Knowing what to look out for when buying your handmade wedding invitations will make the whole process a lot smoother. It will also help you with any questions you have for your stationer.

1. Check the quality of the wedding stationer’s work before deciding to purchase from them. The final quality of your handmade wedding invitations depends on a combination of the materials used and the skill of the stationer. Choosing an experienced stationer is your best bet. You can ask them to show you previous examples of work for other clients or for independent reviews. Ordering samples is another way to check the quality and will also assist you with colour matching with your wedding theme.

2. Check the availability of the stationer. Some handmade stationers limit the number of orders they will take each month. You may need to book the stationer several months in advance to ensure you receive your chosen invitations. If not you may find that you have to purchase alternative invites from another supplier. However, this is not always applicable as some stationers do not limit the number of orders but will give you an approximate time-scale for completion of your order.

3. Ensure that your chosen payment method is available. Many small stationers only accept payment by cash or cheque. However, more and more are excepting card payments online or over the phone. Remember that paying by credit card gives you extra protection over purchasing by cash or cheque. Sometimes you may be required to pay a deposit, usually 25% to 50% of the total cost of the order. Or you may need to pay the whole amount up front. If paying by instalments your order will not be dispatched until the final payment is made. Make sure that you remember this when paying your wedding bills so that you can keep aside enough money to pay the outstanding balance.

4. Sometimes stationers, both suppliers of handmade and printed stationery, need to substitute materials. But you may find that substitution of materials is more common with smaller businesses due to having smaller quantities in stock. If you require a particular card, ribbon, colour, etc. make sure you check the terms and conditions for what will happen if substitution occurs.

5. Time-scales for orders are usually longer for handmade wedding invitations, particularly if you place a large order. Normal time-scales are between 3 to 6 weeks. But you may need to wait longer if you choose a complicated design, place a large order or your stationer is overly busy. Remember that the busiest time for wedding suppliers is Spring. If you need your wedding stationery in the Spring or Summer months make sure you order well in advance.

We have a large selection of luxury handmade wedding invitations featuring gorgeous satin ribbons and crystals. You can order samples online to see the quality of the invites. Many designs come in a range of colour options, perfect for matching to your wedding colour scheme.

Take a look at Love2print’s wide range of handmade designs at http://www.love2print.co.uk/wedding-invitations/handmade-wedding-invitations