that includes the key parts of the ceremony and the special readings and their vows.

THE RECEPTION
Place Cards:
Essential. Your guests will need to know where their seat is (and to prevent any arguements on the day!).

Menus:
Essential. Check with your reception centre first to see if they provide menus. Make sure you are happy with what they offer, and if you aren’t, consider ordering Menus. Menus can be personalized for each guest, or you may wish to have one or two large menus per table. A good guide is two table menus for 8-10 guests.

Seating Plan:
Essential.  Pop a beautiful big plan up at the entrance your Reception to let your guests know where they need to sit.

Table Numbers:
Essential. Some couples choose to personalize their reception by naming their tables.  You may like to use city names, or flowers, or your favourite footy team players. It’s completely up to you!

Bonbonniere:
Not essential. Bonbonniere is a little gift to say thank you to your guests. Traditonally it was 5 almonds, but these days couples look to delicious chocolates and truffles, fudge, wine stoppers, coasters, small perfume bottles, seedlings, potted plants and decorated tea lights. Consider what your bonbonniere will be before you order boxes and tags.

Guest Book:
Not essential. Many couple chooses to have a guest book made to match their stationery. At the Reception the Guest Book is passed around to allow the guests to write happy messages for the new couple.

AFTERWARDS
Thank You:
Essential. Thank yous can be in the form of a folded card, a flat card or simply an elegant piece of paper with your names on. A simple small thank you is all that you need and tells your guests that you appreciated their company and gift.

How can I save money?

Consider what you really need.  Just because at your cousin’s wedding they had everything, it doesn’t mean that you will need to!

1. Reduce the number of cards you include in your invitation – then you won’t need a pocket.
2. You can do away with separate rsvp cards and include the information on the invitation.
3. Use the Registry card that is provided by your registry service.
4. Combine some elements. Instead of a place card and a bonbonniere.  Pop a small name tag on the bonbonniere, or instead of a place card and individual menu, have a personalized menu. 
5. Use the table numbers and menus provided if they match with your theme.
6. Have a smaller seating plan. An A3 seating will be big enough for a guest list of up to 100.
7. Share bonbonniere between families, instead of having individual ones.
8. Choose a smaller embellishment over a larger one.  You can still have that pretty sparkly buckle or the gorgeous designer papers, just use an accent piece rather than covering the entire card.
9. Choose a DL (long and thin) shaped card over a Square card. A DL costs 55c to post and the Square costs $1.10.
10. Choose a flat design over a folded design.
11. Choose a simpler design for the majority of your guests and a stunning glam design for your special family and friends!

 

How much will it cost to post my invitations?

DL (long and thin) is 55c within Australia.
Square is $1.10 within Australia
A rigid invitation box is $1.10 posted within Australia. (It must weigh less than 200g and be less than 20mm thick. All Primadonna Stationery designs will post for $1.10).

 

Can I have a custom design?

Yes, PrimaDonna Stationery offers an obligation free design service. All of our stationery can be altered to suit your design and budget requirements. Simply Contact Us or fill out the Online Design Request form to begin the process.

Can you include photographs or an emblem with our initials?

Yes, we certainly can, and we’ll touch them up too.  We don’t charge to include photos, or to create an insignia to be included, because every invitation should have a small personal touch. If you just require an insignia, you can purchase a custom designed one for $30.  Contact Us to request an Insignia.

Can you custom design a DIY pack for me?

PrimaDonna Stationery offers DIY kits, Print and Cut and the Full Service.  Many of our designs can be put together into a kit, however, some lace invitations are not available as DIY. If you are considering the DIY option, make sure you allow yourself plenty of time to make your stationery.

How many invitations should I order?

The number of invitations you require will be based on your guest list. As a general guide, you will need one invitation per couple and guest over 18years.  Usually this works out to be about half your guest list plus about 10 and then you will need to add another 5 spares for the last minute guests. If you are doing DIY it is highly recommend to order plenty of extra materials to allow for the inevitable mistakes!

When should I order my invitations?

As a general guide (the earlier the better!):

6 months: Arrange for a design consultation.
3 - 4 months: Order required number.
2 - 3 months: Send out your invitations.
6 - 8 weeks: This will be your rsvp date.

You should start to consider what stationery items you may need early on.
 

Do you sell interstate/overseas?

Yes, we do. We are happy to do couture designs for all clients, no matter where they may be!  Email is a blessing – we can take photos of custom designs so that even if you are sitting on a beach in the Maldives sipping French champagne you can see what your stunning design will look like.

Do you do rush orders?

Yes, we do. However, orders that are required to be filled within 4 weeks will incur a fee equivalent to 20% of the total invoice amount.

Can you give me a second opinion on a quote?

Yes, we certainly can.  We are more than happy to give you an obligation free second opinion on any competitor’s quote.  If they are doing a great job, we’ll tell you, and if we think we can do better, we’ll tell you!

Can I order a sample?

Yes, you can order a sample of any of our invitations.  Each sample will include the invitation and envelope and can be purchased for $25.00, plus $10 postage. All customers who place an order are given a complimentary sample for their wedding album at no extra charge.

Do you have a shop that I can visit?

Unfortunately, no, not yet!  There’s lots of ways to view our products – you can see them online in our boutique, or we can email pictures to you or we can meet face to face at a time and location that’s suitable for you.  Whether it’s over your dining table, or a cup of coffee, or we can hang out on the couch.  Wherever it is, we like to ensure that you are in a relaxed and in stress-free environment. We are happy to meet with you if you are in the Mackay Regional area, after hours and weekend appoints are not a problem. To book your obligation free consultation click here. Contact us to find out when we will be doing our scheduled 'Client Design Days' in Townsville, Cairns, Rockhampton and other regional towns.