Advice on Engagement Announcement Cards

Over the course of the next months my articles will cover the specific stationery you may consider for your wedding. Traditionally, wedding stationery falls into 3 categories: before the wedding, for the wedding and after the wedding. Before the wedding usually refers to save-the-date cards and wedding invitations, this month however I wish to go further back and talk about a concept that is fairly new in the UK – the engagement announcement card.

I was recently engaged and found myself wanting to send my close family and friends a memento of an event that was super important to me. A little keepsake saying nothing more than “Look what’s happened!!!” It’s the first time I have designed an engagement announcement card and now I have designed one, I must say I am very taken with the concept.

An engagement announcement card serves to tell the world that your Mr Wonderful went down on one knee and you said “YES!” They can serve a dual purpose if you are having a party, the wording can indicate the details of both the engagement and the celebration.

There are many different types of engagement announcements; professionally designed and printed cards through to do-it-yourself versions. Professionally purchased cards can show the theme and mood of your wedding and hint at the style of your day, DIY versions are fun and cute, a lovely keepsake if made by the bride and groom.

If you decide to commission a designer to produce your cards you will need to have an idea of the style of card: weight of board, fonts, wording and style. Ask for a quote first and don’t forget to check if the quote includes VAT and also envelopes. Also remember that you only need one card per household, not per person (makes the budget stretch!).

If you don’t have a stationery budget or if you want to do it yourself, you can choose some thick stock board from your local stationer, mount a picture of you both on it and hand write individual messages inside. A good tip is to choose a good, thick board as flimsy cards cheapen the design. Opt for a good pen too, metallic or italic are best.

The style you decide upon depends on your personal style, budget and crafting skills. The key is to produce something that is individual, lovely and will no doubt be treasured by the recipients.

Good luck & happy designing!

Article by Wedding Stationery Designer Natalie O’Donovan

Image Courtesy of Wedding Stationery Company Two by Two Weddings

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