Event Planning

Getting hitched is not cheap and you might be struggling to arrange your wedding within the budget you have set aside for the occasion. After all, while you no doubt want to enjoy a special day that’s one to remember for all the right reasons, it may be hard to justify huge expenditure. The good news is, there are ways in which you can minimise your spending without compromising on the quality of your wedding. For example, by making sure you source superb and at the same time great value wedding invites and other items of stationery, you can help to control your costs.

James Cordon ties the knot

TV and stage funny man James Corden recently got married in style. The 34-year-old comedian and actor tied the knot with Julia Carey earlier this month after engaging to her on Christmas Day 2010. The pair, who had their first child together in March, looked content as they said their vows in front of their selected guests. Julia is reported to have worn a stunning lace dress and the wedding took place in Somerset.

No expense spared

In true celeb style, no expense was spared and the celebration reportedly cost £250,000. It was staged in a luxurious private members club called Babington House and guests were even treated to a performance from Snow Patrol’s Gary Lightbody, as well as ex-Radio One DJ Chris Moyles and singers Rizzle Kicks, the Daily Mail revealed. Meanwhile, a host of famous faces were in attendance, including David Walliams, Michael McIntyre, Jimmy Carr and Peter Jones. The celebrations are said to have kicked off the evening before the ceremony, with guests meeting up at the 32-bedroom former stately home.

A stag do to remember

It should come as no surprise that Corden’s stag do ahead of the wedding was also out of the ordinary. The West Ham fan was treated to a kickabout on the pitch at Upton Park and West Ham player Mark Noble and former Tottenham and Liverpool star Jamie Redknapp joined the game.

Doing it your own way

When you read about the rich and famous getting hitched in lavish ceremonies, you might feel a little daunted, but there’s no need. Even on a tight budget, it’s possible to organise fantastic celebrations. By paying attention to the small details and making sure you source the best deals, you can create a great impression without going bust in the process.

We’re here to help

Here at The Card Gallery we go out of our way to provide excellent value wedding place cards and other accessories that can help make your big day extra special.

Our full range

Meanwhile, our product range doesn’t end there. We also provide stunning christening invites, baby gifts and much more. So, to see our full selection of items, you can take a look around the rest of our website. You will not be disappointed by the variety on offer and our prices should bring a smile to your face.

Twins! A double blessing, and more than a double helping of trouble coming your way during the toddler and teenage years! It can be really difficult finding stationery that is specially geared towards twins (and triplets!) but The Card Gallery have a whole range dedicated to your plural pregnancy! If you are looking for christening invitations for your double bundle of joy, then look no further than right here. With a lovely range of cute animals, rubber ducks, and baby feet galore, we're sure to have the perfect baby stationery for you. One of our favourites is the 'Baby Ducks' collection - just so adorable! Why not take a look around the christening section and see if you can find the perfect baby stationery for you.

Inviting your loved ones to your wedding should be an enjoyable task. The excitement of announcing your wedding, the thought of having your favourite people all together - even the gifts you hope to receive! However, it can easily become a little stressful, particularly where family politics are involved. Ultimately, the decision on who should be at your wedding lies with the bride and groom...but sometimes, other family members can become involved and give you their thoughts on your invite list too. There may be a distant cousin who you have only met once and you don't feel comfortable inviting them to your intimate ceremony. But you need to balance this against upsetting anyone else who might expect them to be invited...it's a fine line that you will need to learn to navigate. Once you have decided on the guest list, it's always a good idea to send out save the date cards in advance of sending out your actual wedding invites. When you send out save the date cards, you are giving people advance warning of your impending wedding day - and politely asking them to not book a holiday at the same time! Save the date cards are one of the very first things you will do in planning your wedding day and will allow you a little 'breather' from people continually asking when the date will be (they start asking as soon as that diamond is on your finger, by the way!) Once your save the date cards have been sent, you can get on with planning the other exciting bits of your wedding such as choosing your bridesmaids, picking your dress and sampling wedding cake...it's a hard job, but someones got to do it!

