How To Create Your Own Beautiful Orders of Service

Fancy creating your own Orders of Service? Hopefully this tutorial will help!

You Will Need:

Pre-printed A5 Orders of Service
15mm Double sided satin ribbon
Sharp clean scissors
Invisible thread
Fine needle
Mini diamante heart embellishments
Ruler
15 mm Double sided sticky tape
Scissors for tape
Glue gun and glue sticks

1.  Cut a 30cm length of ribbon.

2.   Thread needle with a reasonable length of invisible thread and knot at one end. Weave the needle through the ribbon at the centre, draw it through & then wrap the thread around to pinch the middle together, push the needle through the centre to secure.

3.   Cross the right hand side of the ribbon over the front of the left hand side and draw the needle through the crossover about a third of the way down, drawing the centre of the ribbon to the back of the crossover and then wrap the thread around the middle several times to form a bow. You will need to carefully adjust the loops and tails as you do this to ensure that they are even before pushing the needle through                                                 from front to back of the middle of the bow to secure the knot.

      4.  Sew the end of the roll of ribbon onto the back of the bow, but don’t cut                to length yet.

5. Flip the ribbon down so that it covers the end you’ve just sewn (carefully trim any fraying) then wrap around up over the front of the bow and back down the back so that you have a neat centre to the bow.

6.   Place your mini heart embellishment on the front of the centre of the bow, taking care to adjust both the bow and heart neatly before stitching it in place. Finish off the thread behind the bow centre and cut short.

7.   Now measure a 46cm length of ribbon from the centre of the bow and cut.
 

8.   Place double sided sticky tape down the side of the Orders of Service, making sure to use different scissors to your sharp clean ribbon scissors.

9.   With the protective cover still on the tape, wrap your ribbon around the card and trim the end to around halfway down the centre of the bow.

 10.    Peel enough of the protective cover off the tape and fix the end of your ribbon in place. Then you can pull the bow out of the way to peel the remainder of the tape away before adjusting the ribbon and carefully fixing to the tape.

 11.   The bow will at this stage still need to be fixed in place, so with your glue gun apply a small amount of hot glue behind the centre of the bow and press into place – be careful not to use too much glue as you don’t want it to squidge out of the sides!

12.   Using your sharp clean scissors trim the tails of your bow into even    points.

Fiddly, but worth it! If you would like us to provide the materials please contact us via our website, email or you can phone us on 07899 664070. We can also print your Orders of Service for you on high quality heavy card and paper - our printer takes up to 300gsm card which will give your stationery a beautiful and luxurious feel. 

Wedding Stationery Sussex

Yes, size DOES matter!

I'm talking about font size here everyone, amongst other things! I recently had a call from a b2b who was looking for a stationer to rescue her after being badly let down by another company. She had received the invitations and was pleased with them apart from the fact that the envelopes were not quite big enough to allow them to be sealed normally as there was a large bow across the front of the invitations, and the flaps had to be taped down leaving a very inelegant bulky item to be posted. This leaves me posing the question of why a stationer would go to the trouble of hand making each invitation only to have it forced into an envelope which is clearly not man enough for the job - I want my bespoke and handmade work to arrive with the invitee looking as good as when it left my office not crushed and crumpled, and if I were buying a product that had been carefully handmade and this was reflected in the price I would expect it to arrive looking good!

But then things got worse in that she kept having to chase for other items she had paid in full for such as the Order of Service booklets and the Post Box. When they did finally arrive the poor bride found that she could barely read the text as it was in such a small font. Now, she is young and in good health and had problems reading the text, so imagine how some of the guests whose eyesight was not so good may have struggled with using the service sheets. At most weddings there are generally older family members and those with less than perfect eyesight, and us ladies especially after a while primping and getting ready for the day don't want to be struggling with putting glasses on and off during the service and messing up our hair/hat/fascinator! 

I've seen and printed out the pdf version of the Order of Service that she was emailed to proof and it prints fine on A4 but when the A5 booklets came through the font size was around half the size of that in the pdf - I suspect that this was done purely to allow all the text to fit on three pages instead of working on the text to make it flow properly over four pages. I personally feel that this was a very sloppy and lazy solution to a problem, and that it is the job of the stationer to ensure that the text looks good, is legible, and flows correctly. Furthermore it is the job of the stationer to advice the client - if the client chooses to go ahead without taking advice then so be it, but if I feel that the job is not being done properly then I will say so, after all it's my reputation on the line!

Order of Service sheets are hard work, there is no getting away from it, that's why most people prefer to pay someone with experience of them to do the job, but if a company can't be bothered to do it properly then they shouldn't be offering the service in the first place. I always make sure that I tell clients how the pdf files are saved (e.g. A4 landscape) so that they can print them out and see properly how the text looks - a proof is not just for checking spellings and grammar! Where possible I also send or deliver a hard copy of the document fully made up.

