2025 Wedding Stationery Timeline: Save the Dates & Invitations Guide

At Ananya one of the most common questions we receive from couples revolves around the timing and design process of their wedding stationery. There’s no right or wrong, and the details will depend upon what makes the most sense for the kind of event you’re hosting – but having a clear timeline can make the process smoother and more enjoyable. Whether you’re planning a grand destination wedding or an intimate celebration, here’s a guide to help you plan your wedding stationery – including both physical and digital options – in 2025.

As Soon as You’re Engaged

Start researching stationers whose style you love – it’s never too early to reach out to them to let them know you would like to work with them, so they can start scheduling you in and give you plenty of time to work with you, especially if you would like bespoke wedding stationery. Couples often start their wedding journey with engagement announcements, which can now include stylish digital stationery options, sent via email or WhatsApp. Some couples like to share a lovely photo of the proposal.

As Soon as You Have A Date and Venue

This is the perfect time to order your save the dates - and you can give as much or as little information as you like. Whether you opt for traditional printed cards or digital save-the-dates, include key details like the date and location. If your celebration spans multiple days or involves travel, let your guests know early so they can plan accordingly. For destination weddings, sending these 12 months in advance is ideal.

Pro Tip: Add your wedding website URL to your save-the-dates for easy updates and details.

6 Months Before the Wedding

Photography: Martina H

Start discussing your invitation design with your stationer, particularly if you’re looking for something bespoke or that requires more specialist printing techniques and finishing touches, such as wax seals or calligraphy. Having an idea of your style of décor, dress, colour palette, and flowers, is a great help when deciding on your stationery suite, as it can be a lovely way of setting the tone. Physical and digital samples can help you make informed choices.

When placing the final order, it’s always a good idea to order extra (at Ananya, we advise 10%) to account for last-minute invites, personal keepsakes, and any mistakes during addressing and assembly.

2-4 Months Before the Wedding

It’s time to finalise your on-the-day stationery. Menus, place cards, table numbers, and signage should align with the look and feel of your overall design. You won’t be able to place the order until you have the final guest list and menu, but this is a good time to brainstorm the design. Digital options can also be integrated here, such as QR codes linking to digital menus or seating plans.

2-3 Months Before the Wedding

This is a typical timescale for posting invitations out, but again, this will depend on what is right for you. Whether printed or digital, aim for this window to give guests ample time to RSVP. If you’re having a destination wedding or you have a larger guest list, and you’re thinking of doing ‘waves’ (that is, waiting for some RSVPs to come in before inviting another group) then do try to give yourself a little bit more breathing room. At this stage, include all important details like accommodation, dress code, and timings.

1 Month Before the Wedding

Photography: Elizabeth Mitova Photography

Typically, your RSVPs would be due by this point, which means you should have a final list of who is attending and their dietary requirements (which means menus can be confirmed, too). You should also have a good idea of what your ceremony structure will be at this stage. This information should be passed on to your stationer as soon as you have it, so they can finalise the on-the-day stationery order. Many couples also order their thank you cards at the same time, so they have them ready for when gifts start arriving, or for when they return from honeymoon.

2 Weeks Before the Wedding

Photography: Rupa Photography

One of the elements of the on-the-day that is ordered latest is the seating plan, as this can often be amended quite last minute! Work closely with your stationer to ensure it’s ready in time, whether it’s printed or displayed digitally at your venue.

1-3 Months After the Wedding

Don’t forget to express your gratitude with thank you cards, which should be sent within 3 months of the wedding, thanking them for their attendance and gifts. Including your favourite photo of the day, or any you’ve received from your photographer at this stage, can be a thoughtful touch.

Ready to start?
We hope this guideline has been helpful in planning your wedding stationery. If you’re looking for elegant, personalised, and culturally inclusive stationery that reflects your unique love story – whether physical or digital – get in touch. We’d be delighted to bring your vision to life!

Ultimate Guide to Wedding Save The Dates

If the magic of the holidays has come to life in the form of a twinkling engagement ring – congratulations! At Ananya Cards, we love working with couples as they begin the new year planning a celebration of their love. As a leading London and Dubai-based wedding stationer, one of the most frequent questions we receive is about save the dates: when to send them, what to include, and how they set the tone for your big day. Save the dates are the first glimpse your guests will get into your wedding style, so they’re worth planning carefully.

We’ve put together some of our top tips for save the dates, which will be helpful now that you’re engaged!

Photo: Martina H

WHEN TO SEND SAVE THE DATES

While researching venue ideas, even before setting your date, it’s a great idea to start browsing stationers’ portfolios on Instagram and online – as they will be the next vendor you’ll want to speak to. It’s a wonderful feeling to connect with a designer you love and to know that, as soon as you have your wedding venue and date, you’re ready to start working together to create save the dates and invitations that will wow your guests. It’s never too early to reach out to stationers and designers to let them know you’d like to work with them, so they can start slotting you in. They can also give you some provisional estimates of costs, design process, and timescales, which can be really helpful in these early stages of planning your wedding.

Once you have chosen your date and venue, the save the dates can be ordered! You can start spreading the word amongst family and friends of course, and then WOW them with save the dates that really tell your story and begin the aesthetic narrative that will thread through all of your wedding styling. Some couples send these as early as 12 months before the wedding, particularly if they are having a destination wedding or if they know their guests need a long notice period to schedule travel or work absences. This is particularly considerate if you are having your wedding in Summer, on a peak date, as it gives guests plenty of time to plan their holidays. On average, most couples send their save the dates 6-12 months before their wedding.

DO I REALLY NEED SAVE THE DATES?

Although save the dates aren’t essential, they’re highly recommended for ensuring your guests reserve the date. They’re particularly beneficial for destination weddings where guests may need more time to plan travel arrangements.

If your wedding is still a long way away and you don’t want to commit to a style or colour palette just yet – that’s absolutely fine! You may also be feeling that you don’t have a sense of budget yet, and so don’t want to over-commit on the stationery spend before having a larger picture of the investments you’ll need to make. There are a few solutions to this: firstly, you can keep your save the dates very simple and minimal, with no patterns or overarching colours, just crisp monochromatic or metallic details, and classic fonts.

Another option is to opt for semi-custom, which is where a designer adapts one of their existing house collections for you; this requires a lower investment, and a offers a quicker turn-around too, so may be a good solution for you if you’re wanting a quick, easy, and more cost-effective route. Finally, another solution can be to work with your designer for a bespoke wedding stationery suite but ask for the save the dates to be digital only: this means that they will create something beautiful, elegant, and unique for you that you can send your guests a digital save the date, and which will then serve as the aesthetic foundation on which all the rest of your stationery suite will be built.

Photo: Valery Studio

WHAT TO INCLUDE IN MY SAVE THE DATES

You can choose to include as much or as little information as you like on your save the dates. If you’re sending them well in advance, keep them simple and minimal. If you’re further along in your planning, you can add more details to help your guests prepare.

Here are the essentials:
Date and location – these are key! There’s no need to include the ceremony time, especially if it’s subject to change.

Type of celebration – if it’s a multiple-day event or destination wedding, mention it now to help guests plan.

Names of each invited guest – this avoids confusion about who is included, such as whether children or a plus-one are invited.

Guests may reach out to you with comments and questions once your save the dates have arrived, so it can be helpful to include the URL of your wedding website. This gives guests a central hub for updates and details as the wedding approaches. Wedding websites are especially useful for destination weddings in Dubai or Europe, for example, as you can share travel information, accommodation information, timings, dress codes, and more.

By sharing key details online, you can reduce the need for additional inserts with your invitations later on, keeping things simple and cost-effective.

READY TO SEND MY SAVE THE DATES! WHAT’S NEXT?

Once you’ve decided to send save the dates and chosen a semi-custom or bespoke design, it’s time to get them ready and share the excitement!

Guest list certainty: Keep in mind that save the dates should only be sent to guests you are sure you will be inviting to the wedding. Adding guests later is fine, but it can be awkward if you need to remove someone after sending a save the date.

Order extras: If you’re ordering physical save the dates, plan to order around 10% more than you need. This ensures you have spares for any last-minute additions or replacements.

Envelope options: You can address envelopes yourself, hire a calligrapher, or printed directly on the envelope.

Once that’s done, they’re ready to go - spreading the love and excitement to your guests!

We hope this article has been a helpful and inspiring as you plan your wedding. For more guidance, check out our blogs on wedding invitation timelines and wedding stationery tips, filled with useful advice.

If you’re ready to create sophisticated, unique, and culturally inclusive stationery that reflects YOUR personality – we’d love to hear from you!

 Until next time,

 Vaishali

Luxury Stationery for Milestone Celebrations: Your Essential Guide

Milestone celebrations are moments in life that call for something truly special. Whether it’s a milestone birthday, a corporate milestone such as a company anniversary or rebranding launch, these occasions are opportunities to create lasting memories. These occasions are not just events; they’re memories in the making. One way to elevate your event is through bespoke luxury stationery – a personal touch that leaves a lasting impression on your guests or stakeholders.

