How To Choose Luxury Handmade Wedding Stationery For Your Big Day

How To Choose Luxury Handmade Wedding Stationery For Your Big Day

Your wedding stationery is the first glimpse your guests have of your celebration. It sets the mood, hints at the colours and style, and gives everyone the details they need. Choosing it should feel inspiring. With the right guidance, you can select pieces that look exquisite, feel beautiful in hand, and tell your story with grace.

What is luxury wedding stationery?

Luxury wedding stationery blends thoughtful design with premium materials and skilled craftsmanship. It looks elegant on the page and feels substantial when held. At Paper Willow that means original hand-drawn and hand-painted artwork, carefully refined by a graphic designer, then digitally printed to luxury card with hand-finished details. Paper weight matters here, as does finish and colour accuracy, so invitations and on-the-day pieces look cohesive and polished.

Luxury also means personal. Rather than a generic template, you can include bespoke touches that reflect your venue, season, or shared interests. Think tiny illustrations that reference your flowers, a miniature map that guides guests between ceremony and reception, or a watercolour motif that threads through every piece from save the dates to your thank you cards.

• Handmade, luxury, or designer, what is the difference?
  Handmade describes how your stationery is produced. Each item is physically finished by hand, for example attaching RSVP cards, adding enclosure strings or assembling booklets. This approach ensures neat finishing and a boutique feel.
  
• Luxury describes the quality standard. Expect higher paper weight, crisp printing, careful colour management, and elegant finishing choices. The effect is refined rather than mass-produced.
  
• Designer focuses on artistry. A designer or illustrator creates the look, whether that is a delicate floral painting, a whimsical doodle style, or a sophisticated venue illustration. With Paper Willow, you collaborate with an illustrator and graphic designer so your ideas become cohesive artwork across the suite.

Many couples choose a combination. A designer creates an original concept, the pieces are printed on luxury card, then each item is hand-finished to perfection.

Do people still send paper wedding invitations?

Yes, and for good reason. Paper invitations feel special. Guests place them on mantels, pin them to noticeboards, and keep them as mementoes. They also work beautifully for multi-generational guest lists. You can still complement them with digital reminders, but a printed invitation remains a meaningful way to set the tone. If you are early in your planning, consider posting save the dates about 8 to 12 months ahead so guests can plan. Then send invitations in good time for your RSVP date. A coordinated suite creates a lovely journey for your guests from first announcement to the day itself and beyond.

If you want to browse options, the curated collections of wedding invitations at Paper Willow show how different formats and illustrations can express your style. Explore wedding stationery invitations to gather ideas that feel right for your celebration.

What paper should wedding invitations be on?

There is no single perfect answer, but there are reliable guidelines. Focus on three things.
Paper weight, choose a sturdy card stock so your invitation feels premium rather than flimsy. Paper Willow prints invitations on luxury card, with formats like folded concertinas or booklet styles that naturally offer presence in hand. Their folded wedding posters are printed on luxury silk smooth white paper at 140 gsm for the poster format, which still feels elegant due to scale and finish.

Finish, think about the look you prefer. A silk smooth or matte finish gives artwork a refined clarity and a soft sheen. This works beautifully for watercolour, pen and ink drawings, and detailed florals.

Colour management, especially if you are matching specific hues. Working with a professional designer helps ensure the printed result aligns with your palette and that accompanying items like place cards and table names remain consistent. If you are unsure, ask for guidance on weight, finish, and print effects suitable for your chosen format. Seeing examples can make decisions easier.

Formats that work hard for you

• Luxury does not have to be complicated. The format should serve your information clearly and beautifully. 
  
• Folded concertina invitations, ideal if you have extra details such as travel, menus, or a mini timeline.
  
• Passport booklet invitations, charming for destination weddings with space for a venue painting, itinerary, and RSVP details in one compact piece.
  
• Folded wedding posters, striking when you want a statement art work that unfolds to reveal the story and schedule.
  
• Gatefold designs, elegant when you want a reveal moment and a central panel for your key information.
  

Each format can hold coordinating pieces like RSVP cards, information inserts, and maps. Ask your designer how best to organise content so guests find what they need at a glance.

How to make a good wedding invitation

A good invitation is both beautiful and practical. Use this simple checklist.
Story, begin with a visual idea that reflects you both. It could be wildflowers from your venue garden, a sketch of the building where you will marry, or seasonal foliage that suits your date.

• Hierarchy, make the essentials unmistakable, who, what, where, when, and how to RSVP. Use clear headings and consistent type.
  
• Consistency, carry the same artwork and typographic style through save the dates, invitations, and on-the-day pieces. This creates an elegant thread from first impression to final thank you.
  
• Readability, choose legible fonts and confirm print sizes. Your design can be ornamental while still easy to read.
  
• Print-ready proofing, review names, dates, and addresses carefully. Ask your designer for a final proof so you can check everything on screen before print.
  
• Tactility, select a card weight and finish that feel luxurious and suit your artwork.
  
• Assembly, if your design has multiple components, plan how they will be packaged in the envelope so guests can navigate easily.

Working with Paper Willow means you have an illustrator and a graphic designer on side. You can request a bespoke venue painting or add delightful details like illustrated wedding timelines that walk guests through the day. If you love a floral style, you might explore watercolour wedding invitations as inspiration for a graceful, painterly look that remains crisp in print.

Personal touches that make it yours

• Venue artwork, a small painting of your ceremony or reception space makes your invitation unmistakably yours.
  
• Seasonal motifs, spring wildflowers, autumn leaves, or festive greenery can anchor the design to your date.
  
• Coordinating day-of details, think flower table names, place cards, menus, and a welcoming sign that bring your invitation artwork into the room.
  
• Thoughtful endings, after the day, send wedding thank you cards that echo your theme so your gratitude feels connected to the celebration.
  

If you want a fully tailored route, the studio offers bespoke wedding stationery, collaborating on artwork, formats, and content so every piece feels considered.

Timeline to keep planning calm

• Save the dates, 8 to 12 months prior.
  
• Invitations, allow time for proofs and posting so you can track RSVPs without last-minute rush.
  
• On-the-day stationery, confirm once seating and timings are final.
  
• Thank you cards, send soon after the wedding so your appreciation reaches guests while memories are fresh.
  

Your designer can help you map key dates and coordinate artwork across each stage.

Summary, choose with confidence

Luxury handmade wedding stationery should feel like a joy to create. Prioritise original artwork, premium materials, and a format that serves your information. Keep typography clear and proof thoroughly. Add personal touches that nod to your venue, season, or story. With Paper Willow you work directly with an illustrator and graphic designer who bring hand-drawn and hand-painted ideas to life on luxury card, then hand-finish each item with care. If you are ready to begin, explore personalised wedding invitations for inspiration, browse watercolour wedding invitations if you love painterly florals, or consider bespoke wedding stationery to craft something entirely your own.