Tips – Writing out your Wedding Invitations   Order enough invitations …You only need one invitation per couple but there are bound to be a few singles also. There will probably be 3 lists – one from the bride’s family, one from the groom’s family and one from the couple.  Ensure that you have included absolutely everybody before counting up numbers.  We would always advise ordering 15% more than you think you need.  This will allow you a few extras – for making mistakes when you are writing them out and also the odd person you might have forgotten.  When you get your replies back there may be a few people who can’t go – you then have a few spare for inviting others if you wish.  It is very expensive to order a reprint so do ensure that you order enough. It is good manners to send an invitation to the minister and his wife.  It is also courteous to invite people who for reasons of great distance or illness are likely not to be able to attend. The parents of the groom are sent an invitation as a formality.   Order on time … allow plenty of time so you can enjoy writing out your invitations instead of it being a mad rush. We would advise ordering approx. 4 months before your wedding. Ensure that you have your lists of names and addresses ready before your invitations arrive from the printers. You will need full details including post codes.   Decide on how you wish to style names on invitations. It is usual to have Mr & Mrs though some brides put Christian names only. Sometimes the names of the guests are written on the reply card and not on the actual invitation. This is entirely your choice – some brides do not wish to ruin their invitations with their handwriting!  You may wish to employ a calligrapher to write your invitations (or a member of you family who has beautiful writing).   Take time to methodically work through your list in an orderly fashion, marking off each name as they are completed. It is best to set a time aside when you have peace and quiet and can spread your work out – perhaps on a dining table.   The invitee’s name is written by hand, either in the top left-hand corner of the invitation or on the dotted line within the text. A fountain pen with black ink gives a traditional look but you may choose something different. Avoid biros! The type of pen you use will have a great impact on how the finished product looks.  Try a few pens out to see which looks...

I am often asked for guidance as to when each item of Wedding Stationery should be ordered.  I hope you find this Date Plan helpful. 24 weeks before wedding Appointment with stationers. You are best to come in and discuss your ideas well in advance of your wedding.  You may wish to incorporate a special theme, colours or a motif.  It is best to handle the invitations to get an idea of the quality before making a decision.  You may wish to take some samples home.  The appointment can take a couple of hours by the time you choose card colour and texture, fonts etc.  At this stage we also discuss your wording and the various items you might need. 23 weeks before wedding Receive wording for invitations and reply cards. We will also give you a full quotation. 22 weeks before wedding Send amended wording back.  You may also need to provide us with the wording for your information sheet should you require one. 20 weeks before wedding Receive proofs – this is your opportunity to correct any errors and make any final adjustments to the design. 19 weeks before wedding Receive amended proof and check all details are correct before signing off to print.  Make sure that you have ordered the correct amount, allowing for spares. Also make sure you that you compile your full guest list along with completed addresses so you are ready to write your invitations when they arrive. 16 weeks before wedding Details finalised and order placed. This first order usually includes daytime invitations, reply cards, evening invitations and information sheets if required. 15 weeks before wedding Begin to compile your Order of Service.  You will need to decide on music, readings, hymns, soloists etc.  This all needs to be approved by the person conducting the ceremony before sending to us. 12 weeks before wedding You should receive your invitations around now and can start writing them out.  You may wish to send a few early if they are going abroad. 11 weeks before wedding Send us a typed Order of Service and also the wording for your menu if required.  You may also wish to order table names, place cards and thank you cards. 9 weeks before wedding Receive proofs for Order of Service, menu etc.  Send back any amendments. 8 weeks before wedding Approve proofs for remaining items and send to print. Send out Wedding Invitations. 4 weeks before wedding Receive remaining items – Order of Service, Menus, place cards, table names, thank you cards. 3 weeks before wedding Send in details of table plan for proof. Write out place cards. 2 weeks before wedding Receive proof of tableplan –  make...