With Brad & Ange's forthcoming nuptials supposedly imminent, I would love to be a fly on the wall! But first, I'd need to have a disguise in order to secure the coveted wedding photograph of the year... Realistically (and being an undercover reporter) I would have to blend in with the crowds - not my usual extrovert attire, but something that won't give anyone a second thought. Hmmmmm a female clergy perhaps? My cassock could be adapted with pockets to conceal a camera or two, some recording equipment, pens and even a notebook. Someone from the church possibly wouldn't get a second look. I could mingle and eavesdrop, taking photographs as and when the opportunity presented itself. Everyone will be saying "ah poor Jen", but I would imaging she is somewhere exotic thousands of miles away with her latest beau! After all these years I'm sure she is over Brad and secretly thinks "just get on with it you silly pair of show offs!" Since Brad met Ange it has been a public circus with their colourful family, and I wouldn't mind betting Jen is thinking she had a lucky escape. The on/off relationship has become tiresome to anybody who could be bothered to follow their news. Will they get married? Won't they tie the knot? This is the question on many lips who can be bothered to hear their latest news. My theory (for what it's worth)... The nuptials will be in the middle of the jungle with tribesmen chanting around them whilst they say their vows on a high wooden makeshift platform. Angelina would be wearing a see-through wedding dress showing off her svelte figure, and Brad would possibly wear a full feathered headdress with all of their children dressed in tribal costumes taking their duties as bridesmaids & pageboys seriously. Or maybe not... A more traditional wedding day perhaps? Of course it would have to outdo any other celebrity wedding that has ever been held. Perhaps they are trying to fool everyone by letting us think that their wedding day will be held at their Chateaux? My theory is Vegas! It could be the perfect location - and I could be a little more daring and have a twinkly clergy attire! Anybody who is anybody will be invited to this grand affair, and posing as a woman of the cloth for the day is possibly one of my better ideas. Please God (no pun intended!) don't let anyone ask me anything religious! I could end up being frog marched outa there before Brad & Ange even arrive. Who knows whether it's going ahead. Will they, won't they? Where and when? But I have my outfit hanging up ready for the BIG day just in case my invite should arrive...

Many little girls dream of being a princess and their birthday is the perfect time for this. When it comes to princess birthday parties, it is important to let the guests know that this is the theme. The best way of doing that is by using princess birthday invitations and there are plenty of ideas for these.

The first, and something that is extremely popular at the moment, is Disney princesses. You could make the invites and include some of the most favourite princesses, such as Snow White, Fiona from Shrek and Ariel from the Little Mermaid. There are plenty of companies that make birthday invitations with Disney princesses on them, which helps to cut down on the time spent.

If you have time and your daughter is interested in history, opting for the historic princesses is an option. There are plenty to choose from and there is no need to just stick with British history. This is a great way to make the party different but it is not suitable for everyone. This theme will also be a little more difficult when it comes to princess birthday invitations as you will likely need to make your own.

Another option is where your daughter is the princess for the day and her guests are other members of the royal household. This is a great way to make a full day event of the birthday party, especially if it involves a sleepover afterwards. There are plenty of parts for guests, such as ladies-in-waiting, maids and servants. This is something that you could include on the princess birthday invitations so everyone knows what they are doing.

New Year’s Eve parties are exceptionally popular every year. Some people hold small house parties with friends while others will host street parties with the neighbours. When it comes to inviting guests, New Year invitations are required. The question is whether to make your own or buy the premade invites.

Making your own invitations is generally cheaper, which is a bonus considering how expensive New Year’s becomes. You need to pay for the card or paper and the printer ink, which are items that you will likely already have. It is often much more to buy premade invitations, especially if you are inviting a lot of people to your event.

However, buying the premade New Year invitations is often quicker and easier. The run up to Christmas and New Year is often a busy time since presents need to be bought and you need to stock up on food and drink. You may not have the time to design and make your own invitations, print them off and then send them out. Buying the ready-made ones means that you can quickly write names on them and just send them to your guests.

For those who have a fancy dress theme for the New Year’s Eve party, DIY invitations are something to consider. It is much easier to include the theme onto the New Year invitations to inform guests. This can be done through a series of pictures on the invites or you can just put it in writing somewhere on the paper.

