In the wedding world, there is such a thing as “day of” paper goods.  As in, the materials and items that you and your guests will be using on the wedding day.  These are the things that help your guests and point everyone in the right direction.  Day of paper goods include menus, programs, tags and much more.  You know, all the little things that you will probably forget about until the last minute.  But, we don’t want you to be stressed and last minute with anything.  We want you to plan ahead and, most importantly, have some fun with these details!  Because, as my partner, Nole, knows, paper can really be a chance to have some fun!

We have Jenna and Elizabeth from little bit heart, an Annapolis-based custom paper design company, with some advice on paper goods for the day of your wedding.  To make it even more amazing, they are in the running an awesome giveaway for summer brides-to-be, so be sure to check it out here.  Take it away, ladies:

Three Lights Photography

Summer weddings, your big day is just around the corner – it’s time to talk about your day-of papergoods!  These are all those little paper details that inform your guests about what’s what (Guestbook table! Dessert bar!) and they add a huge punch of pretty.  Here are some of our suggestions and ideas for your day-of wedding paper:

The Programs

These are usually at the wedding ceremony, and they’re multi-purpose.  They can help your guests understand the ceremony (explaining any religious or cultural rituals in here is a great idea!), give your family + friends a little thank you, and let’s face it:  they can be entertaining while guests wait for the ceremony to begin.  We recommend starting with the names of the wedding party (include the officiant and your parents/grandparents if you’d like), the order of the ceremony, and a short thank you.  If you have room, think about adding sweet touches such as a crossword puzzle about the two of you, notes about any heirlooms or traditions you’ve incorporated, or a bit of your relationship story.  For amount to order, we suggest around half as many programs as guests (unless they’re being placed at each seat).  Here are even more tips from little bit heart on the program.

Amy Raab Photography

The Escort Cards and Placecards

Used together, escort cards shows guests to their table, and then the placecards tell them which specific seat at the table is theirs.  If you’re not having assigned seating, but are assigning tables, one of these cards will do.  They’re usually at the entrance to the reception space, and you can get some kind of creative with the display for these.  They can double as favors (Example:  adding a label with the guest name and table number to a jar of homemade jam), be strung on ribbon, be pinned to a board… functional and pretty!  We’ve also seen seating charts in lieu of cards.  The ideas here are endless!

The Menus

Let your guests know they’re in for a delicious treat!  Menus can also add a pop of color to your table setting, which we love.  You can also add a personal touch by getting creative with the wording here.  For example, for the menus in our ice hockey themed photo shoot, we did “Season Opener” instead of first course for the appetizer, and “Stanley Cup” for dessert.

Debi Parker Photography

Other details to think about for you day-of wedding paper goods:

• Table numbers;
• Favor tags;
• Welcome letters for out of town bags;
• Labels or signs for drinks, desserts, bathroom baskets, guestbook table and more.

Weddings seem to need a lot of signage!  Keep in mind that you probably won’t need all of these, but adding a few (or more!) pretty paper details really makes everything come together.  Think of them as a little garnish on the wedding!

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Thank you so much Jenna and Elizabeth!  You are right, there are a lot of options for paper goods on the day of your wedding.  The most important thing is think about all of these options and ideas in advance, so that you have lots of time to play with the details.  You can also browse are our inspiration gallery for more ideas.

If you need help or are looking for paper goods, don’t forget to check out little bit heart‘s custom designed paper goods for weddings.  And, they are also running a sweet special right now:  If your wedding date is in June, July or August, you’ll get 50 free thank you notes with your order of over $100.  For more info, check it out here.