When should I come in to discuss stationery? This is entirely up to you but we would usually advise coming in around 6 months prior to your wedding.  If you want to order Save the Date cards you may wish to come in a year before.  If you have left it a bit late – don’t despair – we can offer you a Rush Order where you pay extra and receive your order more quickly. How long does it take to get my stationery? This can vary depending on time of year and your specific requirements but to give you an idea….. Normal order Once you have decided on your design and wording a proof usually comes within 1 week.  When you approve your final proof to print your order usually comes within 2-3 weeks. Rush order A proof usually takes a day, when you approve your final proof to print your order usually arrives approx. 1 week later. How many invitations do I need to order? Please do not guess your numbers.  Count up all your couples, all your singles and add up the total number of invitations you expect to send out – then add 15% extra to this number (to allow extras for making mistakes when writing out and also a few spares for people you decide to invite later once you receive some refusals). When should I send out my invitations? Most people send them out 8-12 weeks prior to their wedding.  You may wish to wait and send your evening invitations a little later in case some guests from the daytime list cannot come and you decide to invite an evening guest to the full day. What basic advice would you give about choosing my invitations? Your invitations are the first hint your guests receive about the style of your day and so play an important part in setting the tone. Come in and discuss your requirements and get ideas by looking at samples. You may wish to incorporate bridesmaid colours, motifs, lined envelopes, blind embossing or gilt edges and create something unique to you. It is important that you see and handle samples before making your choice. How do I word my invitations? Don’t worry about your wording – we can discuss this in detail with you and send you your wording before ordering proofs.  There are many ways to do this and we will go through the options.  Usually it is the bride’s parents doing the inviting if they are hosting the wedding but sometimes it is the bride and groom.  Read more about wording your wedding invites. How do I write my invitations? Traditionally the name of the guest is written...

Outside the Spa at Culloden:  Jules, competition winner Kelly Tweedie and Spa & Health Club manager Rachel Crawford.   Bride to be and lucky winner Kelly Tweedie collected her spa treatment voucher this week. Kelly won our competition to treat her mum or someone special as a thank you for all their help with her wedding.  While they receive their treatment Kelly will be able to enjoy the spa facilities at either the Spa at Slieve Donard or the Spa at the Culloden. Kelly is pictured receiving her voucher at the Spa at the Culloden from manager, Rachel Crawford (right) with Jules (left).   Keep a look out on Jules social media accounts as we will soon be announcing our next exciting competition.  Follow us on Twitter and like us on Facebook....

Jules recently received an email from a happy couple thanking her for their wedding stationery and sharing with her some photos from the day. Claire and Christopher McKendry got married at Campbell College on the 20th of December 2014.  Below is photo of them leaving the ceremony took by photographer Mark Barton. Claire and Christopher’s wedding had a very elegant style with an ivory and deep blue colour scheme.  Candle sticks and frosted foliage gave a romantic winter feel to the wedding reception and contrasted to the warm dark woodwork of this beautiful wedding venue.   The couple wanted quality wedding stationery with a classic style to suit the tone of their wedding.  Below is a beautiful photo taken by Mark Barton of the couples “order of ceremony”.   Below is a copy of the email Jules received shortly after the wedding. Julie Anne, Look how gorgeous all your products are!! You cannot be thanked enough for how much the invitations, thank you cards, reply cards, information sheets, writing paper, table plan, menu cards and table numbers! Now thank you cards too!! All set the standard for my wedding, and exactly the perfect tone! It really really means a lot, I was so particular about the feeling of my day, and all your touches were absolutely key to the success of this, both on the day and more importantly in the build up to the day, you worked tirelessly with me to ensure that I was absolutely happy with every single detail and even read my mind to know what I would like, everything was exactly how I imagined and I genuinely cannot thank you enough! With love and sincere thanks, Claire and Christopher...

Photo credit: the Wedding of my Dreams Did you know that 84% of wedding guests prefer assigned seating and a wedding table plan? They take the hassle and franticness out of the arrival at the reception and let people enjoy the entrance into your dining hall. Without a wedding table plan it can take a very long time for guests to get seated and in the end there will always be a few lonely people wandering round looking for a spare seat when everyone else is seated. No one enjoys this feeling, which is why for any wedding reception to run smoothly, a wedding table plan is a must. Wedding Table Plan Dos  Photos: weddingchicks.com and Lois Jordan Do get exact numbers and a table plan from your venue before you start assigning seats. Do find out if your venue can cater for different sized tables, and what is the maximum number of people at each size table. Do have a children’s table if you have quite a few children between the ages of 6 – 13. If they are younger than six they may not want to sit at a table away from their parents. If they are older than 13 then they will want to be seen at an adult, or at least a teen table. Do create a nice mix at your tables. A roughly even mix of males and females can balance the conversation well at tables. Do be traditional when organising the top table. The traditional top table seating plan is; from left to right in the following order; maid of honour, groom’s father, bride’s mother, groom, bride, bride’s father, groom’s mother, best man. Wedding Table Plan Don’ts Photos: hitched.co.uk and bespoke-bride.com Don’t be tempted to fill up gaps at children’s or teen tables with any single friends coming to the wedding unaccompanied. Don’t split couples up – people bring a plus one to a wedding for a reason and want to be in their company. Don’t try to mix and match friend groups too much. Weddings can be hard work at the best of times but spending dinner trying to bond with new people can be a bit over whelming sometimes. People are more likely to get on well if they are of similar ages or have known similar interests (apart from you or your husband to be). Don’t put exes at the same table. Even if they are still friends having an ex with their new plus one is awkward for everyone at the table and not an atmosphere you want to create. Book a free consultations with Jules, our design specialist. She will be able to talk you through all your table plan options...

