Getting married comes with a million and one things to consider, which is why we’ve launched IndyBest’s wedding week: an entire seven days dedicated to helping you with everything from sourcing a secondhand wedding dress to finding the perfect bridal hair accessories.

But our guides also go a little further than style picks – wedding stationery, for instance, is an essential part of your decor.

When ordering, there are a few important things to consider. Firstly, it pays to put a list together of what wedding stationery you think you might need.

Before the day itself, you may want engagement party invites, bridesmaids cards and save the dates. And when it comes to sending out your wedding invitations, you may also want RSVPs, directions and evening invites.

On the day your stationery needs are likely to consist of an order of service, seating plan, place cards, table names and menus. And after your wedding day, you may want to send out thank you cards to your guests.

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Most importantly though, you’re going to want to consider how you want your stationery to look – the font, colour and overall design offer a great opportunity to reflect the personalities of you and your partner. You may want to have your stationery in keeping with the style of your wedding, whether it’s traditional or modern, town or country.

We’d also recommend ordering samples from different brands so you can get a feel for the type of paper you like the most, whether that’s eco-friendly, handmade card or thicker, more luxurious paper.

Similarly, consider whether you want a bespoke or pre-made design. Most brands offer both of these services, but if a designer creates something based on a brief, it can be more expensive.

With so much to consider – calligraphy or digital designs? Foil or letterpress? Illustrations or print? – it can feel like a minefield. And while we can’t help you make these important design decisions, we can point you in the direction of some of our favourite wedding stationery brands to help you get organised ahead of your big day.

You can trust our independent round-ups. We may earn commission from some of the retailers, but we never allow this to influence selections, which are formed from real-world testing and expert advice. This revenue helps to fund journalism across The Independent.

(Beyond Vintage)

Making sure you’ve got the special touches down to a tee, this brand adds a vintage flavour to stationery and invitation designs. Our personal favourite is the hand-torn blues invite (from £4, Beyondvintage.co.uk) with digital calligraphy and a hand-dyed finish. All orders can be customised, making this a great choice if you know exactly what you want.

Visit Beyondvintage.co.uk now

(Emmy Designs)

Custom illustrated wedding stationery is a popular choice for many brides and grooms to be, and Emmy Designs offers drawings of you and your partner, venue or a mix of things that represent you. While bespoke designs are available, the brand also has a collection of pre-drawn illustrations for you to choose from. If you’re keeping things cohesive before and during the day, this is a great choice as it offers invites as well as on-the-day stationery.

Visit Emmydesigns.co.uk now

(Lilac & White)

Founded on the mission to provide couples with affordable yet luxury stationery, Lilac & White’s offering is extensive and split into “before the day” and “on the day”. The former includes everything from the obvious invitations (from £2, Lilacandwhite.com) and save the dates (from £1, Lilacandwhite.com) to postponement cards (from £44, Lilacandwhite.com). On-the-day options encompass an order of service (from £1.50, Lilacandwhite.com), menus (from £35, Lilacandwhite.com) and place cards (from £1, Lilacandwhite.com). With a range of designs on offer, as well as the chance to create your own, Lilac & White’s bespoke service offers simple and clean stationery that we love.

Visit Lilacandwhite.com now

(LouPaper)

Founded by Louise Ralphs in 2015 after she decided to merge her graphic design background with experience of working within the wedding industry, this brand aims to take the stress and time out of organising your big day. Specialising in modern calligraphy and hand lettering, you can expect foiled typography for everything from your invites to table plans and much more. A great one to bookmark.

Visit Loupaper.co.uk now

(Pale Press London)

Born out of the love of hand lettering and old printing methods, Pale Press London specialises in working with you and your partner, as well as wedding planners, to help make something perfect for your big day. With a collection of pre-designed wedding paper goods, as well as the option of bespoke packages, every need is catered for. You can expect high-quality designs that will work to pull everything together on your wedding day.

Visit Paperpresslondon.com now

(Paperchase)

While opting for an independent designer offers a more bespoke service for you and your partner, sometimes you can’t go wrong with a large high street brand. Paperchase is known for its cards, so why not turn to the brand for your wedding stationery too. Not only are invitations available (from £7, Paperchase.com), but it also stocks affordable decorations (from £2, Paperchase.com)

Visit Paperchase.com now

(Papier)

London-based brand Papier was founded in 2015 with the aim to encourage people to connect with one another in different and meaningful ways. Collaborating with artists, illustrators and calligraphers, the dedicated wedding section comprises hundreds of designs, from rustic vibes to watercolours, as well as seasonal themes, making it a great choice for couples who don’t have the time for a bespoke service. Your first sample will be free, and envelopes are included in the final price.

Visit Papier.com now

(Smythson)

For high-quality and refined wedding invites, Smythson is the brand for you. With six designs on offer, each of which can be personalised with your preferred text and font, this is a great option if you and your partner prefer something simple.

Visit Smythson.com now

(The Seed Card Company)

Calling all eco-conscious brides and grooms, this is the wedding stationery brand for you. Each of the unique designs is printed on card that has been embedded with wildflower or herb seeds, giving your guests a crop of fresh flowers. Using recycled paper and vegan ink, you’ll find a full range of beautiful stationery, from save the dates and invitations to menus and order of services, as well as thank you cards following the big day. You can also order a sample pack (£4.95, Theseedcardcompany.com) before your commit to a large order.

Visit Theseedcardcompany.com now

(Wonderland Invites)

For a truly personalised approach, look no further than Wonderland Invites. With a modern, boho aesthetic, you can choose between custom designs, where you can fill in a short brief so the team can tailor your stationery to your exact wedding, or studio collections, comprised of curated designs.

Visit Wonderlandinvites.com now

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For discounts on wedding essentials, try the links below:

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IndyBest product reviews are unbiased, independent advice you can trust. On some occasions, we earn revenue if you click the links and buy the products, but we never allow this to bias our coverage. The reviews are compiled through a mix of expert opinion and real-world testing.