Bespoke wedding invitations - who makes them?

There are two ways to have your wedding invitations produced.  The first is to select your invitations from a pre-designed range...and believe me there is plenty of choice out there!  Just Google 'Wedding Invitations' and you'll be overwhelmed in minutes by the choices!  If, however, you would prefer to have your wedding invitations designed specifically to your requirements then you are after what are termed 'Bespoke' invitations.

Now, there are a number of possibilities
here, and also factors you need to consider.  For those wanting to save themselves money, and create the ultimate in personal invitations. you can of course make them yourself, from scratch.  You'll need a few tools, the right materials and a creative bent, but the real factor you need to consider before going down this road is..time!  Making invitations is time-consuming and unless you have plenty of it and help with all the other aspects of organising your wedding, you may get half way through and wish you had gone about it differently!

A close alternative for the very personal approach of making them yourself is to entrust the job to a friend or relative, if you have one willing and able.  There are a wealth of very creative people out there, crafting away, who would be absolutely delighted to either be asked, or to have their offer accepted.  My only word of warning here is to try and avoid the 'Polite' factor.  This is where you are too 'polite' to tell your designer, amateur or professional, what you really want and think about the designs they offer up to you.  The more specific you can be, the better the result.  There is little point in going to the trouble of bespoke invitations and still not ending up with something you love.  The 'Polite' factor tends to raise it's head more with friends and relatives so be sure you choose to ask someone with whom you are comfortable speaking frankly.

If you don't have anyone to help you make the invitations, or you simply don't want to take this option, then you may want to considering buying your invitations from a professional Wedding Stationer, like me.  A lot of those results that you got when you googled wedding invitations will take you to websites for just such professionals.  My advice is to browse through a fairly large number of websites and narrow your list down to three or so possible Stationers whose designs look attractive to you.  Then simply contact each supplier, give them a brief on what you think you might like and your approximate numbers and ask for some estimates.  Ask too for a copy of their terms and conditions at the same time and make sure you read this thoroughly.   An alternative way to find a Stationer is to go along to  local wedding fairs, there is usually at least one represented at each fair, but if you want to make sure just contact the Fair Organiser in advance.

A point worth mentioning is that you may wish to employ a Stationer who lives local to you.  Although we can all these days work at a distance from one another due to the wonders of technology, sometimes it's important to be able to sit down in person, especially if you are choosing colours, ribbons, embellishments etc.  This is a purely personal choice of course, most of my clients are perfectly happy to work with me entirely via email and the telephone...others prefer to come and visit me.  Any good professional Wedding Stationer should be able to meet with you in person, although it is usual for this to be by appointment.

Whether it be the D.I.Y approach, a trusted friend or relative, or you choose a professional, don't forget to ENJOY the process of having your invitations created uniquely for you.