The Wedding Journal Show is coming to the Kings Hall in Belfast from Friday the 23rd to Sunday the 25th of January. Jules is looking forward to exhibiting at the fair at stand E35. The fair will be buzzing with activity and excitement, the chance to see fashion shows, enter competitions, get freebies and be inspired by over 250 exhibitors. However, with so much to see and around 10,000 visitors over the weekend it can get pretty overwhelming. The show is a great opportunity to meet a wide range of local suppliers. That’s why Jules has put together a checklist to help you make the most of your day. What to plan in advance   Book your tickets online in advance. If you pay at the door tickets are £11 per adult, if you plan ahead and book them online you can get the discounted rate of £9pp or if you have a larger group, you can get a group of 5 ticket which will cost just £8pp. Don’t worry, booking online won’t restrict you to a specific day if you’re not sure what your plans are for the weekend, as its valid for one day of your choice. Enter City Beat’s competition to increase your chances of winning a £25,000 wedding, you can also enter on Facebook and at the show.  Plan to see a catwalk show. Pick which show from below you’d like to see and leave enough time to get seats as they  will fill up fast. SHOW TIMES Fri: 4 pm & 6 pm Sat: 1 pm, 3 pm & 5 pm Sun: 1 pm, 3 pm & 5 pm Research the suppliers exhibiting, get a feel for their price range to avoid spending time on those you can’t afford. Come knowing which parts of wedding are a priority. If you’ve only specific things left on your list make sure you see all the relevant stands and find out what they have to offer. It’s a good idea to bring your budget with you to avoid overspending.  Decide who’s best to attend the show with you. Do you need your fiancé with you to make a decision or is your mum more involved? Bring those who will enjoy it and help you make decisions rather than distract.   What to bring   A digital camera to snap pictures of details you like so you can remember them. Or bring your phone if it has a camera and make sure there’s enough memory to take lots of pictures.  Printed labels, you’ll be entering lots of competitions and giving your details to various suppliers. Save time by bringing stickers with your details.  Colour samples and material swatches...

              We are so excited to announce that Jules Wedding Stationery will be exhibiting at the Wedding Journal Show Live from Friday 23rd to Sunday 25th of January 2015. Due to the success of our stationery ranges like the elegant copperplate printing and the sparkly foil pressing, Jules will be unveiling a brand new stationery range at the show to offer brides-to-be a new wedding stationery style, before the range is officially launched. The Wedding Journal Show offers brides-to-be an opportunity to plan all aspects of their wedding from their wedding dress at the all-new bridal catwalk and the Citybeat Style Stage to planning the perfect honeymoon at the exotic honeymoon area. On top of that one lucky couple will win a free wedding! Our stationery designer, Jules Owens, will be at the show each day to discuss stationery styles with brides and will even be taking bookings for free consultations where the bride-to-be will have the opportunity to get ideas and inspiration for personalised wedding stationery. With our friends from Hastings Hotels we’re also giving one lucky “Mother of the Bride” a chance to unwind after all the wedding stress with a Spa Treatment at either The Spa at Slieve Donard or The Spa at Culloden. Enter now or come and see us at stand E35 where you can enter and have a look at our beautiful bespoke wedding stationery....