At Ananya Cards, we believe stationery for milestone events goes beyond just invitations or menus. It becomes part of the event experience itself. Thoughtfully designed stationery sets the tone for your celebration, conveys the care and planning behind it, and transforms your event into something unforgettable. Whether it’s intricately designed invitations for a gala dinner or branded thank-you cards for corporate guests, the right stationery creates a cohesive and meaningful narrative.

Let’s explore how you can incorporate luxury stationery into your next big celebration and make it unforgettable.

Save-the-Dates with Impact

For milestone celebrations, especially those requiring travel or involving international guests, sending save-the-dates early is important. A beautifully designed card – perhaps featuring gold foil, embossed details, or watercolour illustrations – builds anticipation and sets the stage for what’s to come.

Photo: Elizabeth Mitova Photography

Elegant Invitations to Set the Stage

Your invitations are the first glimpse your guests will have of your milestone event. For corporate celebrations, they provide an opportunity to showcase your brand while conveying the significance of the occasion.

Customisation is key. Incorporating personal touches such as monograms, favourite quotes, a unique logo for the event, or design elements that align with your brand story ensures that the stationery reflects your vision. Corporate events might feature minimalist aesthetics paired with sleek typography for a modern look or embossed logos and metallic finishes for added sophistication.

In our experience, clients often opt for tactile elements like embossing or letterpress printing, which elevate the feel of luxury. The choice of paper stock, printing techniques and finishing touches such as hand calligraphy, wax seals or ribbon closures can enhance the luxury feel of your stationery. These details create a sense of exclusivity, making recipients feel valued.

If you're planning milestone invitations, avoid common mistakes that can affect the impact of your event. Read our blog, Wedding Invitations - 10 Things NOT To Do!, for tips to ensure your stationery is flawless.

Photo: Philippa Sian Photography

Captivating Menus and Place Cards

Well-thought-out stationery doesn’t stop at the invitation. On-the-day stationery like personalised menus, place cards, and table signage ties together the event’s aesthetic.

For corporate milestone events, these details reinforce your brand’s professionalism and attention to detail. Imagine a bespoke menu for an executive dinner featuring nods to your company’s brand colours, or place cards handwritten in elegant calligraphy that make each guest feel truly appreciated.

We work with PR agencies and event planners planning high-profile launches who often rely on unique event branding that carries through every element, from the table setting to the thank-you notes. These small yet impactful touches create a polished and cohesive experience.

Photo: Elizabeth Mitova Photography

Thank You Cards with a Personal Touch

Show your gratitude with style and thoughtfulness. Bespoke thank-you cards convey your appreciation and leave a lasting impression. For corporate events, including a personalised message or incorporating event photography can add a heartfelt and memorable touch.

At Ananya Cards, we have created thank-you stationery that combines sleek design with meaningful details. For example, a thank-you card for a product launch might feature a QR code to download all the event images and a handwritten note, ensuring that clients, media attendees, or stakeholders feel recognised and valued.

Keepsakes to Treasure Forever

For both private and corporate milestone celebrations, creating keepsake items ensures the memories live on. Framed invitations, bespoke programmes, or branded stationery boxes and tote bags to store event memorabilia are just some ways to preserve the essence of your special occasion.

Corporate clients have often requested keepsake stationery to honour major achievements. For example, a limited-edition set of thank-you cards or a commemorative programme for a business’s 25th anniversary can serve as a meaningful token for clients and partners.

Why Choose Bespoke Stationery for Your Corporate Event?

Mass-produced, off-the-shelf stationery can’t capture the individuality or significance of your milestone celebration. Bespoke stationery, on the other hand, allows you to tell your story in a way that’s as unique as the celebration itself.

For corporate events, bespoke designs ensure your branding is seamlessly integrated into the event experience, enhancing your reputation and attention to detail. At Ananya Cards, our expertise spans global clients and diverse industries. Whether you’re celebrating a milestone in London, Dubai, or another location, we craft designs that align with your brand values and cultural nuances.

Make Every Detail Count

Every detail of well-crafted stationery contributes to the success of your event. From save-the-dates to thank-you notes, cohesive and thoughtful design transforms your event into a masterpiece.

In fact, cohesive event branding doesn’t just enhance your event’s visual appeal; it can also elevate the guest experience and engagement. If you’re curious about how to seamlessly tie your event’s theme into every detail, check out this guide to effective event branding for expert insights.

With nearly two decades of experience, Ananya Cards specialises in luxury stationery for life’s most cherished moments and significant corporate milestones. We partner with clients to ensure every piece reflects their unique vision, creating unforgettable experiences for guests and stakeholders alike.

If you’re planning a milestone celebration – whether personal or corporate – and want stationery that captures the essence of the occasion, we’d love to collaborate with you. Let’s create something exceptional together. Please get in touch for a non-obligation consultation.

Until next time,

Vaishali

Wedding Dress Codes Explained: Expert Tips from a Stationer

Planning a wedding involves lots of very exciting decisions, and one of the key elements that sets the tone for your celebration will be the dress code that you choose. Communicating this attire preference to your guests can be both an art and a science! It’s important to be open and clear, but also a lot of couples worry about being considerate and creative in their dress code decisions too. As a stationer specialising in crafting bespoke wedding invitations, I have witnessed the importance of easily-digestible and thoughtful dress code descriptions. I love supporting my couples in choosing the best attire, wording, and communication style for this too.

Here are some tips on how to effectively convey your wedding dress code to ensure that your guests feel comfortable and stylish on your big day.

1. Understand the Basics

Before diving into the specifics of your dress code, familiarise yourself with the basics. Different dress codes imply varying levels of formality and style. From casual and cocktail to formal and black- tie, each designation sets different expectations for your guests. Understanding these conventions will help you articulate your desired atmosphere and assist your guests in selecting appropriate attire.

2. Reflect Your Theme

Consider your theme and wedding venue when choosing a dress code. If you’re having a destination beach wedding in Dubai, ‘Casual Beach Chic’ or ‘Resort Attire’ might be suitable. For an elegant affair in a ballroom, ‘Black-Tie’ or ‘Formal Attire’ could be more fitting. Aligning your dress code with your overall wedding vision creates a cohesive experience for both you and your guests.

3. Include Clear Language

Use clear and concise language when describing your dress code. Ambiguity can lead to confusion, so be specific in your wording. Instead of ‘Dressy Casual,’ consider ‘Smart Casual’ or ‘Polished Casual.’ These subtle differences can make a significant impact on how your guests interpret the dress code.

For a handy resource, check out The Knot’s Wedding Guest Attire Cheat Sheet which offers a quick reference guide to help guests dress appropriately for any occasion.

4. Provide Examples

If your dress code is unique or open to interpretation, consider providing examples to guide your guests. Include images or a brief description in your wedding invitations or on your wedding website to illustrate the desired look. For instance, if you opt for ‘Bohemian Chic,’ share images of flowy dresses and floral accessories to inspire your guests.

In 2025, colour trends for luxury weddings are all about bold, dramatic jewel tones like emerald green, sapphire blue, and deep amethyst - especially popular for Dubai weddings. These rich hues can set the tone for your celebration, so consider a dress code like ‘Jewel Tones’ or ‘Opulent Elegance’ to guide your guests’ attire while adding a luxurious touch.

5. Think About Comfort

While you want your guests to look polished and stylish, it’s also very important to ensure that your dress code allows for comfort. If you’re hosting an outdoor wedding in the summertime, a relaxed dress code like ‘Garden Party Attire’ communicates both style and practicality. Balancing elegance with comfort ensures your guests can enjoy the festivities without feeling restricted.

6. Consider Cultural Sensitivity

If your wedding celebrates diverse cultural backgrounds, be mindful of dress code terminology that may be unfamiliar to some guests. Include a brief explanation or direct them to additional resources where they can learn more about the suggested attire, especially helpful at a multicultural wedding. This promotes inclusivity and helps everyone feel welcomed and respected.

Bottom Line

Choosing a dress code that is right for you, your style, and your venue, is one of the ways that you can infuse your personality into the celebrations – and guests love having guidance on what to wear! We recommend starting from the most basic and traditional dress code levels, and then adding some creative flair by further describing or illustrating the dress code. And if you’re having multiple days of events, feel free to encourage guests to explore different levels of formality for your welcome dinner, mehendi and sangeet, wedding day, and farewell BBQ, for example!

Interactive elements are becoming part of the dress code experience in 2025, especially at destination weddings. Some couples are including QR codes on their invitations that lead guests to a digital lookbook with tailored outfit inspirations. This ‘digital dress code guide’ or ‘wedding wardrobe’ feature helps clarify expectations and offers guests ideas that match the wedding's theme and colours. It’s an innovative way to guide guests on style, adding a touch of modern sophistication to the traditional dress code instructions.

Here at Ananya Cards we specialise in transforming weddings with bespoke stationery, fusing cultures and reflecting each couple’s unique style. My passion drives a commitment to excellence, ensuring every detail is crafted with care. Our international service allows us to work with couples worldwide, offering everything from elegant designs to sustainable initiatives. At Ananya Cards, we add a touch of sophistication to make your special day truly unforgettable.

