When thinking about your save the date cards, try to think creatively and give your guests something wonderful to open and inform them that you are about to be married.  Maybe even include a gift with your save the date card – a small novelty gift or something edible will make your guest feel special for very little cost.  If you have a large wedding in mind, you might want to do these special save the date cards for a select number in your wedding party to keep costs down.

Within your save the date cards, include details of a website or blog which you have set up to keep your guests informed of your wedding plans along the way – this is a great way to make everyone feel involved in your wedding and is a real talking point when everybody gets together on the actual day.

Embellish your save the date cards with a design of your own – maybe add a particular symbol or signature to each card to give it a real personal touch.  Include a photograph of you and your partner – or even of you and the particular guest that you are sending the save the date card to.

Whatever you decide to do for your save the date cards, we are sure they’ll look amazing and give you a very special reminder of your wedding day in the years to come.

We can only imagine the stress a bride to be will endeavour, first there is the guest list, second the venue, third the dress, the list is endless but you will surprised to know that a lot of the big decisions can be taken care of overnight, compared to all the little things that seem to drag on.

75% of all couples who get married in the summer leave things to the last minute or forget simple things, we all know this is a new experience to most and the organising is normally guided by loved ones who have been through it all before, but when you think of a wedding, you naturally think of Dress, venue, date, instead of the table plan, guest books, disposable camera, and the all important Wedding Invitation.

The wedding industry ignites in January and February as brides to be, plan their summer weddings, you will be surprised on how much planning is done in these months, and from experience we recommend that you use these months to order the little things like Wedding Invitations and Wedding Accessories, as delivery and design can take up precious time.

We suggest doing this early in the year as this will stop your dream wedding missing out on all the little things you dreamed of on your special day, most companies at this time of year have a large influx of orders so secure your items early to make sure you don’t miss out.

Like the rest of your wedding stationery, your wedding guest books should try to reflect the personalities of the couple who are getting married.  When it comes to choosing a guest book, look for designs that are a bit out of the ordinary – books which are in unusual shapes add interest, as do different materials and textures.

Think about personalising your album with embellishments if you are a creative sort of person.  Crystals and beads are simple ways to do this.  For a more authentic feel, and if you already have children together, get the kids to help out – it will look very handmade (!) and your guests will love the fact that the kids have got involved.

Pick colours which you like for your weeding guest books and always have more than one – you usually need a couple to circulate for your guests to fill in and it will ensure that everyone gets a chance to write something for you both.

I think whilst some women from the day they get engaged, relish organising every little tiny detail of their big day, spending weeks finding the perfect venue, the perfect dress etc for some women the idea of escaping to the sun is much more appealing. I think especially now as we all know that women’s lives have become so full, having so many things to juggle, careers, families, social lives! when it comes to their wedding they want the day to be just as special but don’t want all the organising that the traditional big white wedding involves, along with, of course, the inevitable who do we invite who don’t we scenario. With a wedding abroad you feel much less inclined to invite everybody you’ve ever known!

There are so many beautiful locations all over the world that cater for all tastes and styles, from those who want complete seclusion and tranquillity to those who want something a bit more fun. Top destinations for those couples wanting to jet off include the Seychelles, the Maldives and Koh Samui, where you can have everything from a ceremony on the white sands of the Indian Ocean to a wedding breakfast on a table set in the shore with stingray and tropical fish at your feet – maybe not the best idea for anyone who has fish phobias! I have a friend who did this, and remembers it as one of the most magical experiences of her life!

My fiancée and I have been engaged for a couple of years but had never got round to setting a date as like a lot of couples we weren’t quite sure what we wanted, but having travelled to Cuba a couple of years ago, we were absolutely blown away by the resort where we were staying, after our walk around the resort when we first arrived, the Jacuzzi overlooking the crystal white sands of the private beach and the turquoise water, the pretty white gazebo, we pretty much decided then and there, that that was where we wanted to get married.

We kind of assumed the cost would be extortionate but were very pleasantly surprised. I think that is probably another draw for those looking to tie the knot abroad. The traditional big white wedding as with all weddings is beautiful but by the time you’ve finished, you’ve spent a small mortgage. For some people it is worth every penny but for others the smaller price tag is very appealing.

With this in mind below you will see the beach wedding invitation I want for my dream wedding.