Does this sound like a rant? Yes? Good, because you're more likely to remember it! The good news for this lovely bride is that we have managed to rescue the situation and the fresh Order of Service booklets are now ready, the Post Box has been rescued and other on the day stationery are well under way.

Denise Hagon, Calligrapher

How many of us have beautiful handwriting these days? Not me, that's for sure! I rely solely on fonts on my computer (and I do have rather a lot of them!) for my work, however there is nothing quite as luxurious and sumptuous as real handcrafted calligraphy. I have in the past attempted to master the art but with disastrous results!

As well as guest name writing, calligrapher Denise Hagon  produces some extremely creative commissions. Denise  learnt calligraphy at the age of 16 at Technical College and loved it so much she set up a calligraphy studio in 1985.

“I've been providing a professional bespoke calligraphy service now for 27 years! I’m a true scribe and artist, passionate about pens, nibs, beautiful scripts and gorgeous papers! I've an exciting range of historical and modern scripts and love to combine beautifully printed stationery with handwritten names. Every invitation and envelope receives the finishing touch it deserves - a guest name written with beauty and perfection."

With a degree in Art History and Design, she takes a special interest in vintage styles and period handwriting.

"I've worked on so many period films and TV productions over the years, including Poirot, Sleepy Hollow, Sharpe, Mansfield Park and Bleak House. Most recently the latest film of Anna Karenina!"

To see the full range of Denise's exciting calligraphy visit Denise's website, and if you'd like to enquire about a calligraphy project you can contact her by email.

Wedding Keepsake Booklets

What happens to all the wedding stationery after the big day? Whilst some guests will collect all the different items and keep them for a while, most probably ends up in the bin fairly quickly. Lil’Guy have recently been producing booklets containing the full marriage ceremony wording plus the Order of the Day, menu and thank you messages from the bride and groom.

22 Page Wedding Keepsake Booklet

Using top quality materials such as Grade A rhinestone buckles and embellishments, genuine Swarovski crystals, gorgeous ribbons and flowers these Keepsake Booklets make a wonderful memento for guests which is far less likely to just be ditched.

The card used in both the budget and bespoke stationery at Lil’Guy is obtained direct from the manufacturer, who use world-renowned mills and the sustainable forests are FSC certificated. The pulp is elementally chlorine free, which essentially means that the bleaching agent is not released into the environment but is continually reused.

The booklets can be supplied boxed or loose for handing out at the church or venue.

New Product Launch

As you are all no doubt aware Mrs LG is a lover of all things sparkly and luxurious and is constantly on the lookout for anything new and different. She is extremely happy to have finally obtained some items that she spotted last year and can finally offer them to you!

Luxurious Silk Sets Hot New Stationery Trend

What can be more luxurious than silk? These silk boxed invitations are a hot new product for 2011/2012 weddings, handcrafted and available from Lil'Guy.

Purple silk 8" hinged invitation box with ivory ribbon and gold diamante embellishment

While regal purple is bound to be a sell-out, the stationery can also be made in white or cream, accessorised with coloured or patterned ribbons, or choose from over 50 different silk colours to perfectly complement any wedding theme.

Ivory silk 7" invitation box with ivory ribbon and silver diamante embellishment

Ivory silk favour box approx 2 1/2" square with ivory ribbon and silver diamante slide

Wow your guests, not only with stunningly beautiful invitations printed on beautiful high quality, unusual card and presented in one of these gorgeous padded silk invitation boxes, but with matching favour boxes too. With over 50 colours to choose from there is sure to be one that suits your style!

The boxes themselves are made from recycled card rather than from wood so are more eco-friendly than some other similar items. The card used in all our work is from a manufacturer who deals with world-renowned mills who use wood from sustainable Forestry Council Stewardship certified forests, and the pulp is  bleached using a process that does not release chlorine or other chemicals into the environment.

Please feel free to contact me for a quote by email.  

Rich Reds and Golds

To be able to do a job I love is a privilege and a pleasure, and it's taken me a while to really relax and enjoy myself - sounds strange? Perhaps, but after years of working for various companies in largely financial and administration roles, the fact that doing things like putting together inspiration boards is actually now part of my 'job' takes a bit of getting used to! I hope that somewhere along the line they help someone to have the wedding of their dreams. Today I have indulged my love of strong, rich colours.

Cupcake Tower from Cakes By Beth

Invitation from LilGuys Mhendi Range

Wedding Gown from Kekopean Stitches

Red Dress from My Evening Dress

Bouquet from Stylehive

Shoes from Crystal Couture

Styling from Sweet Days and Roses

Paris at night photo borrowed from Janey Butler's Facebook page!