I would love to work with you and provide you support and guidance in creating stationery that elevates your day and your guest experience!

Until next time,

Vaishali

Engagement Announcement Ideas: Luxury Weddings in the UK and UAE

UPDATED FOR 2024/2025

Here at Ananya Cards we absolutely love to hear our couple’s engagement stories, especially those planning luxury weddings in Dubai and the UK, and to listen to the wedding and stationery ideas being brainstormed while at home with loved ones over the holidays!

If you’ve recently become engaged yourselves – congratulations! Enjoy it, as it’s an unforgettable chapter of your stories together. Savour it and be present in this moment: the world can wait an hour, a day, or even a week – don’t feel like you need to tell everyone right away, unless you want to!

Once you’ve decided you’re ready to announce your engagement to your friends and family, we’re here to give you advice on how to spread the love.

Floral Palm engagement cards by Ananya Cards

1. ENGAGEMENT ANOUNCEMENT ETIQUETTE

The big news will have a happy and possibly huge impact on your nearest and dearest, so we recommend taking some time to think about considerate and meaningful ways to share. The traditional order would be tell the couple’s own children and parents first – then close family, like sisters, brothers, grandparents – and then the rest of your circle of family, friends, and work colleagues. Many couples choose to tell their closest loved ones in person, and then send their engagement announcement out to everyone.

While your engagement announcement will hopefully be joyously received by all, do be mindful that you may have some recently separated or single family members and friends – so it’s kind to be tactful and not excessively soppy in the content of the announcement. Don’t feel pressured to say too much about the proposal or your wedding plans – as you’ll feel much more comfortable discussing this in person, and decide what to share on a case to case basis with your friends and family. To learn more about crafting wedding stationery that resonates with your love story, read our article on personalising your wedding invites.

Peacock notecards by Ananya Cards

2. WHAT TO WRITE IN YOUR ENGAGEMENT ANNOUNCEMENT CARDS

Once the proposal excitement settles, and you’ve spoken to your closest loved ones, sending out a formal engagement announcement card to all your friends and family can be really fun! It can also have some practical uses too, such as getting the news out quickly and easily if you have very large groups of friends or co-workers, and also can double as an invitation to your engagement party, if you’re hosting one. Another benefit is that you can start building a relationship with a stationery designer, who can then craft stunning save the dates, wedding invitations, and on-the-day paper goods for your wedding too.

The wording can be as formal or as personal as you wish! Some couples choose to have these formally sent out by their parents, while others send out much more informal and playful  “we said yes!” or “we’re engaged!” cards directly from them. Generally engagement announcement cards include your names, a joyous message indicating you’ll be tying the knot, and – if you know you’ll be inviting all the same people as the ones you’re sending the announcements to – you can also include something along the lines of “Save the dates to follow”. Only include this if you are certain you’ll be inviting those friends and family members though!

Engagement notes by Ananya Cards | Elizabeth Mitova Photography

3. THE DESIGN OF YOUR ENGAGEMENT ANNOUNCEMENT CARDS

Many couples opt to have an engagement or couple portrait photography session, which can be a wonderful way to spend time together and become more familiar with posing in front of the camera. If you click with the photographer and love their gallery, it can also be great way to connect with someone who will be able to shoot your wedding too! If you like the idea of using a photo of you in your engagement announcement cards (and perhaps on your save the dates too!), it’s a great idea to have some images taken and edited professionally. This will ensure the quality and composition looks the best it can! Chat to the photographer about your idea of using one or two images on announcement cards, so that they know to edit a few previews for you as soon as possible – and to shoot in either landscape or portrait orientation depending on the card style you are sending.

When it comes to the aesthetic and style of the engagement announcement cards, don’t worry too much about tying these to your wedding stationery. Most likely, a fair amount of time will pass between your announcements and your save the dates! If you want to make sure everything feels seamless and in harmony, my advice would be to work with the same stationery designer throughout your whole stationery journey – and to keep your announcements fairly minimal and simple in style, so that you can steer into a stronger theme or palette further down the line.

Once you’ve sent the announcements out, do make sure you thoughtfully and graciously thank everybody who’s congratulated you! Remember that these are your nearest and dearest family and friends, and many of them will be the same people who will be bringing their joy and good energy to your beautiful wedding soon!

We hope these tips and thoughts have been helpful, and that you’re excited about sharing your happy news! If you’re looking for bespoke stationery that reflects your love story through every detail - whether for your engagement, wedding invitations, or on-the-day stationery - we’d love to hear from you. At Ananya Cards, we specialise in luxury wedding stationery for couples planning unforgettable celebrations in Dubai, London, and beyond. Let's create something truly magical for your special moments.

Until next time,

Vaishali

5 Top Destination Wedding Stationery Ideas for 2025

Hosting a destination wedding can be a wonderful way of celebrating your union and sharing moments with your loved ones, especially if travel plays a big part of your lives. According to a study by The Knot, the popularity of destination weddings has surged, with over 25% of couples opting for a destination wedding in 2023, marking a 5% increase from the previous year. In fact, destination weddings now account for nearly half of all weddings planned by couples under 35. While events abroad do require more planning, it’s absolutely worthwhile! As we approach 2025, these trends are only expected to grow, influencing how couples approach their wedding stationery.

When it comes to choosing destination wedding stationery, you’ll have so many creative options to choose from. The best way to make your invitations personal is to draw inspiration from the destination you have chosen. Whether or not your guests are seasoned travellers, the ideas below are sure to get your friends and family really excited for the journey!

Maps & Illustrated Touches in Destination Wedding Stationery

As we step into 2025, bespoke illustrations remain a key element in destination wedding stationery. One of the most charming ways to embrace your wedding location is through creative maps and artwork. These thoughtful illustrations, whether they feature iconic landmarks, regional motifs, or special places, offer your guests a glimpse of the experience that awaits them.

We love crafting personalised map inserts to complement invitation suites, designing illustrated envelope liners, and providing digital artwork for couples to showcase on their wedding websites. Whether minimalist or highly detailed, these maps not only guide guests but also become beautiful keepsakes.

For instance, your invitations could feature an elegant line drawing of your wedding venue, a delicately embossed city map, or a scenic illustration of rolling hills or mountains near your event. Each piece tells a story, connecting your guests to the essence of the destination and setting the tone for the unforgettable celebration to come.

Photography by Martina H

Words & Languages in Destination Wedding Invitations

Incorporating local language into your wedding stationery is a creative way to reflect the spirit of your destination. Simple phrases from the local culture can make your invitations more engaging and memorable. For a Greek island wedding, a cheerful “Yamas!” (cheers) could feature on your welcome cards written in calligraphy, while a “Bienvenidos!” (welcome) could greet guests attending a celebration in Spain.

Travel-themed phrases also bring extra flair. Think of lines like “Love without borders” for a wedding that spans continents, or “Meet us where the sun meets the sea” for a coastal celebration. These expressions give your guests a preview of the magic to come.

When it comes to playing with wording, another fun idea can be to come up with creative dress code descriptions that reflect the culture. For an Amalfi Coast wedding you could suggest “Lemon Grove Elegance” for the dress code. If you do decide to think outside the box with dress codes, make sure to also provide your guests with a description of what it means – on your wedding website if you have one – or even a Pinterest board of outfit inspiration to make it easier to pack appropriately, especially handy for a multicultural wedding.

Photography by Stuart Wood Weddings

Colours & Patterns

As 2025 approaches, we're seeing a resurgence of maximalist patterns and vibrant colours in wedding stationery, especially for destination weddings. If you want to infuse the personality and culture of the location, but keep the nod a little more subtle, choosing colours, motifs, or patterns that evoke the destination is a beautiful way to achieve this. For instance, lavender tones and soft blues echo the fields of Provence, while warm ochres and dusty pinks reflect the magic of Santorini’s sunsets. A tropical celebration might call for lush greens with bursts of mango yellow, while cool mint and gold evoke the elegance of Italian lake weddings.

Prints and patterns can also be a fantastic and sophisticated way of conveying a travel aesthetic, without overwhelming the design. Whether it's through subtle colours or more intricate motifs, these design elements bring the destination to life on paper. Patterns inspired by the destination add depth and character without overwhelming your design. Picture delicate fan patterns for a wedding in Seville, symbolic wave motifs for a coastal celebration in Portugal, or intricate lattice patterns reminiscent of the souks for a celebration in Marrakech. For a wedding in Kyoto, cherry blossom motifs or subtle ink-wash patterns can reflect the cultural richness of the setting. In an Indian wedding, consider incorporating symbolic elephants, reflecting cultural richness and traditions. Drawing from local patterns or architecture can beautifully connect the stationery to the wedding location in a timeless way.

Postcards

One way that our couples have chosen to reveal the destination of their international celebrations has been through a postcard-inspired save the date. Stationery like this can feel a little bit playful, vintage, and retro, and convey a sense of wanderlust and adventure too! You can choose to have a real photograph on the front or an illustration, and at the back you can have the typical postcard structure with a handwritten font outlining the date, location, and your wedding website address, for example. Personal notes to each guest can be a thoughtful detail here too!