Your wedding table plans don’t have to be bland and boring!  Consider personalising them with pictures or images that mean something to you.  Photographs of you are your partner are a great way to do this, but particular images and symbols can be just as effective – see our previous article on using images on your wedding stationery.

Your wedding table plans don’t have to simple be a list of names either – I’ve been to wedding where everybody’s names were made into anagrams – a real ice-breaker!  Other ideas include naming everyone by first names only for intimate weddings, using fond nicknames for those closest to you, and naming everyone according to their title (e.g. Auntie Jane and Uncle Nick or Best Friends Emma and Claire).

It can be fun to do something a little different for your wedding table plans, just try to avoid confusing people!  Maybe you want to do away with names altogether and put pictures of your guests onto the table plan – a lot of work but it will look amazing!

With a bit of organisation and creativity your wedding table plans will look fabulous and create a real talking point for your guests.

A very popular symbol for stationery is a pair of wedding rings interlinked.  The message that they portray is that of love and unity and a commitment to each other.  Using wedding rings as a symbol on your save the date magnets tell everyone at first glance that there is an upcoming wedding.

Hearts are another very popular choice for couples about to be married.  The heart is a hugely powerful symbol for wedding stationery with a very clear message of love.  People will recognise the heart as a symbol for the love that you have for one another.

Beaches and tropical scenery usually tell people that you’re not about to get married on these shores!  As beautiful as the United Kingdom can be, we don’t have many swaying palm trees and crystal clear waters lapping against white sand beaches!  Telling people of your upcoming faraway nuptials is easily done with stationery of this sort – and if you choose them for your save the date magnets, they double up as a postcard on the fridge!

Whatever symbols you decide to involve in your wedding plans, choose something which has meaning for you and co-ordiante all of your wedding stationery accordingly.

If you are going for a traditional approach then you are in luck because the wedding industry tends to be geared to such couples – stationery featuring wedding rings, flowers and hearts are everywhere you look and it makes it easier if this is the type of weeing that you are planning.

For less conventional couples there is less choice certainly, but the wedding industry and cottoning onto the fact that weddings now take many different forms and this brings a variety of colour schemes and themes.

Monochrome colour schemes are becoming more and more popular, as are the more colourful designs incorporating bright gerberas, vivid confectionery and beach-themed weddings which mean the azure blues of the ocean and vibrant oranges of the sunsets.

It makes things much easier if you co-ordinate your wedding stationery – you can buy items in bulk and often get discounts, with the added benefit of everything looking stylish and very ‘put together’.  Having your wedding table plans matching your wedding invitations, thank you cards, photo albums and guest books will ensure that there is a certain feel to your wedding which both you and your guests will appreciate.

The most traditional of flowers, the roses, is seen as the flower of love and is a very popular choice when it comes to wedding stationery.  The rose is an ideal image to adorn the front of your save the date magnets and you can personalise it according to its colour, as different coloured roses mean different things: red is for love and romance, pink for grace and elegance, yellow for warmth and happiness, white for innocence and purity, orange for desire and enthusiasm, lavender for enchantment and love at first sight (our favourite!)

Of course there are many other flowers which you may want to consider for the design of your save the date magnets – lilies are very popular at the moment, as are gerberas with their vivid colours which seem full of Springtime.

As well as keeping track of everything that you need to be doing, important cut-off dates for ordering items and a general portfolio for your special day, you can also invite guests to visit your website as an online wedding guest book.

The beauty of doing this is that everyone will be able to leave messages for you – both from those who can attend the wedding, and those who can’t.  You can then chose to gather your messages together online as an electronic wedding guest book, or print them out to put into a standard wedding guest book that you can use as a keepsake.

Whichever way you choose, a wedding guest book is part of your wedding stationery so make sure that you don’t forget it in your wedding plans!

So, why does your wedding photo album matter so much?  This special album isn’t just another one to add to the rest of the family ones – it is possibly something which will be passed down through generations, telling everyone of your wedding day.

Your wedding photo album may also be a reminder of the theme or colour scheme of your wedding so buying matching stationery is a great idea.  If you are planning your wedding on a tight budget, it’s worth investing in the photo album and maybe saving on some of your other stationery.  Orders of service, menus and place-cards are often left behind by your guests, whereas you’ll get to keep your wedding photo album forever.