ULTIMATE Wedding Stationery Timeline

"Wedding Stationery Timeline from save the dates to thank you cards" is a Guest Post from Weddings in Woodinville Partners Songbird Paperie

Finally, the infographic you have all been waiting for! 

The Ultimate Timeline for Wedding Stationery

We here at Songbird are so paper-obsessed and in love with weddings AND good design. So, we created this handy dandy infographic to help you figure out when to order what, and when to send what!

You're Engaged! 

Find your stationery designer and calligrapher. Luckily, that's us all in one! Contact erica@songbirdpaperie.com to set up a free wedding stationery & calligraphy consultation!

12-6 Months Before Your Wedding

Order Save the Date announcements and Thank You cards. You should send thank you cards as gifts come in. Trust us. You'll be happy you kept up with it early because the thank you list does start to pile up fast!

6-8 Months Before

Mail Save the Date announcements. If you're having a destination wedding (say, in Jamaica, Paris or in a part of the country where most of the guests will be travelling to by plane), mail them out as soon as you've set a date and venue to maximize the time your guests will have to book accommodations! 

4-5 Months Before

Start the design process with your for wedding, rehearsal dinner and day-after brunch invitations. Decide on an envelope color as soon as possible in order to get the envelopes to your calligrapher ASAP. Songbird requires 1 week per 100 envelopes, but during the busy season, our turnaround time may increase!

10-8 Weeks Before

Deliver invitation envelopes to your calligrapher. Double check turnaround time with them to ensure you don't pay a rush fee to get them done in time.

6-8 Weeks Before

Mail all the invitations! Order programs, menu cards, table numbers, place cards, favor cards, signage and other stationery for the big day. 

3 Weeks Before

Finalize seating assignments for your calligrapher & escort/place cards. Prepare thank you cards for your vendors! (Order more cards from your stationer if necessary.) Ask your wedding planner, or recruit a bridesmaid, to deliver the thank you cards on the day of your wedding (or when you receive the final products)!

2-3 Weeks Before

Guests should have sent in their RSVP cards by now. If not, now's the time to hunt down the non-responders!

1 Week Before

Pack a complete wedding invitation in your wedding day to-go-bag for your photographer to capture along with the other wedding details!

The BIG DAY

Get married! In the morning, write a note or card to your future spouse. It will become a cherished love letter for generations to come :)

2 Weeks After Your Wedding

Mail "we got married!" announcements, if desired. (You may order these through your stationery designer as well!)

1 Month After

Make sure all off your thank you cards are mailed out and cheers to your first month as a married couple!

Thank you Songbird Paperie for creating and sharing this beautiful & helpful Wedding Stationery Timeline graphic! Be sure to follow their Pinterest boards for even more wedding inspirtation and planning tips for your big day.

  Drop them a line at hello@songbirdpaperie.com

First thing to do if you're newly engaged

First thing to do if you're newly engaged is a guest blog post by Valley & Company Events

O'Malley Photography

While it’s so much fun to share your joy with everyone, we know how quickly the excitement can turn to an overwhelming and uneasy feeling of we don’t know! We have one sage piece of advice we’ve been telling our couples since 2003 that we wanted to share:

Take a deep breath. Enjoy. And have a serious talk about what’s most important to you both for your wedding and the planning process itself.

After all, your engagement is a journey and one of your first adventures you’re embarking on before you meld your lives together. We encourage you to assess the key details before you settle on a date, tell the world they’re invited, and dive into a budget.

Llanes Weddings

What’s most important to you both can mean a number of things, but consider:

• Location – are you both from elsewhere but live in a city together? Will you bring friends and family to that location and have a fun destination wedding for them and share your new digs? Will you travel and plan from afar to tie the knot in your hometown?
• Ambiance – what do you envision for the ceremony? Something traditional in a church or on a rooftop? An intimate cocktail party where a wedding happened of a beautiful reception party for 400? Do you want guests to come from the weekend and stay together at a resort or on an island?
• Figure out who loves what (or if you both enjoy everything!). We often find that our couples have different interests so one may enjoy planning the look and feeling of the wedding like flowers, the linen choices, lighting, and the visuals. The counterpart may really enjoy great food and cocktails and want to head that up or absolutely love music and want to create a festive vibe through sound and the menu.