Passports & Boarding Passes

Another chic idea for the travel enthusiasts out there is to create a stationery suite in the style of a passport, boarding pass, or airline ticket – which can be particularly exciting for your guests to receive if they have a long way to travel to reach your celebrations! These can be made very realistic, with barcodes, logos, or a perforated edge, and can be mailed alongside a matching envelope, a luggage tag, or a passport cover, to complete the travel-inspired look. For multicultural weddings, incorporating diverse traditions and personal touches can make a travel-inspired stationery suite even more meaningful.

We hope these suggestions spark inspiration for crafting a stationery suite that reflects the charm and individuality of your celebrations! If you’re looking for guidance in designing a suite that captures the essence of travel, adventure, and luxury, we’d be delighted to assist you.

Until next time,

Vaishali

Elevate your style: 6 Tips for Selecting Luxury Bridal Shoes

When it comes to planning a luxury wedding, every detail matters. From bespoke invitations for that extra personal touch, to selecting your dream venue and of course, the dress, each aspect of the celebration should exude elegance and sophistication. This is especially true for the bride's ensemble. While the focus is often on the dress, it's important not to forget about the shoes! Designer bridal shoes can elevate your style and make you feel truly special on your big day. Here are some tips to help you with your search for the perfect pair of wedding shoes to complete your wedding ensemble.

1. Consider Your Cultural Traditions

If you are incorporating cultural or traditional elements into your wedding ceremony, it is important to consider how your bridal shoes will fit into those customs. Some cultures have specific traditions that are an integral part of the wedding ritual. Additionally, in many cultures, the colour of the bridal shoes holds significance, so make sure to consider any colour symbolism when selecting your footwear.

2. Focus on Comfort

While style and aesthetics are important factors when choosing your bridal shoes, comfort should never be overlooked. On your wedding day, you will be on your feet for long periods of time, and the last thing you want is to be in pain or discomfort! It’s important to look for shoes with cushioned insoles and supportive heels to ensure that you can enjoy every moment of your special day comfortably. Once you’ve found your dream pair, try to break them in during the run up to your special day too to ensure they’re a perfect fit as you make your way down the aisle.

3. Match Your Theme and Dress

Your bridal shoes should seamlessly complement the overall theme and style of your wedding, as well as the design of your dress. Whether you opt for classic white courts, statement stilettos, or a sparkling sandal, make sure that the shoes reflect your personality and the aesthetic of your celebration. You may also want to consider the fabric and embellishments of your dress and choose shoes that coordinate with these elements to create a cohesive and elegant look. Shoes embellished with pearls, crystals, bows, delicate lace and floral patterns can really help to bring your theme to life.

4. Consider Your Venue

It’s also important to think about the location and setting of your wedding when choosing your bridal shoes. If you're getting married outdoors, you'll want to consider a style that's suitable for walking on grass, gravel or uneven surfaces. A block heel or wedge may be a better option than a stiletto heel. Alternatively, if you're having a formal indoor wedding, you might opt for a more delicate and sophisticated style. For destination weddings, you may want to consider a reliable yet stylish sandal to help you to look and feel comfortable and confident all day long.

5. Quality Matters

When it comes to luxury bridal shoes, quality is of the utmost importance. Look for well-crafted, high-quality materials that are guaranteed to stand the test of time. Whether you choose leather, silk, or satin, ensure that the shoes are made with attention to detail and careful craftsmanship. Designer bridal shoes should be able to be worn and cherished for many years to come.

6. Consider Personalising Your Shoes

Finally, adding a personal touch to your bridal shoes can be a wonderful and fun way to make them even more special. Why not consider adding custom embossing, monogramming, or embellishments to make your shoes uniquely yours. You could also incorporate meaningful details, such as a family heirloom or a special charm, to add sentimentality to your footwear. Some designer brands also offer a shoe dyeing service which can be an excellent way to incorporate any colour symbolism into your bridal look. Unique touches will create a wonderful keepsake to cherish beyond the big day.

We hope that these tips will help you in your search for finding the perfect bridal shoes for your special day. Remember, comfort is absolutely essential but with so many options available, you are sure to find a pair which exudes beauty and uniqueness!

Until next time,

Vaishali

How to match your wedding stationery to your wedding venue

There is naturally a reason why you have chosen a particular venue to hold your wedding. It could be because it holds special memories for you or is a place you always wanted to go to. Whether it’s a building whose architecture you’ve always admired, or a country where you were brought up, whatever the reason may be, the venue has special significance for you.

Incorporating and reflecting your wedding venue into your wedding stationery is an effective way to create an overall look of harmony to your wedding. Your save the date card will create an immediate impression of the style and venue of the wedding as your guests eagerly anticipate the unfolding of the big day!

Ananya is delighted to offer you some examples of how to reflect and incorporate your wedding venue in your stationery.

If you are planning a destination wedding, you could have a flower symbolic of the country designed on your save the date, for example a lotus for an Indian wedding. This will conjure up in the recipient’s mind the country and its allures.

If it’s a tropical destination, choose lush colours or motifs from the region. If it’s by the ocean, try soft watercolours and pastels to reflect the waves.

Image: Tell Your Story

Think lemon groves for Italy or the lavender fields of Provence. You could even scent your stationery with lemon or lavender to give your guests an aromatic and immersive experience on opening the invitation!

If your wedding venue has a particular feature that you adore, then incorporate that feature into the stationery. It could be different aspects of the feature, such as majestic arches, a stained glass window, period features or fine art, which you could incorporate in the various items of stationery.

If it’s a distinctive country mansion you may want to incorporate the colours or a motif from the wallpaper and interiors.

You can reflect the surroundings of the venue in the stationery. If it’s surrounded by nature, then bring nature in, for example, through seasonal flowers and colours or floral illustrations.

Give it a distinctly urban feel if it’s a city wedding in an industrial building with clean and simple lines – let the venue inspire your stationery design.

Envelope linings can be a great way to emphasise an aspect or feature of the venue, for example, a motif symbolic of the destination.

Envelope seals with a sprig of dried lavender or an olive leaf embedded into the seal would look stunning and complement the overall look of the venue or destination.

Above all, remember that your wedding stationery is a perfect opportunity to represent you, your personality, culture(s) and heritage as a couple. 

I hope we have given you food for thought as you plan your wedding. If you would like more ideas and suggestions for incorporating your wedding venue into your wedding invitations and stationery, please reach out to us. Or if you need help with your invitation wordings, we would be delighted to guide you.

Until next time,

Vaishali

YOU'RE ENGAGED: YOUR ESSENTIAL WEDDING STATIONERY GUIDE

UPDATED FOR 2024 WEDDINGS

Photography: Ami Louisa Photography

Wedding stationery tips

Congratulations on your engagement! This wonderful new chapter has started, and it might feel like there’s something to learn about wedding planning everywhere you look! The most important ‘to do’ on your list as a newly engaged couple is to enjoy it, and to take your time making decisions as and when you’re ready to, for your dream 2022/23 wedding. Here is our Ananya essential wedding stationery guide, for those of you looking to turn your attention to stationery:

• Start researching any stationers whose style you love! Have a look at our Pinterest, Facebook, and Instagram platforms for inspiration as well as looking at communities such as #dailydoseofpaper on Instagram. Also walk around craft markets or wedding fairs near you to discover some local indie suppliers and artisans you might never have come across otherwise.

• Consider whether you might like to send out an engagement announcement, perhaps a bespoke card showing one of your favourite photos from the proposal day – or an engagement shoot you’ve done. Here at Ananya we love creating personalised engagement cards and invites to engagement parties, which are definitely becoming more popular.

• We appreciate that in these current unprecedented times, there is a lot of uncertainty regarding dates. Once you do know the date of the wedding, you can start sending out save the date cards – best to give more notice if you're getting married in the summer or at Christmas, or if you’re planning a destination wedding. Remember that at this stage you can give as much or as little information as you like: the key is to share date and location, and of course if you already know it will be a certain type of celebration (for example, multiple-day if a cultural or multicultural wedding) that’s something you can let guests know now.

• When you’re ready, you can send pretty Will You Be My Bridesmaid cards to ask your best friends if they'll share in the celebrations with you. They'll need to put the date in their diaries! These cards can make beautiful keepsakes, and paired with a heartfelt, personalised gift.

• Don’t set anything in stone about the design of the stationery suite until you know more about the decor, the style, and the colour palette of the wedding. Your stationer will be able to echo these features in order to give your guests a first taste of the event, and tie everything together into a unified aesthetic narrative.

• Do start thinking about how you would like the invites to feel – do you resonate more with wax seals and ribbons, or something minimalist and sleek? Both options can be deeply personal and luxurious, and your stationer can help you design everything in between. Consider also whether you’d like the wording to be formal or more colloquial, and whether you’d like your parents’ and grandparents’ names to appear there too, for example.