If you would like your child to be brought up as a practising Christian, then getting them christened is the first step that you need to take. Religion is not always the only motivation for a christening event - it is also a great way to get the whole family together to celebrate your new baby's arrival. We often get asked if there is there an alternative to getting a child christened. A good alternative is to get your little one blessed or have a naming ceremony where, essentially, thanks is given for the baby's safe arrival into the world. You then have the option of christening your child when they are older and more able to understand what it involves. Once you have decided on either option, you will need to order christening invites for your child's big event. It is always good to order the christening invites for your child's christening in plenty of time before the special day - allowing people to make arrangements in advance to celebrate with you. You can also send out baby thank you cards after the service, thanking people for coming and for any kind gifts which they may have given your baby. While you're online ordering your stationery, don't forget to order any christening cameras too - making sure you capture every last memory of your child's special day!

Robot birthday invitations are fun and relatively easy to make. However, to cut down on time, you may consider hiring someone to make the invites for you. There are a number of pros and cons to hiring someone and here are just some of them. The first is the time it takes to find the perfect person or company. There are a number of companies and freelancers that offer invitation-making services but it is important to do some research. This will help you find someone reliable, affordable and worth the money that you pay. Always look into what others say about anyone you find and the internet is the best way of doing that. The second thing to consider is the delivery cost, especially when it comes to a company. The good news is that many companies will charge less for delivery for the larger orders, so it benefits you to hire in bulk. However, if you live local to the person making the robot birthday invitations, you may be able to avoid the delivery costs by picking up the invites yourself. One of the major benefits to hiring someone else is that you can have the invitations personalised but without having to do as much. This is great for those who do not have the artistic ability and for those who simply do not have the time to make their own invitations. All you need to do is tell the company or freelancer exactly what you want when it comes to robot party invitations and they will do it all for you in less time than it would take you.

Tea parties are great for birthday parties, get-togethers and general days out with friends. They can be as simple or as glamorous as you want them to be and the best way to show that is through tea party invitations. There are some considerations to make when it comes to choosing the perfect invite for your tea party.

One thing to consider is whether you would like your guests to bring anything for the tea party. Some hosts will supply the tea but ask their guests to bring their own cakes, sandwiches or biscuits and this needs to be included on the invite somewhere. If there is nothing included then guests will usually just bring a gift for the host, such as a bottle of wine or flowers.

The dress code is something else that needs to be included on the tea party invitations. When thinking about tea parties, frilly dresses and sun shades are often the first thought that comes to mind. You may have plans to go from a tea party to a dinner party afterwards, which will mean suits and elegant dresses, or you may just want a casual tea party with your friends and family members.

A third thing to consider is whether there is a theme. This is especially important if the party is for a birthday party so all guests know about the fancy dress theme and come dressed appropriately. The theme can easily be included on tea party invitations, whether in writing or in pictures.

Mother’s Day is a special time to remember the person that you call mum – or the person who you think of as a mum. Mommy cards are available from stores but you may consider making your own. There are pros and cons to making your own Mother’s Day cards and here are just some of them. The main benefit is that DIY cards are often more affordable, depending on how much detail you put on the cards and how you make them. Some people will make everything on the computer and just print the cards out, while others will want to make the cards by hand with glue, glitter and other additions. It is much easier to make the mommy cards more personal when making them yourself. This is because you have a blank canvas to work on. Many mothers appreciate the personal messages, no matter how short, because they have come from their children and not from someone who makes cards for a living. This is also a great way to involve the children; even children who are not old enough to write can be involved in making a card for Mother’s Day. This makes the day more special for the children as well as the mum as they have had a part in the day. However, making your own cards will take time and this is not something that all families have. It may also be difficult to make the cards without the mothers being around, especially in single parent households.

Moving home is hectic, especially when you have to let everyone know where you have moved to. The quickest way of doing that is through address cards. These are usually small, similar to business cards, and will inform your friends and family members of the new house address and any other details that may have changed, such as a phone number. Address cards are something that you can make yourself relatively easily. The best thing about doing them yourself is that it will cost much less money. All you need is a simple word program, some card and ink in your printer. It is possible to hire someone to do the cards for you but you will be charged much more and there are also delivery costs involved. You can make the cards as simple as you want. Some people will choose to put a picture of their new home in the top corner and then include the address, while others will just offer a simple white piece of card with the address in black writing. The main thing that you will need to think about is the use of the cards. Will they just be for family and friends or will you be using them for business purposes too? The size of the cards needs to be considered. Address cards are usually small enough to fit in a wallet but it is often difficult to find envelopes small enough if you are mailing the cards out to family members. Again, this will depend on any other use for the cards.