Alante Photography

Remember to enjoy the process and have fun with it!

~Aleah and Nick Valley, Valley & Company Events

Weddings in Woodinville Media Sponsors

Weddings in Woodinville would like to thank its Media Sponsors, BanquetEvent.com and Seattle Bride, for their unwavering support and dedication to our tour!  Thank you for 7 years of devoted commitment!

Be sure to pick up your complimentary copies of their Resource Guides during registration.

B&E/banquetevent.com is committed to providing brides and grooms with the most comprehensive collection of wedding vendors in your area. Based in Seattle, B&E publishes the Puget Sound Wedding Resource Guide, available in print and digital formats. They welcome you to their online wedding planning guide, which provides you with the top wedding professionals from reception sites, to wedding caterers, bridal salons, floristsand more. BanquetEvent.com is a two easy-to-use, comprehensive directories featuring detailed information for wedding or event planning businesses and services. You'll also find information, helpful hints and ideas you won't find anywhere else throughout each site, particularly in their wedding blog, LUCKY IN LOVE and EVENT PLANNING BLOG.

Seattle Bride magazine offers local resources for all your wedding needs from photographers to dj’s and more. Online and available at local retailers every issue showcases fabulous, creative, and quintessentially Northwest weddings that celebrate the beauty of Washington state and those who call it home through wedding blogs, print and resources. The Seattle Bride Resource Guide is a practical workbook for the bride and groom. Each section of the planning chapter covers one aspect of the wedding, from setting a budget and compiling the guest list to setting the date and writing your vows, through dressing the wedding party and packing for your honeymoon. There’s also a section devoted to local wedding resources, including florists, photographers, caterers, and reception sites.

Weddings in Woodinville would like to thank its Media Sponsors, BanquetEvent.com and Seattle Bride, for their unwavering support and dedication to our tour!  Thank you for 7 years of devoted commitment!

Be sure to pick up your complimentary copies of their Resource Guides during registration.

B&E/banquetevent.com is committed to providing brides and grooms with the most comprehensive collection of wedding vendors in your area. Based in Seattle, B&E publishes the Puget Sound Wedding Resource Guide, available in print and digital formats. They welcome you to their online wedding planning guide, which provides you with the top wedding professionals from reception sites, to wedding caterers, bridal salons, floristsand more. BanquetEvent.com is a two easy-to-use, comprehensive directories featuring detailed information for wedding or event planning businesses and services. You'll also find information, helpful hints and ideas you won't find anywhere else throughout each site, particularly in their wedding blog, LUCKY IN LOVE and EVENT PLANNING BLOG.

Seattle Bride magazine offers local resources for all your wedding needs from photographers to dj’s and more. Online and available at local retailers every issue showcases fabulous, creative, and quintessentially Northwest weddings that celebrate the beauty of Washington state and those who call it home through wedding blogs, print and resources. The Seattle Bride Resource Guide is a practical workbook for the bride and groom. Each section of the planning chapter covers one aspect of the wedding, from setting a budget and compiling the guest list to setting the date and writing your vows, through dressing the wedding party and packing for your honeymoon. There’s also a section devoted to local wedding resources, including florists, photographers, caterers, and reception sites.

Bridal Bouquet Advice from Perfectly Posh Events

The following is a guest blog post from 2015 Weddings in Woodinville guest wedding planner, Perfectly Posh Events. 

BE DIFFERENT WITH YOUR BRIDAL BOUQUET!

Looking at wedding pictures, all the flowers can start to look the same. The standard compact, rounded bridal bouquet with white roses wrapped in a statin ribbon is elegant and beautiful, and is very much in style according to Christiane of Flora Nova Design. However, if you thinking you want to go a little bit out of the box, want something a bit more unique, or are aiming to make a statement with your bouquet, here are some ideas!

1. A Pop of Color

Kemper Mills Fant Photography | Pixie’s Petals (florist) | Jodi Miller Photography and Janie Medley Flora Design (florist) 

Having bright colors in your bouquet does not have to look childish or tacky, but can be a pretty and chic way to brighten up those wedding pictures! I love it because it is a great way to pull in all of your colors for the day and even add some others that did not quite make the cut, without it seeming too busy or overwhelming.

