Invitations, signage, and paper goods oh my! Your wedding stationery is as important as you want it to be. It is the perfect way to add a little style to your wedding. There are so many ways to display wedding signage, when we are going through detail meetings and we get to the signage part, the sky is the limit on what kind of signage you can have. We wanted to create a blog that goes through it ALL!

Some things to think about is what do you really NEED and what you want. Signage is the perfect way to add color and details to your wedding, also while being informative for your guests! The signage you get definitely can depend on the venue. Sometimes you do not need a welcome sign, but other times, your venue might have a bit of a confusing layout, in which, signage is needed.

Today we are going to talk all about signage and stationery, and paper goods, the different styles and how to get it done! If wedding stationery is something you are in to… Just keep reading!

First things first, who actually designs this stuff? Like everything, there are designers that specialize in this stuff, we love working with them because they can take your ideas and run with their creativity, and they are experts so they can tell you the best type of materials to display things on. This grid seating chart in picture number 2 is a great example of a designer using her creativity to create magic! Josie with Ivory Isle Designs is an expert stationery vendor that we love working with! Sometimes we have a couple who might enjoy graphic design or have a sibling that is a designer, but they don’t know where to get it printed from. There are may options for printing, local print shops, The UPS store, just to name a few! Lastly, Etsy is a great place to look for custom wood options!

Here are some examples of what you can use to create your signage displays!

Escort Cards vs. Place Cards vs. Table Seating Signage

If you are having a plated meal where guests choose their meal prior to the wedding, you will need meal indicator cards. These are typically called place cards, it will indicate the guests name, what table they are sitting at, and what meal they are eating. You can indicate the meal by stickers, like a cow for beef, chicken for chicken, carrot for veggie. You can also incorporate your wedding colors by doing a green, blue, or yellow dot in the corner.

If you want your guest to sit at a specific spot at the table, then this would be considered an escort card, here you would have either a sign that has everyone’s name with the table they are at, or individual name cards, and then a second name card that is placed at the seat where you would like them to sit. It is nice to have escort cards at the head table, so that your wedding party knows what spot they are sitting at once the grand march is over.

If you are doing a buffet, or you don’t need place cards to indicate what people are having for dinner, but you still want to have them sit at a certain table, then you could create a table seating arrangement (pictured above) for them to see what table they are at (Not specific seats).
You don’t have to just do a foam board, you can get creative by using glass panes, chalk boards, pipes with ribbon, large picture frames (just to name a few).

Pro Tip!

No matter the style you go with, we always suggest listing guests out in alphabetical order instead of by table number, this will ensure guests find their names and seats quickly!

Extra Pro Tip!

We LOVE fancy script, but consider guests names being written in something that can be clearly read!

Welcome Sign

A welcome sign is a way to welcome your guests to the wedding. A welcome sign can display the couples name, and wedding date. It can be placed outside (if your venue, if it is in an area that doesn’t stand out, or if there are more than one event going on at a time. You could place it at the bottom of the stairs, or at the beginning of an aisle.

Order of Events Sign

We love order of events signage! This helps your guests have an idea on what is going on and at what time, so if they don’t want to miss the first dance, they will know when it is taking place! These can be displayed on chalk boards, mirrors, or your whoever is doing your stationery can design something to be printed as well!

Individual Programs or Program Sign

I can not lie; I hate paper programs! They are a complete waste of paper, and no one keeps them. If you want to be environmentally friendly and still show all the people you love that is apart of your big day, consider doing a large sign instead of ones that are passed out to everyone.

Gifts, Cards & Guest Book Signage

Not to much to this, but it is important to have proper signage for where gifts and cards go and if there is a guest book, because guests pay attention to visuals!

Pick a Seat, Not a Side

This is a nice touch if you don’t care what side people sit on, nowadays, it is not as typical to have a “Bride side” And “Groom side”, more a “There are no sides, so sit where you would like” sign.

Unplugged Ceremony Sign

Always nice if you want guests to keep their phones away during the ceremony, you don’t need people getting in the way of your photographer! You can also have your officiant make a polite announcement right before the ceremony starts.

Table Numbers

There are so many ways to display the table numbers, depending on your vibe and tablescape, you want to choose a table number that will stand out so guests can find it, but also fit your theme. A station like the photo to the left, shows a great example of a simple table number that worked with their blue & gold color scheme.

Bar Signage

A bar sign is a must! Showing guests what is hosted, what is cash, and listing out what is available not only speeds up the bar lines, but avoids guests from just mindlessly getting drinks!

pro tip - Getting custom cocktail napkins and drink stirs is a great way to add some fun customized elements to your day!

Shuttle Signage

If you have a shuttle leaving at multiple times, it is nice to have signage informing guests on when the shuttle is leaving so that they can prepare!

Dessert Signage

We enjoy dessert signage because we often set up some very lovely displays and some guests take before we can get any photos of the set up.

Dessert signage can be informative as well as add some design elements to your station! You can display what time desserts are available, what time the couple will be doing their cake cutting, or jokingly ask them to admire from a distance.

If you are having more than one flavor desserts, please have signage explaining what is what, I can not tell you how many times we have set out bundt cakes or cupcakes / donuts, and people come ask us what is what, and we have to try to tell the difference between lemon and yellow cake..

Menus

A menu is a great way to add a little detail that can allow for you to add some color to your tables, and let guests know what they will be eating for dinner! Again, this can be individual at each place setting, or it can be stand alone at the table for guests to look at. A third option if you are having a buffet or stations is to display it on a sign. Below they used an old door with a chalkboard and wrote out the menu.

Directional Signage

If you are doing a guest book that involves some directions, having that printed out and put in a frame is super helpful!

Are you dizzy yet? What is nice about your wedding stationery is that it is not something to stress over, it is really based on your vibe. Some people love to put extra thought into it, and others just want to make sure they have the basics down. You can get trendy, or keep it simple, just remember, have fun with it! Below is some things that we have not personally done, but we are loving the trend! Want to try something creative out? Reach out and we can chat! Let us know in the comments what your favorite part about wedding stationery is!

Image credits:

Photo 1 & 11 | Angela Devine Photography | Stationery from The Ups Store in St. Louis Park | Greenery - Florals by Claire | Venue - Next Chapter Winery

Photo 2 | Eileen K Photography | Stationery - Ivory Aisle Designs | Floral and Grid - 651 Studio Floral | Venue - Pinewood

Photo 3 & 10 | Charise Healy Photography

Photo 4, 5, 8, 9, & 14 | Vow House Studios | Stationery - Ivory Isle Designs | Floral - Tulip & a Kiss | Venue - Weddings at the Broz

Photo 6 & 12 | Alyssa Pearl | Venue - Solar Arts

Photo 13 |

Photo 15 | Uppercase L Photography

Photo 16 | Lauren Baker Photography | Stationery - The Copy Shop