Does Budget have to mean 'Cheap'?

When I first started my business I wanted to create high quality and beautiful invitations for couples who are not as handy at crafts- and I still do. I soon recognised that not everyone can afford to pay for handmade stationery, but it took me some time to come up with an alternative. Because whilst I saw the need for budget stationery I could not get my head around the fact that all the budget ranges I saw were 'cheap' in a bad way.

The first thing you normally see for someone's wedding is their wedding invitation. If it is badly printed on thin rough card it does not create a good first impression. How does it make you feel to receive such an invitation? Do you feel that it's a shame to have settled for poor quality? Are you less likely to make an effort on the day of the wedding with how you dress? I readily admit that I'm something of an invitation snob! I'm in the lucky position of making gorgeous stationery for people and of having access to the best materials. If I receive an invitation, however plain, on a good quality card where care has been taken over the printing then I am more likely to be excited about the thought of attending the event than if it is something very slapdash on thin card.

  

I have been on wedding forums where many brides-to-be seem to rave about certain on-line printed wedding invitations, relishing the fact that they can sometimes get their invitations free and they just have to pay for the postage. I was also shown an invitation to one of my b2b's from a friend of hers which was clearly printed at home or work where the picture on the front and the writing inside hadn't even been centred properly! Whilst the days of having a stack of invitations printed on extraordinarily thick card propped up on the mantle piece have long gone (think Jeeves and Wooster and The Mitford Girls!) there is something rather nice about receiving a pretty or plain invitation to stand on a shelf, one that is robust enough to stand up on it's own!

 

Do you think that budget has to mean 'cheap' in the wrong way? Not everything that costs a lot of money is necessarily the best quality. Some suppliers put a premium price on anything to do with a wedding, which we discovered when we were getting married 3 years ago, which is quite wrong and doesn't happen with us - after all I want happy customers and repeat customers (birthday celebrations, parties, christenings, etc.,) which I'm not going to get if I've charged through the nose on the first job!

Our budget range  combine a very reasonable price with outstanding practicality and quality. They combine invitation, information or map for guests, RSVP card and envelope all in one, on a gorgeous 290gsm card - we currently offer Candlelight Cream and Marble White.

Inside 

The invitation details are printed on the top portion underneath the 'envelope flap', the border colour can be changed to match the colour scheme of your celebration. The wording is printed in a dark charcoal which is classier and easier on the eye than hard black. On the next portion of the card you can have additional details that guests may need to know or a map printed, or even a picture if you wish (again the border colour can be changed), and the lower portion is the RSVP card which is perforated for easy detachment. 

Outside

On the reverse of the invitation portion the name and address of the guest is printed, and on the reverse of the RSVP card the return name address of the host(s) is printed. All your guests have to do is to complete the RSVP details, detach it, stick on a postage stamp and post it back to you. Experience shows that the easier you make it for your guests to reply the quicker you will get them back and you will have fewer stragglers to chivvy along!

Folded and ready to post!

The invitation is folded up into itself, with the RSVP card inside and the guest name and address on the outside and then sealed with either envelope tape or a clear seal on which you can have your initials printed if you like.

For as little as £2.80 per invitation plus a one off set up fee of £10.00 you can have fully personalised invitations sent direct by us to your guests. I think this is good value for money and many professionals have agreed, and proof that Budget does not have to mean 'cheap'!  If you would like to see and feel the quality of these for yourself please go onto our website and request a free sample today! 

Budget Invitations

My main objective is to create special and stunning bespoke wedding stationery. I am aware that this is not necessarily within every couple’s budget. I don’t see why, however, lower budget should mean lower quality. Your celebration means everything to you and you still want the first impression, generally the invitation, to count. I have designed the All In One – it gives yous the quality you deserve in your invitation, information for your guests, plus a perforated, double-sided RSVP card for your guests to complete and pop in the post box back to you. Additionally there is no need for a separate envelope, keeping the cost down! 

Your invitations will be personalised with all the relevant details of the occasion, you chose the colour of the card (currently Candlelight Cream or Marble White) and the colour of the border. Text is charcoal unless we are advised otherwise. The card used is of the same quality and weight that I use for my bespoke work (290gsm), not a flimsy low quality that you may get elsewhere. 

The cost? There is a nominal set up fee of £10.00 – if you find later on that you need more 
invitations then this fee is not payable again 

Each invitation costs £1.75 

25p per invitation to insert your guest names in the invitations 

25p per invitation to add guest name and address on the outside 

45p per invitation to post first class to your guests 

P&P by a recorded delivery service charged at cost if invitations being sent to you