2. A Secret Succulent

Nancy Ray Photography | First Comes Love Photo | Picotte Weddings and Effloresce Florals(florist) | Sublime Stems (florist) | Micheal Radford Photography 

It may seem kind of odd or unconventional, but succulents are a trendy addition to weddings in many ways, including the bouquets! I am not saying to bombard the entire bouquet with stiff-looking cacti, but a little succulent here and there is such a fun accent and a unique way to spice up your bouquet. Additionally, succulents are a great way to create the popular textured look to the bouquet according to Kristal of Sublime Stems. 

3. The Traditional Cascade

Brandi Smyth Photography | Joielala Photo | Barbie Hull Photography and Sublime Stems(florist) 

While succulents may seem unconventional, these cascading— or waterfall, as I like to call them— bouquets may seem too traditional, bringing back what mother-of-the-brides had in their weddings. However, I think the classic look still fits in modern-day weddings, especially if you avoid the white calla lilies. Plus, because it was popular from the ’80s and ’90s, it is no longer cliché today and can be a unique touch to your bridal look. Also, these cascading bouquets fit with the trend Kristal of Sublime Stems described as a “loose, garden style” that is “big, romantic and full, with the greenery cascading down.” Emily from Lola Creative shared that she once got an order for one that was three feet long, took four hours to create, and “weighed as much as a small child!” 

4. A Themed Bunch

Micheal Radford Photography | Jen Finch Photography and Sublime Stems (florist) | Sublime Stems (florist)

Perhaps you have a specific design theme for your wedding that you could include to add a personal touch to your bouquet without being too obvious or cheesy. These different props can be a cute addition to a bridal bouquet whether it reflects the theme, venue, or color scheme. Pinecones are a great touch for a Fall, Winter, Northwest, or Forest themed wedding and citrus accents could work in Spring or Summer weddings for anyone who wants a fun color and texture in their bouquet! Though I personally cannot imagine exchanging flowers all together for a different prop, like with a lantern or fan, as an accent I think these little props are perfect for making a bouquet unique.

5. Fun Flowers

Gladys Jem and Studio Choo (florist) | Anne & Kam Photography | Dianna M. Lott Photography

Another way to spice up your bouquet without going too out there is by including out-of-the-ordinary flowers! Roses and calla lilies may be the conventional wedding flowers, but flowers like these— billy balls, ranunculus, anemone, and king proteas— are so fun and come in many unique colors! 

All the florists I talked to, Emily of Lola Creative, Kristal of Sublime Stems, and Christiane of Flora Nova Design, agree that the bride’s dress and personal preference are major factors when it comes to designing a bridal bouquet look that is right for the bride. With all the different styles of bouquets and types of flowers, there is sure to be a look that is right for you and that can make a statement when you walk down the aisle, so talk to your florist about mixing up your bouquet look.

Wishing you a happily ever after!

~Mackenzie, Perfectly Posh Events

Perfectly Posh Events was featured at The Loft at The Woodinville Whiskey Company/Hollywood Tavern during the 2015 Weddings in Woodinville Tour.

Your Wedding, Your Music.

Your Wedding, Your Music. is a musical guest post from 2015 Weddings in Woodinville DJ's Magnolia Rhapsody:

Love Song PhotoAt Magnolia Rhapsody, we understand the importance of music at your wedding: from the song that you walk down the aisle to, the tunes you groove to during dinner and finally,  the very last dance. And while we love music of all sounds and notes, we like to focus on those that want their wedding mix to be less about what everyone else is doing and more about music that is true to the soul.

Whether your wedding is held in a ballroom, on the beach, or in a barn, it’s a time of joyous celebration and intense partying! But it’s also an unique production that involves many moving parts! And that’s where we step in with a personal approach to our craft. We work with clients closely throughout the entire wedding planning process to ensure we:

1) get our client’s musical vision and

2) sort out ALL the little details of the big day

And on your wedding day, we make sure that you remember us only as the background ninjas who ran your reception smoothly and provided the tunes for the ultimate dance party!

One Love Photo

Magnolia Rhapsody is the brain child of Beaux and Cho Breaux – a husband and wife team who bring their diverse and variegated passions and a ton of experience to bring your event to life.  If you're passionate about music, let's talk because so are we.