• Think about the timing of your invitations. Most of our couples send invites out somewhere between 6 and 12 weeks before the wedding date, depending where and when the wedding is, what their guest list is like, and whether they want to have time to send out additional invites after having received back some of the RSVPs.

This is a stationery-centric perspective, and of course you’ll have the joy of bringing together the rest of your wedding supplier team in this time too! You can always ask your suppliers for ideas and recommendations. We are proud to create award-winning wedding stationery here at Ananya and we love giving our couples stationery guidance and advice during their wedding planning journey. We can assist you with your invitation wording, especially if there are cultural traditions such as in a multicultural or Hindu wedding.

For any questions about your exclusive wedding stationery, whether you are having a UK wedding or are looking for destination wedding stationery, please don’t hesitate to get in touch!

Until next time,
Vaishali

Historic Royal Palaces partners with Ananya

Historic Royal Palaces choose Ananya as sole stationery partner as they launch Multicultural Events and Weddings.

Hindu Wedding | Photography by Sanjay D Gohil Photography | Historic Royal Palaces

Ananya is honoured and delighted to have been handpicked by Historic Royal Palaces to be their sole recommended wedding stationery partner! We are both proud and humbled by this recognition. To welcome more Asian and Jewish weddings and celebrations, Historic Royal Palaces recently announced an expansion of their dedicated partners list to include Ananya.

Hindu Wedding | Photography by Sanjay D Gohil Photography | Historic Royal Palaces

The new approved supplier list includes specialist Asian caterers, Jewish caterers, Asian theming and décor, and entertainment.

Being a trusted stationery partner with Historic Royal Palaces is a perfect match for Ananya. Their luxurious venues steeped in history, the grandeur, majesty and opulence of the Palaces are in perfect synergy with the exquisite stationery we design at Ananya. We love weaving old traditions into our wedding stationery – whether it’s a nod or going all out and giving them a beautiful contemporary and innovative twist. The Palaces are the quintessential venues to create allure and romance, and for Ananya to weave our own special magic into our sumptuous Indian wedding stationery to celebrate our couple’s most memorable day!

Hindu Wedding | Photography by Sanjay D Gohil Photography | Historic Royal Palaces

Cultural and multicultural weddings have always been important to us at Ananya since we launched the business over 15 years ago. Over those 15 years we have built a strong reputation and gained valuable experience designing stationery for multicultural weddings. Our expertise lies in our design process and the way we harmoniously blend meaningful aspects of different cultures to showcase them in the most beautiful way.

Muslim Wedding | Eye Jogia Photography

The six prestigious palaces of Tower of London, Hampton Court, Kensington Palace, Banqueting House Kew Palace and Hillsborough Castle and Gardens in Northern Ireland have between them been witness to 1,000 years of history.  

Hindu Wedding | Photography by Sanjay D Gohil Photography | Historic Royal Palaces

We are truly excited that Historic Royal Palaces is embracing and focusing on multicultural weddings and events, from Sikh weddings to Muslim weddings, expanding their event supplier list, and are thrilled to be their sole preferred stationery partner.

Muslim Wedding | Eye Jogia Photography

Partnering with Historic Royal Palaces together with the finest industry suppliers on their recent photoshoots at Kensington Palace and Hampton Court Palace has been an absolute delight. The images shared here in this blog are from the shoots.

Muslim Wedding | Eye Jogia Photography

Interested in commissioning a bespoke stationery design? Do get in touch – let’s see what magic we can create for you!

Until next time,

Vaishali

Sustainable Wedding Tips - An Essential Guide

In today's blog post, we are delighted to have eco warrior Maya from Sustainer Container, an eco friendly gifting business, give us her top tips for having a sustainable wedding.

Here at Ananya, the sustainability and ecological impact of our work is very important to us - and, as a company working closely with paper, we do take our responsibility to the planet very seriously.

Maya sells eco friendly gift boxes that make the perfect treat for your loved ones and for the planet, find out more about Sustainer Container here.

The Average UK wedding uses 20kg of single use plastic!

With the statistic above indicating the shocking amount of waste that is produced by weddings in the UK, it is unsurprising that sustainable weddings were a big trend in 2020 and this is likely to grow in the coming years. But, with weddings steeped in traditions, it can be difficult to know how to make your wedding more sustainable without abandoning these traditions all together. This article will round up my tips for having a sustainable wedding, including:

1. Choosing a sustainable wedding venue

2. Eco friendly invites

3. Gifts, flowers and favours

1. Sustainable Wedding Tips - Wedding Venue

Ashridge House. Photo Credit: Ami Louisa Photography

So, you’re newly engaged - the first thing on your wedding planning checklist is probably securing a venue. Not only is the venue one of the biggest decisions you will make when planning your wedding, it can also have the biggest environmental impact. Research the venues in advance and prepare questions to ask about their environmental impact - for example, how much single use plastic will be used by the venue to host your wedding? Does the venue reuse decorations? If not, how will these be disposed of? Does the venue support local businesses or do they buy their decorations and produce from further afield?

Photo Credit: Ami Louisa Photography

Alongside conducting your research to find a venue which prioritises sustainability, it is worth considering the location of potential venues. Look for a venue that is close to the area where most guests will be travelling from if possible, to reduce the miles travelled to your wedding. You could also consider hiring a private coach to take guests to and from the wedding, to further reduce miles and vehicles travelling to your wedding and thus helping to reduce the carbon footprint of your ceremony.

With a beef burger using the same amount of water as 60 showers, the menu options offered by your venue can also have a huge impact on how sustainable your wedding is. My next tip for having a sustainable wedding would be to consider having a plant based wedding meal. Or, why not compromise and have a vegetarian starter but offer a meat option for the main course - even just opting for more vegetarian or vegan options will help reduce the carbon footprint of your wedding.

2. Sustainable Wedding Tips - Eco Friendly Invites

Ananya ‘Hues of Blues’ watercolour floral stationery suite. Photo Credit: Tell Your Story Photography

Ananya floral wedding stationery collection. Photo credit Ami Louisa Photography

So your sustainable venue is booked, next on the wedding planning checklist is inviting people to join your celebration. With deforestation becoming a major issue in the fight against climate change, my second sustainable wedding tip involves investigating the eco credentials of your wedding invitation supplier. For example, the invitations made by Vaishali of Ananya Cards are made using recycled paper or cardstock from sustainably managed forests. Plus, Vaishali also plants trees for every order received!! As part of a drive to be as sustainable as possible, Vaishali’s beautiful creations are designed to be more than just an invitation and are designed to be a keepsake that is treasured long after the wedding.

Ananya ‘Enchanted Garden’ stationery. Photo Credit: Xander Casey Photography

For many people, receiving a wedding invitation means one thing - time to go outfit shopping. Now, I love a new outfit as much as the next person, but many of these fancy frocks will be worn just once, with a new outfit being bought for every wedding and event. This cycle of fast fashion and over consumption is hugely problematic for the planet. My next tip might not be for everyone, but what about using your invitations to encourage your wedding guests to outfit repeat and wear an outfit they have worn before? Chances are - nobody will remember that the outfits have been worn before and this is an easy way of reducing the carbon footprint of your wedding.

3. Sustainable Wedding Tips - Gifts, Flowers and Favours

Having spent time carefully planning your perfect sustainable wedding, the big day arrives and you receive gifts that you won’t use and that are packaged in single use plastic. To avoid this consider asking for vouchers which you can put towards a larger purchase or a trip away. Alternatively, pick out some practical sustainable items for loved ones to purchase as a gift that will help you to continue your sustainability journey. For example, our Everything Eco Gift Boxes are filled with sustainable alternatives to your everyday products - why not ask for a gift box each and continue your sustainability journey into your married life.

My next sustainable wedding tip is around flowers - possibly not the first thing you think of when you are thinking about having a sustainable wedding.

“A sustainably sourced flower is a fresh cut flower that is not treated with pesticides and can be found, grown, and sold locally.” (Green Matters)

Try to find flowers that meet this criteria. Floral foam bricks also contain single use plastic, so try to choose flower arrangements which do not require the bricks.

Wedding flowers by Wilde Thyme. Photo Credit: Kate Nielen Photography

Finally, you may want to consider sustainable wedding favours. Since common wedding favours often include little packets of sweets individually wrapped in single use plastic or trinkets that may never be used, wedding favours are not always the most planet friendly. So the first thing to think about is whether you really need wedding favours and whether anybody will even notice if you decide against giving each guest a small gift? If you are determined to have a wedding favour (and I completely understand wanting to follow tradition), perhaps opt for a more sustainable option. One such idea would be seed paper or seed bombs which can be thrown onto any patch of ground by guests to grow bee friendly wildflowers - a lovely touch for a sustainable wedding.

Ananya handcrafted paper flower favours. Photo credit Kate Nielen Photography

From choosing a sustainable wedding venue and eco friendly invites to gifts, jewellery, flowers and favours, these have been my tips for having a sustainable wedding. If you would like to find out more about everything eco, please don’t hesitate to have a browse of the Sustainer Container website or send me a message on Instagram, Facebook or Pinterest.

