WEDDING STATIONERY FAQ

Frequently asked wedding stationery questions

See our answers to our frequently asked questions ~ where we share more about the process, the details and things you need to know.

Are there any other questions we can help with? Send us a message or contact us via email sara@theessletter.com

WEDDING STATIONERY PRICING

  • Payment can be made by bank transfer or credit card.

  • Every request is made to order in our design studio. There are many variables when it comes to orders, including the quantity, the number of items required, whether you’re looking for something custom made or choosing a semi-custom template.

  • Yes, we offer a complimentary 30-minute online consultation to answer your questions! Generally our proposal will walk you through our process and provide an overview of our services, so we first provide a proposal so you can gather further questions before our call.

    To book a consultation, send us a message.

 

ORDERING YOUR WEDDING STATIONERY

  • To allow for design, printing, production and assembly, here are our guidelines for ordering your invitations:

    Semi-custom designs - at least 5 months before your wedding date (we generally cannot accommodate shorter timeframes however please enquire for our rush availability and pricing).

    Custom invitations - 1 year to up to 9 months before your wedding date

  • All invitation and save the date orders include:

    ~ Invitation/save the date card with envelope and your return address printed on the back

    ~ Invitation wording guidance

    ~ A digital mockup with one round of revisions to wording, colours, or materials

    ~ 2 keepsake suites (one for you and one for your photographer)

    ~ Assembly & standard international courier (expedited shipping options can be added on)

    ~ If you’ve ordered custom design, you’ll also receive a design consultations, moodboard, sketch layout of your design, and 3 rounds of revisions to make sure it’s your dream design suite!

  • Yes, absolutely! Your suite will arrive ready to mail ~ just seal and add your postage!

    There is a small surcharge if you need us to glue the envelopes closed, or apply stamps

  • You can make changes to your quantities before items go into production. Beyond this, we may be able to increase the quantity if materials are available.

  • Yes, you can. However, the cost of printing may increase significantly due to the smaller print run. We highly recommend ordering at least 10 additional invitation sets to cover lost mail, last-minute guests, and for keepsakes.

  • Our production schedule can book out especially during busy wedding seasons. We recommend getting in touch soonest for a proposal. Where we begin your order within 30 days, there is a 50% payment due so we can get started. If you are pre-booking a spot for a future design spot, there is a $150 payment due to secure your spot in our queue.

    Contact us for availability and to receive a proposal.

  • For our semi-custom invitations you can change the wording, the colours in the design, and select your preferred paper, print methods, and add in embellishments. You can add on custom elements such as venue illustrations and wreaths plus you can choose between custom calligraphy names and headings or use the font included in the design. The font, style and layout of the design is not editable.

    For custom design, we create an entire design based on your preferences. Once your sketch design and moodboard are approved, you can modify elements however a new design cannot be be created. Additional designs can be added on if you’d like to see more than once concept design!

 

TIMEFRAMES, SHIPPING

  • While our timeframes may vary, we do our best to keep you updated throughout your order. Our timeframes are dependent on receiving timely responses and complete information required from you, so any delays in responding will unfortunately delay your order.

    Here is a general guideline for our services and products - shipping is an additional timeframe separate to our design and production:

    Semi-custom collection - Typically 8 weeks plus shipping

    Custom invitations - Typically 12-14 weeks plus shipping

    Day of wedding stationery - We begin 3 months before the wedding date ~ available only to our invitation clients

    Calligraphy only orders - varies by request and quantity, typically 2-3 weeks for envelope calligraphy and wedding placecards plus shipping

    Online orders - see item description for timeframes!

  • Yes! We love sending orders around the world.

    We ship orders with New Zealand Post Courier - expedited shipping may be available for an additional fee.

    Here are some general shipping estimates, however these can vary without our prior knowledge:

    New Zealand - 3 working days

    Australia - 2 weeks

    Rest of the world - 2.5 to 3 weeks (expedited shipping maybe available, please enquire for a quote)

  • If you need your order than our production timeframes, we may be able to provide rush service. This is dependent on our availability. There is a 30% surcharge plus an added expedited shipping fee that is calculated when your order is ready to ship. The shipping fee varies based on weight.

 

OTHER DESIGN SERVICES

  • Yes! We work with event planners, businesses and non-wedding clients to create stunning event or brand stationery, signage, and custom calligraphy items. Get in touch to discuss!

  • Yes! We offer a range of calligraphy services and custom commissions. Popular items include calligraphy guest name tags, calligraphy envelopes, custom cards and so much more!

  • Yes! We are a full service design studio and happy to discuss your wedding or event needs. Contact us to set up a quick consultation!

  • Typically no. We print and design items in-house and use our trusted production teams to bring your suite to life. In this case, we recommend working directly with a local print company in your area to print your items.

 

REFUNDS, CANCELLATIONS, DEFECTS

  • Due to the customised nature of our work, payments are non-refundable and your order is not eligible for refunds, returns or exchanges. Please place your order with this in mind.

    If we printed the incorrect file or made an order error that was not approved by you, we will at our discretion reprint/re-do it at our next available date or provide a credit. You are responsible for approving your order, if you find an error after approving it, please let us know immediately. Depending on where your order is at in production, we may be able to limit additional reprint/reorder fees, however if your item has been ordered/printed, you are responsible for any fees to correct it.

  • Online and wedding day of orders are not able to be cancelled as production begins when we receive it.

  • Firstly, we are truly sorry if you have received a defective item - we take great care to ensure our items are free of defects. You must notify us within 3 days of your order being delivered if you have a defective item. All items with defects must be returned to us by registered post. Upon inspection of returned defects or issues, we will, at our discretion, replace the item or provide a credit for the defected goods, plus reimburse reasonable return post fees. Please contact us Sara@TheEssLetter.com to arrange.

 

If you have any further wedding stationery questions, we’re here to help!