Event Planning

When planning a wedding it is good to start by considering the overall theme of the occasion. The big day might be the culmination of events, but you can initiate consideration in all those who will be taking part long before. From wedding invitation cards to save the date cards, a consistent theme can be set out that is reflected in the design of each as well as the day itself. As you give out these cards, the designs can progress as the day gets nearer - a reminder to save the day could simply be a pair of rings, but the wedding invitation could be something more meaningful that builds on the previous design, perhaps adding flowers in the chosen colour scheme. This can not only help to make the event as memorable as possible, it can also help to create some recognisability in those who are being invited. A good colour scheme running throughout, including silvers or creams for instance, is a great way to create recognisability and an association with the couple. The recipient may start thinking about the wedding, and will recall it whenever they see your chosen motif repeated. At The Card Gallery, we have a wide variety of different designs each of which can be individually customised. Alternatively, you can order pre-printed cards which allow you to write them. You can then add more information as it becomes available as well as including some personalisation. You can also add some reminder cards which will go to all those who are to attend a rehearsal. Our affordable wedding invitations also extend to those who are only invited to the night event; tasteful cards that really help to include as many people as possible. Our professional designers have spent a long time creating some truly timeless designs that can be printed on cards, reminders and fridge magnets. This includes some poem cards that add that little bit of extra creativity when inviting people to take part in your special day. Other text-oriented designs include guest information cards which can carry on the overall theme of your wedding while also offering vital info about rules, directions, dress, or a plan of what will happen during the day. Of course when designing these we keep the card tasteful and easy to read, in the chosen font. You can also send a photo of your choice to us for the most personalised cards. We will then add text in the right place and ensure that it is of a professional look and design, although this will depend on the quality of the photo. If you are wanting to create special packs for those important guests or those who will be active participants it is a very good idea to include a wedding envelope seal. Impressing on people that this is an important occasion that should be taken seriously is vital. A seal is a great way to increase the formality and the class of the invitations and correspondence. Our seals run from the classic deep scarlet rose to blooming pink Gerbera or tastefully rendered hearts, bells, brides and grooms.

It seems that save the date cards sales will start to soar if this week's round-up of celebrity engagements are anything to go by! Here are a couple of the starry couples set to get hitched in the not-to-distant future: Jamie Lynn Spears (sister of Britney) announced her engagement over the weekend - bringing together her big sis and ex-husband Kevin Federline to celebrate the happy occasion. Britney, who has been married twice, congratulated her sister Jamie Lynn on her engagement to boyfriend of three years Jamie Winston on Twitter after the couple announced they were planning to get wed. We like this girly pink design for Jamie. Miley Cyrus this week insists that her engagement to Liam Hemsworth is right on track despite rumours he's having an affair with January Jones! Despite the whispers, the 20-year-old actress-singer appeared to be in good spirits as she arrived at Glendale music studios ready to work on her fourth studio album. She made sure the paparazzi got an eyeful of her 3.5-carat Neil Lane engagement ring on her way in too! We'd choose something a bit more light-hearted for Miley - to balance out all that negativity. To see our complete range of save the date cards, click here.

We have lots of new additions to our wedding invitations section, so take a look and find your perfect wedding stationery. From demure white roses and calla lilies, through to bold orange gerberas and bright red blooms, we're sure to have a design which fits in with your wedding scheme. If you like traditional styles, our cards featuring wedding rings or religious manuscripts might be just the thing you are looking for. For something a little more fun, take a look at our 'just married' design which we have just added to our collection of wedding invitations. For a chic and elegant affair, we suggest one of our monochrome designs - these are really popular if you are trying to achieve a black and white theme, or having decided on an accent colour yet. A monochrome style will allow you to add any colour at a later date, without the fear of clashing colours. Another of our favourites - and a popular choice with couples - are out sweetie designed card collection. Featuring soft plump marshmallows, these are sure to be a hit with your wedding guests - and get a few tummies rumbling in the process! Whatever you decide is the perfect wedding invitation for your special day, we know that you have made the right choice in choosing The Card Gallery to supply your wedding stationery. We will be there every step of the way to make sure you have a wedding to remember.

Have you taken a look at our Wedding Sale section yet? If not, be quick as it can't go on forever and we have so many lovely products currently in the sale. Here's just a taster of some of the products on offer at the moment...