Thank you very much, Maya. So many top tips we can use for a sustainable wedding.

Until the next time, Vaishali

Wedding Stationery: Useful Hints and Tips

UPDATED: DECEMBER 2023

Wedding wording tips

If you think back to all the wedding invites you’ve ever received, you may have noticed that they’re all uniquely worded in some way – though generally will follow a pattern of invitation traditions.

The good news is that the etiquette rules are actually much simpler than you might expect and are only there to serve as guidelines. The most important rule of all is that you work with your stationer to create a meaningful and beautiful wedding invitation that represents you and your love story.

If you’re wondering where to start, and how to adapt the rules in a way that feels personal and respectful, here are some tips from the Ananya Team.

The host

Traditionally, wedding invitations included the bride’s parents’ names, implying that the celebrations were being hosted by the mother and father of the bride. These days, many couples graciously opt to include both sets of parents (regardless of who is contributing more to the budget), or neither, if that feels right. A friendly, collaborative option would be, for example “Together with their parents, Sonia and Tom request the pleasure of your company...” – and your stationer can help you brainstorm the best combination, especially if any of the parents are divorced (include them on separate lines, for example) or no longer with you (in which case you may want to say, “daughter of...” rather than implying the wedding is hosted by them).

The invitation to join

There are many ways to ask your guests to join you in the celebrations, with different levels of formality: for example, "would love for you to join them" is a little less traditional than "request the pleasure of your presence". This is where you’d also include the names of the bride and groom, especially if they haven’t appeared in the host section of the invite.  Traditionally, the name of the bride preceded the groom's name, including middle names and titles if applicable, though couples now often choose to list them alphabetically or in whichever order ‘sounds’ better, and to omit surnames and titles.

The time and place

For formal weddings, everything would be written out in full (no numerals), but this can be written in whichever way feels most natural to you. You would then also include the name of the location, city and full street address. You might choose to have ceremony and reception information on separate cards if you wish, particularly if held in separate locations. If the location is the same, you can add “reception immediately following” or “followed by dinner and dancing” to let your guests know. Generally, you wouldn’t need to include the time that the reception starts unless you don’t want guests moving from one place immediately on to the next.

 The dress code

Wedding invitation etiquette typically suggests that a dress code should be included on the lower right-hand corner of the invitation. Many couples now omit this information or choose more creative wording, especially for destination weddings (“it’s all about the hat”, “cocktail chic”, or “summertime soiree”, for example). If you don't include a note on attire, expect your guests to take a cue from the style of your invitation.

The RSVP

Many couples choose to include a separate response card for guests to fill out and return in the post. If it feels right for you, don’t be afraid to have fun with the wording, so for example, a positive response might be “I’ll be there with bells on”, “Wouldn’t miss it for the world!”, and so on. Some couples also opt to offer the convenience of digital RSVPs, allowing guests to respond electronically through a dedicated wedding website, in which case you can include the website address.

The gift list

Traditionally, it was deemed bad etiquette to include a gift request in wedding invitations, but these days it is widely done by most couples. This saves your guests the time and effort of contacting the wedding party to find out which gifts are needed or suitable, and also removes some of the pressure from them! You can include a message to say how much you appreciate their company, and that you don’t want them to feel obliged to give you a gift - but that if they wish to, there is a gift registry they can use. Asking for financial contributions to a honeymoon or future project is also very common, and widely acceptable now. In Indian weddings often couples will ask for ‘no boxed gifts’ which means that they would prefer money.

Plus ones

Unless your wedding venue and budget can stretch to allowing plus ones to all your guests, try to come up with a rule when sketching your guest list (for example, couples that have been together for a certain amount of time). Then, make it very clear in your invite whether a plus one is included or not by addressing it appropriately – you can even express that your event is private, intimate or small, so guests get the hint!

Children

If the venue or style of wedding is such that children aren’t invited, do make sure this is very clear, as this will affect families that need to make alternative arrangements. Address your invitations to exactly who is invited, or some guests with children might assume their whole family is invited – and you can add a small note on your invite or wedding website explaining tactfully what the situation is. This can be a sensitive issue for many parents, so do invest time on thinking about what you’d like to express. Also, if you’re allowing children of close family but not others, do warn your guests of this with something like “Unfortunately, as much as we’d love to invite all of our friends’ children, we can only accommodate a few close family children. We hope that you will understand this decision and we very much hope you will still be able to join us on our special day”.

In summary, we would recommend giving your guests as much information as you can in an honest and open way, while not being afraid to make it your own.

For any advice on your wedding stationery, or if you would like to work with us here at Ananya, please get in touch to book your complimentary consultation.

Colour Infusion by Ananya; our latest wedding stationery collection

Ananya is delighted to unveil its newest collection called ‘Colour Infusion’ to showcase the beauty of the marigold flower and its symbolic significance at weddings. This collection with its unique combination of bright marigolds on one side and brush stroke pattern in gold on the reverse, is distinctive and beautiful; ideal for the 2019 Spring/Summer wedding season. The collection was officially launched at Kensington Palace.

The entire marigold design, including the leaves and lines, was hand drawn. The printing too, was hand printed using a screen printing process. Various elements were added and moulded to create the perfect balance between foreground and background. It is this hand drawn element that gives the design its intricacy and delicate richness, and which allowed us to control the spacing of the leaves.

The golden blooms of the marigold and the leaves on twining branches are set against a background choice of four different jewel tones; exuberant pink, auspicious orange, joyful yellow and sophisticated teal. These jewel tones set off beautifully the sumptuous gold of the marigold design for an overall look that is simply stunning! The reverse side is bordered in matching bright colours with generous brush strokes of gold, giving the stationery a luxurious look with an Ananya twist; combining tradition and modern.

The marigold flower with its lively colours echoing the beauty, warmth, and the life-giving power of the rising sun has a long history of symbolism in several cultures, both in the East and West. Sometimes known as the flower of the soul in India, the saffron coloured marigold is considered sacred and pure and is used on many occasions. As love charms, representing passion and auspiciousness, it is incorporated in weddings. This marigold design is a beautiful nod to our Indian heritage.

In Indian culture, wedding invitations to close family members and friends are traditionally sent with an item of food, e.g. dry fruits and nuts, such as almonds, cashews and dates; but at Ananya, our aim has always been to give traditions a contemporary twist and a 21st Century appeal. And so was born the idea of this specially commissioned chocolate bar. We worked with an artisan chocolatier to create this high-quality handmade chocolate bar. Its iridescent pops of colour make this sweet treat a distinctive accompaniment to the bright and cheery marigold flowers of the Colour Infusion collection, and a delight for the taste buds!

At Ananya, we love coming up with imaginative ways to combine our designs with other items which could make perfect wedding favours, or to accompany invites, such as our artisanal chocolates.

Please do get in touch to discuss how we can create bespoke stationery for you.

Is it ever OK to send digital invites and why is paper so important?

As event guest lists become more global, as the digital age extends to more and more aspects of our lives, and as the need to look after our planet becomes increasingly more urgent, so also paperless stationery has seen a rise in popularity. Here at Ananya we are, of course, lovers of paper and printing craftmanship, but more importantly, we are lovers of celebrations, stories, and the wonderful ways in which people connect. For those of you unsure of which route to take, we thought we’d discuss some of the key points to consider – and we’d love to hear your ideas, too!

A number of digital frameworks (such as Paperless Post, whom we can work alongside) now exist which integrate digital save-the-dates and invitations with other useful elements like online maps, easy online RSVPs, info apps, and much more, which can streamline the process. This can be particularly useful if many of your guests live too far for reliable and quick postage, and if you like the idea of easy connectivity with your attendees. The other side of this is that these kinds of template-based systems will limit your design to what is available, so a compromise may have to be made on design style and uniqueness. Moreover, there may be older generations in your guest list that can’t easily be reached via email or social media, so reach can sometimes be affected.

Digital stationery is more eco friendly, and removing the paper trail reduces the impact on the planet’s forests. If this is important to you, but you’re not sure you can bring yourself to eliminate the stationery element completely, it is also possible to be sustainability-conscious while still opting for paper. For example, you can reduce the inserts in your invitations by directing people to your wedding or event website for any extra details. You can also speak to your stationer about using recycled materials, vegetable-based inks, plantable paper products embedded with seeds, cotton items, or even bamboo options.

From a customisation and sophistication point of view, of course paper stationery is the obvious choice – with limitless possibilities on illustrations, texture, colours, foil, embossing, wax seals, and so much more. However, if digital invitations and save the dates make more practical sense in order to get your guests TO your event, why not wow them with some extra detailed on-the-day event stationery. Perhaps the stationery suite could include personalised favours, bespoke illustrations, or hand-finished touches. This increased customisation, of course, comes at a cost, with digital stationery adding a smaller financial outlay to the overall event budget spend.

