I wrote this post about wedding place names for my instagram, but it’s something I’ve seen again and again, and I wanted to go into a little more detail on here!
Some people love paper, and stationery and calligraphy. We’re the wordy people and the ones who love journalling, writing letters and losing ourselves in those websites with a thousand different fonts to choose from. (If you know, you know. I’ve spent hours, trawling those sites for the ‘best’ font for my websites!) The paper lovers among us will want beautiful little personal touches for our weddings.
From another perspective, and one I often use on my wedding blog, the little details aren’t the most important thing, especially in the long run. (That’s all about preserving the memories so you can relive the day and remember how it felt, many years on.)
If you’re a stationery lover, then your wedding place names will matter: so having good ones is important.
Even if you’re not into details, I still think it’s worth avoiding having bad place names and sloppy calligraphy! This is your wedding after all!
There are four kinds of place names I see often, and two major mistakes which make me sad.
Wedding place names fall into four categories:
- Last-minute, quickly scribbled out on basic card, with a half-decent biro. Surprisingly perhaps, I actually don’t mind these! They belong to the non-detail people and that’s fine!
- DIY calligraphy from people who’ve tried really hard, but ran out of time to learn and practice before their wedding day. Now, these upset me because I honestly think anyone can learn modern calligraphy – but putting the hours in to get smooth, flowing writing is so important.
(Give yourself six months or more. Take a class, and get the right pens, nibs, practice papers, inks and place cards.) - Cheap and cheerful calligraphy from people who’ve had a little go at calligraphy, decided it’s easy and launched a business selling on Etsy at bargain basement prices. It’s not rare at all to see place names on Etsy, instagram and Pinterest which have spelling mistakes, dragged ink and stuttering letters which just don’t flow smoothly or look good. As a professional calligrapher and someone who’s been writing beautiful things for weddings for twenty years, my advice for couples who are on a budget and can’t afford to pay £1.20 per card is to embrace a characterful scribble. You know, your arty friend whose writing just looks good… it has loops or it’s bold or maybe they’re just confident and it shows in their handwriting? That looks better than laboured, not-quite-right calligraphy – and it’s free.
- Professionally written calligraphy place names. I can tell a name written by a practiced professional a mile away. It’s the smoothness, the flow, the way the swells and hairlines in the letters just merge together beautifully. Of course I’m biased – as a calligrapher (and an old one at that) I adore the grace of calligraphy and the authenticity of the personal touch handwritten cards bring to wedding tables. In my qualified, somewhat elderly, opinion – it’s worth investing in calligraphy if you can.
How to spot a good or bad calligrapher
- A good calligrapher will write well, with attention to detail. Spellings – even on social media posts and comments – will be checked carefully.
- A bad calligrapher will spell stationery with an ‘a’ at the end. You know, like a train waiting at the platform.
- A good calligrapher’s letters will flow, with no sharp corners or wobbly bits.
- A calligrapher charging really low prices is more likely to be inexperienced, to rush as they write, and to make mistakes.
Brand new wedding place cards in my online shop
I made the little samples you see in the photos when I was launching my new wedding place cards on Etsy and in my online shop at www.bymoonandtide.com. They’re classic, simple but beautifully written, pristine white card and entirely handwritten with a dip pen, metal nib and luscious jet black ink.
Prices start from £12 for 10 place names with first names only, and I’ve made a promise to myself that these will always be in stock, and ready to ship in 3 working days.
Order your wedding place names here