With venues to decide upon, dresses to buy, rehearsals to go through and caterers to book; organising a wedding is certainly no easy task. However, whilst dealing with the really big things is of course vital, you mustn’t forget about other aspects which can be every bit as important. Such as your invitations for example. Your wedding invitation cards are one of the most important elements of your big day as they let your guests know where and when you and your partner are going to be tying the knot. Indeed, your wedding will be nowhere near as much fun if you don’t have your nearest and dearest family members and friends there to share it with you! Like most important events however, there is a certain amount of etiquette involved with wedding invites. And, whilst your Mum (or a wedding planner if you want to go down that route) may be able to give you a better idea of what is and isn’t deemed to be ‘acceptable', you may well find that you'll still have a few questions which need answering. With this in mind, we here at The Card Gallery thought we would share some our experience and furnish you with answers to some of the most frequently asked questions we get asked about wedding invitation etiquette. When is the Best Time to Send out Wedding Invitations? The best time to send out invites is six to eight weeks before the wedding as this should provide guests with enough time to clear their schedules and/or make any necessary travel arrangements. If you are getting married abroad then you will obviously need to send out your invites much sooner (three months before the big day is about right). If you are also thinking of sending out save the date cards then six to eight months is good benchmark to aim for. What Should the Deadline be for RSVPs? The deadline for your RSVPs should be no later than two to three weeks before the wedding. This will allow you enough time to get an accurate final head count to the caterer (one week before) and to finalise your seating layout. If guests miss your RSVP deadline then give them a quick call and tell them you need a definite ‘yes’ or ‘no’. Does Every Invitation Need to Include ‘Plus-One’? While it's always nice to extend a ‘Plus one’ invite to every guest, it is not always practical, especially if you are having a very small wedding. Indeed, if you know full well that a guest isn't married or in a serious relationship then it is perfectly acceptable to omit the ‘Plus one’ on their invitation. For sure, most guests will know what an invitation that doesn’t have ‘and Guest’ (or another name) written in it means. If you would like to find out more about the etiquette which surrounds matrimonial invitations then get in touch with us here at The Card Gallery by going to our ‘Contact Us’ page.

We have lots of products currently available in our Occasions Sale. From guest book pens and photo albums, to birthday invitations and placecards - we have something for everyone! Take a look at some of our favourite items which we have on sale at the moment:

Have you checked out our range of save the date magnets lately? We have a huge range of magnets - from the simple and elegant to the bold and the beautiful! Take a look at some of our favourites below... Take a look at our save the date section for all the latest designs in both save the date cards and save the date magnets.

Over three and a half thousand couples from all over the globe tied the knot at a mass wedding in South Korea organised by the controversial Unification Church a year after its founder died. Row upon row of couples, dressed in traditional white dresses and tuxedos, met at the Cheongshim Peace World Centre in Gapyeong, near Seoul, for their collective big day. A further 24,000 followers, who have been dubbed 'Moonies' after the church's founder Sun Myung Moon, were also married in other countries via a video link. The ceremony was presided over by Hak Ja-han - the widow of Sun Myung Moon, who died last September. Moon founded the church, officially called the Family Federation for World Peace and Unification, in 1954 and it is considered one of the world's most controversial religious organisations. The Unification Church claims to have 3million followers around the world. His wife remains the symbolic head of the mission that oversees the entire Unification group. It's certainly the biggest wedding we've ever heard of - and that's an awful lot of save the date cards that would need to be sent out! For all your save the date cards, why not take a look at our online range - whether you're planning a 'Moonie' wedding or a more intimate ceremony, we're sure to have something that's just perfect for you.

Invitations are, of course, a vital part of any wedding. Indeed, wedding invites don’t just tell your guests where and when you are getting married; they also give them a ‘taster’ of what to expect. Personalised wedding invitations have become increasingly popular in recent years as they enable betrothed couples to give their guests a taster which is completely and utterly unique. For sure, personalised invites allow you to put a lot more of your own character and personal taste into them than generic wedding invitation cards. If this sounds like something you would like to do then you may well find the following tips to be very helpful indeed! Consider your Colours Colour is of course the most immediate aspect of any wedding invitation. Obviously, weddings are meant to be happy and optimistic occasions so choosing bright and light colours is often a better choice than opting for dull, listless shades. Neutral colours are often a popular choice as they can be highlighted with tones of gold or silver to create a very elegant, classic look. If you would like your invitation to reflect the colour scheme of the wedding itself then you can always adorn your invites with coloured ribbon or fabric. Moreover, you could choose colours which are of some significance to you and your partner. For example, you might like to include the colours of your favourite team if you’re both mad supporters of the same club. How about Photographs? Including a photograph is a great way to personalise a wedding invite. You can choose an attractive photograph taken of you both on a romantic holiday, a treasured picture of when you first met, or even get a new photo taken by a professional just for the invite. The latter is arguably the best option as it will enable you to capture a truly beautiful and romantic picture. If you like the idea of having an image in your invites but aren’t so keen on a photo then you could always consider using your silhouettes instead. Think about the Font Being creative with your choice of font will enable you create a very particular type of ‘feel’. For example, sweeping italic fonts will give your invites a romantic, traditional feel, while a quirky, more modern font will give them a contemporary edge. If you want to be really personal then why not handwrite your invites with a calligraphy pen? They might not look as picture perfect as printed invites bit they will definitely have the personal touch. Maybe a Poem? Whilst some people may baulk at the sight of a romantic poem, others (rightfully) regard weddings as being perfect occasions for a little bit of poetry. There are few more romantic ways to express yourself than through a poem, so having one inside your invites will leave your guests in no doubt as to how significant your big day really is to the two of you.

It's your very last chance to take advantage of our free wedding invitations! If you haven't got your yet, click here to be taken to our offers page to get your free wedding invitations whilst stocks last. We only have a limited amount to give away so don't miss out! Here are some of the gorgeous designs to choose from...

Have you checked out our Special Offers page recently? We currently have the following special offers online... Order over £60.00 worth of products at one time and receive a free two-day courier delivery service (following the applicable dispatch times for your chosen products). Order over £250.00 worth of products at one time and save 5% on your order (add the discount code 'save money' at checkout and your 5% will automatically be deducted). Order over £400.00 of products at one time and save 7.5% (add the discount code 'save £££' at checkout and your 7.5% will automatically be deducted). So, what are you waiting for? Come and save some money with us today!