Last but definitely not least, there is the experience – emails are now an inescapable part of our routine, both personal and professional, and certainly an inbox notification does not compare to the feeling of seeing your name in calligraphy, and gently revealing the contents of a letter or invitation. For your close family, this may even become a treasured keepsake, cherished for many years to come, and a trigger for the happiest of memories. If you like this idea, but still want to opt for a fully digital suite, why not choose some meaningful paper thank you cards to send out to your guests after the event – surprising them with a little something that reminds them of what a wonderful celebration it all was.

Ultimately, it all comes down to your priorities, preference, and style, and both options have some great advantages to consider. If you’d like to brainstorm together, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with us.

Ananya cards exhibits at Bridelux Atelier

We’re really excited to announce that we’ll be exhibiting at Bridelux Atelier this year! The opportunity to exhibit came our way on Monday, and though it’s been a bit last minute, we can’t wait to showcase our stationery alongside some of the most prestigious names of the wedding industry.

Photo by Roberta Facchini Photography

We have the great pleasure of partnering with the lovely Charlotte Munro, who will be styling our stand, Maison de Fleurs, who will be creating a floral display for us, and The Stars Inside, who will be capturing some of the action behind the scenes. Keep an eye on our social media profiles for previews, updates, competitions, and much more!

This year, Bridelux Atelier will be held at the iconic Rosewood London on Friday March 9th between 5pm and 9pm, and Saturday March 10th between 10am and 5pm. With a curated collection of luxury brands – have a look at the full list of exhibitors here - the show promises to be of very high calibre, and a fantastic opportunity for couples and wedding industry suppliers alike.

Photo by Kate Nielen Photography

Photo by Kate Nielen Photography

If you're planning on attending, do come and say hello at our stand in the Ballroom (in front of the champagne bar!) - and if not, then why not use our 25% discount code ANANYA25 to book your tickets here today!

Thanks again to our wonderful team for pulling this together in such a short time, to the lovely Bridelux team for inviting us, and the amazing team at Rosewood London for hosting this one-of-a-kind event!

For any queries on the above, or to get in touch, please email info@ananyacards.com

Which Type of Wedding Stationery Will You Choose? An Essential Guide

So, it’s time to choose wedding stationery and all things gorgeous for your day! But, do you know your laser cut from your letterpress? No? Don’t worry, you aren’t expected to unless stationery and printing is your business! But, when it comes to your wedding, you want to be able to make the right choice. Read on for Ananya’s essential guide to wedding stationery types.

Letterpress

Letterpress party invitation

Let’s start with Letterpress. It's the ‘Grand Dame’ of printing in that it’s one of the oldest stationery printing techniques in use. Essentially, letterpress is a ‘relief printing’ technique, in which the design is ‘raised’ on a metal plate. Using a printing press, an impression is made into the paper by pressing into it from one side. It’s usually done with ink but can also be without ink. If you run your hand across the finished print you can usually feel the indentations in the paper.

Letterpress printing is high in quality but is slower than other printing methods. For example, the printer has to place each letter of type into a special holder that they also have to place ‘mirror image’ to what the finished print will be.  In other words the type for the press has to be set left to right and upside down. Wow, that’s a lot of work!

Taking letterpress from assembly to proof and then to print is time consuming without a doubt. But, on the upside, it is lovely for a vintage style or traditional wedding. 

Screen printing

Ananya''s 'Trio of Life' bespoke screen printed wedding stationery: parrot

Photography by Fiona Kelly Photography

Ananya's 'Trio of Life' screen printed bespoke wedding stationery: elephant

Photography by Fiona Kelly Photography

Screen printing is one of our favourite mediums of printing at Ananya. We love it! Many of our favourite designs, especially using metallics such as gold or silver, use the screen printing technique, including Mandala Love and Trio of Life.

In screen printing, ink is pressed through a mesh screen using a rubber blade or ‘squeegee’ to move across it and fill the open ‘windows’ with ink. When the blade is reversed back across, the screen touches the paper (or media) that’s being printed on to create your design.

Ananya's 'Mandala Love' screen printed wedding stationery

For Mandala Love, the screen printing for the delicate hand printed mandala motif required an exceptional level of technical skill. Ananya’s craftsmen had to print each piece four times no less; a single colour printed each time. Deep blue and gold are the feature colours of this design, with the deep blue printed first, followed by the gold elements of the mandala. Yellow was applied after that and finally cyan. Accurate positioning without overlap or gaps was critical to ensuring that each element of this intricate design printed perfectly. The design really pops with its vibrant colours and juxtaposition of matt and metallic elements. Only hand printed silk screen in our opinion at least gives that level of covetable artisanal quality.   

Offset printing

Offset/Litho printed wedding invitation

In comparison to letterpress printing, offset printing is a more indirect print technique. It’s popular for big volume production, and is also known as ‘flat printing’ or ‘litho printing’. Offset, by the way, is just another way of saying ‘transferred’. So, essentially, images on metal plates are ‘offset’ to rollers (or rubber blankets). Once that’s done, the image is printed onto the paper or print media that you've chosen. The metal plates and paper (or other media) don’t come directly into contact with each other during the process.

Digital printing

Digital printed floral wedding stationery

Modern, fast and accurate, digital printing is almost the polar opposite of letterpress! Digital printing uses tiny dots (a lot of them of course!) to create text and images. Digital printing is good for smaller quantities and is cost effective. What are the disadvantages? It’s likely that there'll be limits to the type of paper that you can use. This technique tends to suit thinner paper styles and quality can be variable dependant on the printer. Digital printing is also not suitable for accurately printing metallics – for example, you will not get a shiny bright gold or silver but instead a duller brown gold or grey silver.

Laser cut

Laser cut wedding stationery

When it comes to Laser cutting it’s a whole different world of precision and design. Creating and cutting out paper into different shapes isn’t new of course. In China they create ‘Jianzhi’, intricate symmetrical designs created with knives and scissors. And who hasn’t created their very own ‘origami garland’ as a child? Laser cutting definitely moves those hand created designs on a few millennia! Fast and accurate, laser cutting enables the production of intricate designs on an industrial scale.

How is laser cutting done? It’s a non-contact process utilising a laser to cut the material i.e. paper. Directing the laser beam through a nozzle to the media or material, a combination of heat and pressure creates the cutting action. Laser cutting is popular for the modern and vintage bride. It's good for delicate lace designs and works well with 3D designs such as cityscapes or representations of your wedding venue.  

Embossing and Debossing

Embossed notecard envelope

Embossing produces a raised textured image or text. But, unlike letterpress, it uses two engraved metal moulds to create your chosen design. The moulds used are often copper or brass, designed to fit into each other. During printing, the raised mould forces the paper into the recessed mould and creates the embossed impression of your design, as you can see on our envelopes for our notecards and personal stationery.

Debossing creates an indent in the paper rather than a raised design. Both of these techniques work well with a personal monogram design. Another of Ananya’s favourites! 

Engraving

Engraved monogram wedding invitation

Engraved personal stationery

And finally, we must mention engraving. It’s perhaps the most formal and classic of the printing styles for wedding stationery. It’s also one of the most expensive! During engraving an etched metal plate is used to create the design. When pressed into the back of the paper it creates raised lettering on the front which you can feel and leaves a slight indent on the back. The printer will apply ink to the raised lettering afterwards. Impressive to receive, we love luxurious engraved stationery at Ananya.

Which type do you think you are? Whatever you choose, Ananya would love to help you design your perfect wedding stationery. Say hello at info@ananyacards.com  and let’s talk!  

Vaishali x

Choosing a Stationery Theme for your Event

Whether your event is a summer cocktail party, an anniversary or a grand wedding, choosing a stationery theme is meant to be fun and exciting. But as with most things, good planning is essential to getting the look and feel of your event right.

So, here are Ananya’s top tips for choosing the right theme for your event.

What’s the occasion?

Seems obvious but the type of event that you’re having and how you structure or design that event will have a big influence on choosing a stationery theme. The key is to know how formal the occasion will be. It will guide you with the structure of the design, typography, font and words.

 At Ananya we design stationery for all sorts of occasions, so here are a few of our ideas for different events:

Formal black tie event

We love to see stationery for formal events designed on crisp heavyweight paper, using classic colours and typography. It gives ‘gravitas’ and immediately let’s people know that this is a ‘grand event’. A great example is from Julie and Zak's wedding in Jersey.

Garden party

A garden party immediately conjures up summer days, green lawns and English flowers. At Ananya we have a range of floral stationery designs that embrace tea roses, cornflowers and everything in between!

Teenager birthday celebration/coming of age

In many cultures, this is a serious event. For example, a 1st birthday in Asian cultures or a bar mitzvah/bat mitzvah in Jewish cultures. But it’s definitely a time for celebration and lots of fun. Invitations that are light hearted and embrace the jubilant nature of the party are a great idea. Think bold designs that embrace fun.

Intimate elopement (and ‘after party’)

I guess you might be asking yourself why an elopement needs stationery. Good question! Well, there is still the matter of witnesses and maybe you want to invite them to run away too? And when you come home to face the music you might just want to appease everyone by throwing a grand party to celebrate. Wouldn’t you agree?

