Indigo Envelope

Archive for February 2014

Wedding Registry Etiquette

Formal China, crystal glasses, silverware, these are things we think of when we think of wedding registries. However, registries are changing with the times and so is wedding registry etiquette.

Gifts are Voluntary

Brides do it sometimes, and the big box stores pressure them to include their registry information inside their invitations. We do this occasionally but traditional etiquette is that a gift is always voluntary and your more traditional guests could be offended. A safer tactic is to include a link to your wedding website in your invitation, and let people who desire to buy a gift off your registry go there to find the online list and link to that. Another way to share registry information is to instead tell your close friends and family, including the wedding party, and have them spread the word if guests ask where you are registered.

Items to Ask For

As to what to register for, items on gift registry lists are changing every day. It is now acceptable to mix classic registry items with fun and different ones, such as tools, gardening equipment, and camping gear. Some couples choose to register for donations toward their honeymoons or a cause they believe in, but you should never ask directly for cash. At honeyfund.com, you can politely ask for donations toward your ideal honeymoon.

Shop Local

Another interesting option many couples like to do is to promote shopping local. Some areas have services focused on items in local stores. If your area doesn’t, try simpleregistry.com, where you can add any item from any store on one registry. Also, remember to register for items of different values so there is something for everyone to choose from.

Thanking Your Guests

Finally, remember to send thank you notes as your gifts come in. It will help you keep track of your gifts, and according to Anna Post, it is a myth that you have a year to send them out. Order them when you order your invitations and use them right away– don’t wait for months to thank your guests for gifts. Many of our brides order their thank you notes with their invitations… If desired, we can even pre-print addresses on the thank you envelopes to make that process go that much faster. The design time for a matching social stationery set is always free when you order from us. The cost of thank you note sets dips 10 percent when your order at least 100 sets from us.

Wedding Stationery Trends for 2014

You can make your stationery suite as unique as yourselves and limited only by your imagination. We’ve scouted out trends at the National Stationery Show, and also read the insights of industry mavens at The Knot, and here are a few trends we are seeing in stationery orders for this year:

Typography

Creative hand calligraphy and fonts that are inspired and created by prominent calligraphers (some with more than 2,000 glyphs!) allow us to give you that hand-written look. Distressed type and vintage poster-inspired typography is also trending now. (We have added collections of fonts this year from World War II posters and Civil War era letterpress work.) We have also added some calligraphy fonts that appear to be slightly distressed and have a true hand-written look.

Patterns

Add some patterns to your stationery in a range of choices: chevron, geometric motifs, and florals. Use them as backing cards, on the back of invitations, or add a custom envelope liner to brighten up your invitation’s style.

Colors

Soft neutral tones, tans and grays have been more dominant, although still some darker colors of navy, eggplant, and black are used. Nationally, trend watchers note ombre gradations in print pieces, as well as a resurgence of silver, gold, and glitter (although our clients recently have tended to be a little bit more earthy). A pop of color against a neutral palette is also trendy.

Themes

Engaged couples these days can’t get enough of the rustic look, including woodland-style venues and attire, and rustic themed stationery to match. They are also into celebrating locale and places the couples love and the celebration of romance with the use of vintage images.

Personalization

Custom made monograms dominate many notecards and thank you notes as well as invitations. Also, creative illustration that is particular to a couple’s interests and personality are trending now. Unique save the date photos in fun places, or places that are special to the couple are also showing up in wedding stationery trends.

Flowers

Not just flowers found everywhere at your ceremony and reception, the bride’s dress, and a fresh flower wall for your escort cards. Floral motifs for your stationery are also a hot wedding stationery trend for 2014.