Wedding + event stationery – some frequently asked questions!
What can I commission you to create?
You can commission me to design –
Before the event:
- Save the date cards
- Invitations
- Illustrated maps
- Illustrated information / particulars cards
- RSVP cards
For the day:
- Order of Service
- Signage – e.g. order of the day
- Table plan
- Table name cards
- Placement cards / place settings
- Menus
- Thank you cards
- … or anything involving paper + lettering that you can imagine!
How do I go about commissioning a bespoke invitation?
The first step is to get in touch by email (polcrossman@gmail.com) to say hello – it’s helpful to share the date and location of your wedding or event, an outline of what you are after and an idea of how many prints you might need (it doesn’t have to be exact) in the first instance.
How much notice do you need for wedding stationery?
It’s never too early! My diary can get quite booked up, so if you know you’d like to work together please get in touch as soon as you can. Paying a design deposit (even if you don’t know exactly what you want) will book you into my diary, so that you know you have my time further down the line.
I suggest that we start working on your designs 12 weeks before you want to have the finished product in your hands, so you can do a bit of counting backwards to work out when we would get cracking.
The process works something like this…
- You get in touch by email (as above!)
- I’ll come back to you with an outline quote and any questions I might have
- If you’re happy with the quote, we’ll arrange short 15-20 minute phone call to discuss ideas
- I’ll finalise the quote, and send an invoice for 50% of the design costs as a deposit
- I’ll work on a rough sketch or two, based on our discussion, so we can check we are on the right track
- Once you are happy with the rough sketch, I’ll create the full artwork (I’ll require any wording confirmed at this point too)
- You’ll receive a digital proof of the artwork. Two rounds of tweaks / edits are included in the design fee, so there’s an opportunity to change things if needed (major changes or any further edits are charged at an hourly rate, but this hasn’t ever happened – yet!)
- Once you’re happy with the final artwork, it’s print time
- Prints are delivered to me for checking and packing, and any final details – e.g. adding guests names to the invitations or addressing the envelopes in calligraphy
- The fun bit: delivery – your stationery will be delivered to you, ready to send out.
What if I don’t know what I want?
Sometimes my clients have a very clear idea, and sometimes they start with no idea at all. Both are absolutely fine! That’s the part I love best: getting to know you, and pulling ideas together from what you tell me. I always suggest we speak on the phone to discuss, and usually I manage to ask the right questions to spark some ideas.
How do your costs work?
I split costs for stationery into two: a design fee and a print fee. The design fee is fixed, and the print fee is dependent on the size and quantity of prints you’d like, and the paper you choose.
Do you have a price list?
I don’t have a fixed price list and quote for each job individually. As a guide, invitation design starts from £275.
Can I commission just one element e.g. a map?
Yes absolutely – I can create whatever you like. Arranging invitations already but need a map to go with them? No problem.
How do I choose paper?
Once we are in the process of working together, I’ll send you some paper samples in the post. I use two core paper stocks as standard to keep it simple – one is a lightly hammered gesso paper (a bit like watercolour paper), and the other is smooth and slightly thicker. Both are off-white and look beautiful on any mantelpiece.
What if I want a colour paper or extra thick invitations?
This is absolutely fine – I love projects like this! I’ll talk to you about paper as part of the process, so we can discuss many options.
Do you draw every invitation by hand?
No! I create the initial artwork by hand, and then create a digital version by scanning in the illustrations. This means that you can receive a digital proof, and once you are happy with the final design, I ask my printers to work their magic on creating as many copies as you need.
What if I’ve left it to the last minute?
Never fear! I’ll do my very best to fit you in, but at busy times there is a rush fee of 25% to cover a shorter timeline. If in doubt, please email me.
When should I send out my wedding invitations?
This is totally up to you. Many people send a save the date 12+ months in advance, and then send wedding invitations 3-6 months before the date. If you’re not sending a save the date, then you might want to send invitations 9-12 months ahead.
Do you take care of printing too?
Absolutely – I’ll arrange all of the printing + paper elements so that everything arrives to you ready to go. You’ll just need to tell me how many prints you need! Remember that you won’t need an invitation for every guest on your list – you can take couples + families into account when working out the numbers.
Can you create a digital invitation?
Yes absolutely! Please let me know when you get in touch if you’re planning to send your invitations digitally.
Can you re-create another design I’ve seen that I like?
I can’t copy another stationer’s design, but we can definitely use other invitations or drawings that you’ve seen as inspiration – and then I can put my own spin on things!
Do you design day stationery?
Absolutely – I love creating day stationery, the more creative the better!
- Order of Service
- Signage – e.g. order of the day
- Table plans
- Table name cards
- Placement cards / place settings or escort cards
- Menus – for food + for drinks / cocktails
What else can I commission you to create?
Some of the more unusual things that I’ve created include:
- Invitations that are laser cut with designs
- Wax seals with bespoke monograms
- Orders of service that doubled as fans to keep guests cool
- Escort cards to hang from a tree
- Hand-painted shells as place settings
- Bespoke beer bottle + beer can labels
You name it – I’m up for it!
What if I have some more questions or I’m not yet sure?
That’s totally understandable – please email me and we can discuss whether I’m the right fit to take care of your stationery!