Pearl anniversary

A pearl anniversary is perhaps less well known than silver, ruby or golden. But, at Ananya we love anything to do with pearls! We think it’s the perfect opportunity to embrace the precious pearl in your designs.

Who’s invited?

How many people you invite will influence cost and thus your theme, to a certain extent. The age range of your guests can also influence your choice of theme. An invite to a party to celebrate a child’s 1st birthday will be quite different to an invite to an elopement ‘after party’. Or at least you would like to hope so!

Photgraph by Holly Clark Photography

Colour me impressed…

Is there a colour or cultural theme to the day? For example, is it a golden wedding anniversary or a multicultural wedding? With Indian, Asian or multicultural weddings there may be restrictions on certain colours due to cultural requirements. For more information on this aspect take a look at Ananya’s article on Multicultural Wedding Stationery. http://secretweddingblog.com/multicultural-wedding-stationery-by-ananya-cards/

Most importantly, what’s your personal style? Are you flamboyant and colourful or more reserved but with a love of colour.  How will that influence your theme choice? Maybe you are more comfortable with a simple monochrome palette?

What do you need to include?

For a wedding you may need the whole range of stationery. This will likely include invites, RSVP cards, thank you cards, and an order of service, menu, place cards and seating plans; whereas for an informal garden party you may just want to limit things to an invite, RSVP, menu and place cards.

All this will influence your choice of stationery theme.

And finally:

Where will your design inspiration come from?

Is your event in an iconic space or building? Do you want design inspiration to come from your life and the key events that have brought you to where you are now? Or maybe you want it to reflect who you are, where you’re from and where you want to be. When Ananya celebrated its 10th Anniversary in 2016 we celebrated with diamonds! After all a 10th anniversary is something to really celebrate and diamonds are still a girl’s best friend, we’ll have you know!

We hope that you have fun choosing your theme and have a great celebration!

Love what you see on Ananya? Drop the team a line at info@ananyacards.com  and let’s talk about the design vision that you have for your event!

Vaishali x

Ananya unveils the much-awaited sumptuous Trio of Life Collection

In celebration of our 10 year anniversary, Ananya have proudly launched our Trio of Life Collection of wedding stationery. A brand new addition to our already prolific and multicultural Ananya Global Traveller theme, the Trio of Life Collection is a unique tribute to much-loved members of the animal kingdom; a collection we have been working on for almost a year. 

With contemporary designs focusing on the parrot, the elephant and the fish, this lovingly handcrafted collection explores the role of these animals since ancient times, bringing their symbolism and enchantment into the 21st century. Each animal represents one of the three essential elements for all life forms: air, earth and water, and has a special significance in Indian and Buddhist scriptures, making them perfect for wedding invitation designs.

The Parrot: the air element

Our inspiration for this collection comes from India with its rich tapestry of life and with the special significance placed on various animals and birds as symbols of power, beauty, love and prosperity. References to them can be found in ancient scriptures and folk tales as well as being depicted in paintings and sculptures. They are often believed to be symbols associated with various deities. Animals and birds are considered as friends and partners with whom we share the planet.

The first written reference to parrots was found in Indian literature written more than 3,000 years ago. Parrots were considered birds of love in ancient India. In Hindu mythology, the parrot is associated with Kama, the God of love; he is often depicted riding on a parrot. It is thought that the red beak and green feathers connect it with fertility. The red beak symbolises the red earth before the rains, meaning unfulfilled desires, and the green feathers symbolise the green growth after the rains, meaning fulfilled desire and joy.

The Goddess Meenakshi is also depicted as holding a parrot in her hand. Parrots were often used as messengers of love between lovers, even Gods and Goddesses.

Parrots are also considered a sign of fertility. In some parts of India, married women draw paintings that often show parrots, hoping that the newly wed bride and groom would be blessed with many children.

Ananya specifically chose a parrot rather than a peacock because it is more unusual, whereas the peacock is very familiar.

The parrot motif would be ideal for a tropical destination wedding, or a summer wedding.

The Elephant: the earth element

Indians have worshipped elephants for many centuries. Ancient Indian and Buddhist scriptures are full of references to elephants. Sculptures in temples as well as in paintings and textiles feature elephant motifs. In Hinduism, the elephant is considered sacred and a representative of Ganesha the elephant headed God who removes obstacles and brings prosperity. According to Buddhist scriptures, a white elephant is associated with the birth of Buddha; his mother dreamt of a white elephant giving her a lotus flower as a symbol that she was going to give birth to a pure and enlightened being.

Kings and Queens have used elephants in their wedding processions. An elephant is a symbol of majesty, intelligence, power, wisdom, success and prosperity as well as grace. It makes a most suitable animal for a wedding invitation.

Every design in the collection is an original and has been hand drawn. Each illustration has taken traditional motifs and given them a contemporary interpretation to make them more personal and give them universal appeal. There are intricate patterns within the outline of each design with soft, muted colours for the background, in contrast to traditional Indian wedding stationery with its signature bright colours.

The Fish: the water element

According to ancient Indian mythology, the fish symbolises creation, fertility, happiness and good fortune. It is also considered an avatar of the God Vishnu, one of the three most prominent Gods in Hinduism. 

Vishnu transformed himself into a fish in order to rescue man from a great deluge and guided him to safety. The fish is also associated with the sacred rivers of India, the Ganga (Ganges) and Yamuna. In Buddhism, the fish is one of the eight sacred symbols of the Buddha.

The fish motif would be an ideal choice for beach weddings.

Ananya has drawn on ancient symbols, often considered sacred, and deeply historically imbued in Indian culture, with each one having specific relevance and suitability for weddings. These motifs have been transformed and adapted for the modern world, retaining their traditional richness and elegance, but with a contemporary and multicultural twist.

Please contact us for more information on this gorgeous collection.

Photos by Fiona Kelly Photography.

Top Motifs in Indian Wedding Stationery

Ananya is delighted to have been asked by Khush Wedding for our top motifs used in Indian wedding stationery. Khush Magazine is a luxury bridal magazine for British Asian couples across the UK, celebrating love, marriage and happiness.

Have you ever wondered why the same symbols and patterns often appear on Indian wedding stationery? That's because some represent the physical and spiritual union of the couple while others are auspicious and considered to bring good luck. 

Read about our Top 6 Motifs including Lotus and Paisley here: The Top Motifs in Indian Wedding Stationery, Decoded.

We are delighted to offer Khush Wedding readers the opportunity to save 10% on their bespoke stationery orders as we are celebrating a decade of stylish stationery in 2016.

Pantone breaks with tradition; Rose Quartz and Serenity become Colour of the Year 2016

Breaking with tradition on more than one level, Pantone has decided on a blend of two colours for its Colour of the Year. From a psychological perspective, the two chosen contrasting colours represent the warmth of the Rose Quartz and the cool and calm feel of the Serenity blue. The colours are reflective of mindfulness and well-being, which are perfect to portray the soft ambiance of a romantic wedding. 

Blending of two soft hues; Rose Quartz and Serenity blue

Rose Quartz, also sometimes called the Heart Stone, with its gentle pink essence is said to represent unconditional love. It carries a soft feminine energy of compassion and peace, tenderness and healing, nourishment and comfort. All qualities that need to be brought to the fore in our world of growing turmoil.

Rose Quartz; the essence of femininity, peace and unconditional love

The colour Blue represents tranquillity, peace and harmony. It is also said to represent trust, honesty and a sense of security.

Pantone seems to be tapping into these colours to show what is missing and what is needed in today’s world.

Serenity blue conveys tranquility, harmony and security

On another level, the pink tone of Rose Quartz and the blue of the Serenity represent the growing ease with which we are relinquishing traditional attitudes towards gender fashion and colours, and moving towards gender equality. The traditional rules of pink for a girl and the blue for a boy are being transformed into a more blurred definition of colours to represent genders.

Rose Quartz and Serenity would be a perfect combination for a spring wedding; think of trees bursting with cherry blossoms against a blue sky. This exuberance can be beautifully conveyed through wedding stationery, giving it a romantic, fairy tale feeling throughout the whole suite of stationery, from invitations to thank you notes. From bridesmaids’ dresses to flowers, the pink and blue combination paired with white or other soft tones will look stunning. They would also be great colours for an outdoor summer wedding…think of lavender in bouquets or on the table at a wedding…calming and soothing and so summery!

Pink and blue are not colours usually associated with Asian weddings, where more vibrant, bold colours are used, but you never know, that might all start to change.

Rose Quartz and Serenity blue...perfect for a Spring Wedding

Pastels and soft hues have been on trend for a while, and the new Pantone colour blend will only add to their appeal. Fashion houses such as Louis Vuitton and Dior have already been enchanted by similar hues as seen in their shows. The Rose Quartz and Serenity Blue can be incorporated in a variety of ways, from interior design to clothing, to handbags and all sorts of personal accessories.

Fresh and soft...suitable for Spring and Summer Wedding

At Ananya, we notice emerging styles and trends and use them to inspire our stationery. Rose Quartz and Serenity capture the mood of our culture; our aspirations and hopes, and is sure to be embraced by those wanting to tie the knot in 2016.