2015’s weddings are set to continue the trend of increased informality that we’ve seen growing more popular in recent years. Brides and Grooms will continue to seek out ways to make their day more unique to them as a couple, while creating a relaxed atmosphere that allows everyone to enjoy themselves.  This year’s trends include pretty pastels, off the shoulder dresses and industrial interiors. The Theme Getting the theme right is an integral part of planning any wedding.  Themed weddings are like marmite, many claim to hate them, but whether you’re willing to admit it or not there’s always a theme.  Some themes are subtle, based around colours and styling, while others are more obvious. Rustic Photo credit : http://www.pinterest.com/pin/457959855831404270/ Rustic wedding themes have been a favourite in recent years.  This theme looks good whatever the budget, great for couples who love a bit of wedding DIY.  Family style eating and long tables will be a key element of this wedding theme. Ethereal Photo credit: http://www.pinterest.com/pin/327988785335107779/ The ethereal theme will be huge in 2015 and we are sure it will make for many pretty pictures.  The theme works well as it’s romantic, whimsical and very natural – think midsummer night’s dream. Industrial Photo credit: http://www.pinterest.com/pin/420945896393237306/ Upcycling has become a cultural trend in the last year, and in 2015 we’ll see this theme begin to grow in stylish modern weddings.  This minimalist look stands out, and is romantic in a back to basics sort of way, keeping the focus on the bride and groom. The Dress For many brides the dress is the most important part – after the groom of course! We can understand why.  These photos will be kept for the rest of your life, so it’s important to have a dress you love that can stand the test of time. Detail open backs http://www.pinterest.com/pin/290552613433981076/ & http://www.pinterest.com/pin/339458890634782583/ Your guests spend the majority of your wedding ceremony looking at your back, 2015’s dresses will give them something to talk about.  Open backs with surrounding details means brides will be eager to sculpt their backs in time for their big day.  The ’15 catwalk features plenty of lace and pearl details. Elegant Plunges Photo credit: http://www.pinterest.com/pin/463096774156627219/ We’ve seen this look on Cheryl Versini Fernandez recently, and we love it.  This trend is very feminine and elegant, especially flattering for those brides who have less curves. Off the shoulder Photo credit: http://www.pinterest.com/pin/210472982560015448/ Off the shoulder dresses reminiscent of Shakespearean romance will be making us swoon in 2015.  If your planning an ethereal styled wedding the off the shoulder wedding dress makes a beautiful choice. Minimalist Photo credit: http://www.pinterest.com/pin/464785624017881917/ 2015 will see modern brides choose to walk down the aisle minimalist dresses.  This demur look is sophisticated...

So this may sound a little strange but… we love winter, frosty mornings, fairy lights and cozying up by the fireplace.  The sparkles, colours and the odd chance of snow give us butterflies! In fact we love winter so much that we’ve decided to dedicate another blog just to winter weddings!  Here are seven more reasons to love the season and how to make your winter wedding magical! 1. Sparkle Who doesn’t love sparkle?! We most certainly do! You can add sparkle to anything and everything! Make your wedding glitter in the dark, winter nights by adding glitter to small details or make your wedding go out with a bang! (Literally!) Have a look at these pictures for inspiration. Photo  credit: http://www.pinterest.com/pin/375909900121846192 2. Perfect white wedding Every little girl dreams of her big white wedding! Although it wouldn’t look quite right during the summer sun… Perfect for winter! The perfect big white wedding looks beautiful no matter what the weather brings, hail, wind or snow you are guaranteed to have the most beautiful wedding of the season! Photo credit: http://www.pinterest.com/pin/530017449870646689 3. More availability It’s no secret that the most popular wedding season is summer (although we disagree), therefore everyone is rushing to have their summer wedding, venues are fully booked, disaster, nightmare, the brides are going crazy! This problem is easily avoided by having a winter wedding! Yes you may have goose bumps throughout the day, but at least you’re guaranteed to have the venue of your dreams! Photo credit: http://www.thecarriagerooms.com/gallery.aspx?title=Weddings_and_reception_rooms 4. No disappointment with weather With the weather like this you’ll be blown away on your wedding day! Although you can be nearly certain it will rain, at least you won’t be expecting a miracle to happen! With the typical Northern Irish weather it would be silly to expect a snow wedding, so get prepared for the rain and let’s not forget to keep the guests dry! 5.  No one expects you to have a summer glow Argh, the pressure to have the perfect ‘Summer Glow’, the rush to find the perfect tan, the devastation when you turn orange instead of a ‘light’ tan as the bottle describes! We know the pain all ladies go through! We love this scene from Bride Wars to give the perfect example! Photo credit: http://www.pinterest.com/pin/277112183295020945/ 6. Wedding of the season As winter weddings are less common than the typical summer wedding this gives you the advantage to make sure you give your guests something to talk about! Most of your guests probably haven’t been to a wedding in months! Use this to your advantage, become the wedding of the season! Here’s a picture for inspiration! Photo credit: http://www.pinterest.com/pin/129267451779615994/ 7. Christmas theme Add a Christmas tree to your reception! Don’t be...