Wedding Invitation Ideas and Paper Details
As the saying goes, your wedding invitation sets the tone for your big day. You will adore setting a vision and watching it come to life on paper. After all, who isn’t crazy for paper? Everyone loves the tactile experience of receiving a beautiful wedding invitation in the mail. So, make it a good one! And, let it tell the story of your love. Local NC wedding stationers can create almost anything you desire on paper with classic letterpress, custom wedding invitations, or designer ordered suites. There’s a lot of other considerations, too – such as calligraphy, welcome signs, menus, escort cards, and original art. All of these paper elements come together to create your wedding tone far ahead of the day itself!
This page is dedicated to wedding invitations and paper details. We’ll get into how to research and book as well as all of the things you might want to consider. Then, we’ll share some of our favorite wedding stationers in Raleigh, Durham and North Carolina.
When Should I Order My Wedding Invitations or Book a Stationer in NC?
Book a full-service wedding stationer eight to 14 months in advance of the big day if you want a fully custom design. Otherwise, aim to book your stationer at least eight months in advance in order to send save the dates one year to six months in advance.
If you go full service, you can expect help bringing your wedding theme to life on paper. This could mean a custom crest or monogram that’s carried through from save-the-date to day of programs. If you order online, you’ll still want to follow the appropriate timeline.
When Should I Send My Save the Dates?
Save-the-dates should be mailed 6 months – 1 year in advance of wedding (the sooner the better if you have more folks traveling to your event). For awhile, email save-the-dates were trending but that’s out of style again. Paper is preferred!
When Should I Send My Wedding Invitations?
Mail your wedding invitations eight to 10 weeks in advance. Triple check your addresses and take note of postage changes. Your stationer can help guide this. Remember, invites are per household and not per person.
Request RSVPs about four to five weeks before the wedding, to allow for follow-ups and plenty of time to send a head count to your caterer, adjust your seating chart and have your stationer edit day-of paper items like the escort display.
How Much Do Wedding Invitations Cost in NC?
On average, 100 DIY invitation suites (invitation, insert cards and envelopes) costs about $600-$850. Etsy sellers who offer 100 semi-custom invitation suites can run you around $900-$1400.
For 100 fully custom initiation suites, expect to pay between $1,200-$3,500. Many stationery designers in Raleigh, Durham and throughout NC have a starting minimum of anywhere from $2,000-$3,000.
Wedding Calligraphy and Original Art to Enhance Your Invitations
If wedding invitations are the first few chords of your wedding song, then calligraphy and art woven into your wedding ceremony and reception design are the melody. The custom art that our Heart of NC Weddings vendors can create for your special day is truly impressive. Imagine a love poem painted in swirling calligraphy on a banner behind your wedding ceremony altar. Or a hand-painted illustration of your signature cocktail decorating the bar. These are the delicate details that sing at your wedding. Integrating custom ordered art into your wedding design is what will set your wedding apart from a basic Pinterest wedding. Let the ideas flow for each stage of your wedding day!
Custom Paper Detail Ideas for Every Part of Your Raleigh NC Wedding
For the Ceremony
- Calligraphy love poem, quote, scripture, or lyrics painted behind the altar
- Painted calligraphy welcome signage on a vintage mirror, glass or wood
- Beautiful guestbook signage or table art as guests enter ceremony
- Handmade programs with paper, ribbon, calligraphy or illustrations
- Keepsake vows booklet in calligraphy on handmade paper
For the Cocktail Hour
- Punny wedding bar & hors d’oeuvre signage or illustrations
- Hand-painted signature cocktail drink illustrations
- Calligraphy drink or appetizer menu on acrylic, glass, blackboards or wood
Paper and Signage for the Wedding Reception
- Locally-sourced dinner menu sign (one big or individual menus)
- Beautiful creative seating chart & escort cards
- Hand painted table numbers that incorporate wedding theme – could be anything from landmarks from your city, to paintings of your beloved pets
- Clever dinner buffet station and dessert table signage
- Creative cake topper or painted icing cake art
Extra Details
- Special altar or program tribute in memory of deceased family and friends
- Personal wall art for behind dance floor or food tables
- Handcrafted or homemade take-home wedding favors
- Display of custom art such as a painting of your venue that was featured in your wedding invitation suite
- Live event painting for newlyweds to save as keepsake
Wedding Invitations and Stationery in Raleigh, Durham, Chapel Hill and Cary NC
On this page, find the best wedding invitations in Chapel Hill, Durham, Raleigh and Cary NC. These retailers, custom stationery designers and calligraphers can help you with all of your wedding paper needs. Clearly, custom suites are having a major comeback moment. Picture a crest made just for you, or an original watercolor painting of your venue. Or, maybe you prefer a classic letterpress set. Our vendors can do all of the above and more. For example, our stationers are well versed in wedding details such as programs, signage, menus and more. Each of these Heart of NC Weddings vendors is a personal recommendation from our team.
Custom Wedding Invitations in Raleigh, Durham, Greensboro & Chapel Hill NC
Remember, addition to custom wedding invitation suites, there are a plethora of other ways to express your wedding story and style through paper and art. Look to the local stationers for everything from creative dinner menu displays to an illustration of your beloved pet. Wedding vendors are artists with creative genius at their fingertips. Discover more unique ideas for incorporating beautiful paper and art into your wedding design that you haven’t thought of before!
We have gotten to know each of these NC wedding invitation designers and retailers through reputation and direct experience. That’s right, we have worked with each one of these stationers on photoshoots or our own events. Therefore, we can personally attest that you will be thrilled with any of these choices.
All you have to do now is explore their sites and find the one who’s style matches your own!
