Frequently asked questions

Samples

  • Since our collections are all unique, Ink & Heart sample boxes are specific to each collection. Samples are not personalised, however each collection is highly customisable and our boxes contain examples of the different components of a collection so that you can decide which combinations you like best. To order a sample pack for a collection, simply go to the collection order page, and click on ‘Order a sample box’.

    For custom colour collections your box will include a colour swatch card. If you already have a colour preference, please let us know and we’ll do our best to send your sample in this colour if we have it in stock.

    We aim to post out your sample box within 48 hours of ordering, however please note that during busy periods this may take up to a week.

    Please note that samples are sent standard Royal Mail and we cannot accept any responsibility / provide refunds if they do not reach you once they are in Royal Mail’s care. Subsequent orders for wedding stationery will always be sent using a fully-tracked service.

  • Unfortunately we cannot deduct the cost of your sample box from your main order as we must still cover the cost of the samples themselves.

Ordering

  • Please get in touch with us via our contact form - from there we’ll be in touch to make sure we have all the relevant details to provide you with a full itemised quote for your dream stationery! Once you approve your quote, a 50% deposit will be payable via bank transfer to begin the design process.

    We’ll then create your digital proofs for you to thoroughly check and approve. The final balance of your order amount is then payable before your order is printed and made.

    It is always best to order a sample box for your chosen collection before ordering so that you can look at a physical printed example and see the customisation options available.

  • You should allow 3-4 weeks from placing your wedding stationery order to when you plan to post out your Save the Dates or Invitations. This allows time for us to artwork your design and for you to approve your digital proofs, then for us to print, assemble and ship your order.

  • Save the Dates - the best time to order your Save the Dates is as soon as you’ve set your date and venue! You don’t need to tell guests any more than the when and where at this stage, but you do want them to make sure your date is in their diary, and give them an idea where the wedding will be. Ideally, send your Save the Dates 8-18 months before your wedding.

    Day invitations – if you have already sent your guests Save the Dates, your wedding day invitations are typically sent to guests around 4-6 months before your wedding date. You will need to factor in the date by which your venue/caterer needs to receive confirmation of your final guest numbers, and it’s worth setting your RSVP date a couple of weeks earlier than this to give a little breathing space. If you haven’t sent Save the Dates, then it’s best to send your day invitations sooner, around 7-9 months in advance if possible.

    If you’re planning a destination wedding, you may wish to send your invitations even earlier to give your guests ample time to arrange time off work, book travel and make any other holiday arrangements.

    Evening invitations – these can be sent at the same time as your day invitations. They can sometimes be sent a little later, as confirmation of numbers is not as critical, so check with your venue/caterer if they have a deadline you need to work to for RSVPs.

  • Printing is expensive, and printing in low quantities is even more so – for this reason our minimum order quantity of 30 is the most cost-effective minimum quantity to start from to offer you the best value. Also, we’d always recommend ordering a few spares when you place your order as it’s much more cost-effective (see below ‘How many should I order?’). So, for example, if you only needed 20, it’s still better to order 30.

  • It’s worth remembering that you don’t need to send invitations to each individual guest, just per couple or per household. Additionally, we would always recommend ordering a few spares when you place your order (5-10 ideally) – sometimes you find yourself adding extra guests, or that a couple of invitations have been lost in the post. It’s much more cost-effective to add a few spares at the time of placing your order than finding you need more later. It’s also lovely to make sure you have a full suite as a keepsake for yourself, or to take with you on your wedding day for your photographer to photograph.

  • Each of our collections has four envelope options to choose from, including standard and luxury options, so that you can really personalise your wedding stationery, and mix and match colours if you wish to send a different RSVP envelope to your main invite envelope, for example. For this reason, envelopes are priced separately to the invitations themselves. When ordering a sample box for a collection, you will receive envelope swatches specific to that collection, along with full size standard envelope.

  • Samples box orders can be placed online via our online shop where you can pay securely by debit or credit card at checkout.

    Fully personalised orders are payable by bank transfer.

Design & Layout

  • On all of our collections, you can choose the text you’d like, however our designs are carefully artworked to make best use of layout so please bear this in mind when choosing your wording. If your requested wording creates a significant change to layout/style, an additional design fee may be charged. Please ask if you’re unsure. Your design will be artworked with your requested wording and a digital proof will be sent to you to approve.

    Some collections also have an alternative font option, foil options and all collections have a choice of four envelope colours to choose from. The options applicable to your chosen collection are included in your sample box.

    For custom colour collections, you can choose one of our 72 colours as the colour accent on your invitations. However, if you don’t find your colour, you can send us a sample of your colour and we’ll do our best to match to it.

    RSVPs and Details cards will be designed to include whatever information you need to include.

  • Absolutely! Once you place your order and we receive your requested wording and information, we will artwork your design and send you a digital pdf proof to approve before it is printed. Please note that all proofs are provided digitally and watermarked – we cannot send a printed copy. Your order includes three rounds of reviews and amends – if extra amends are required, each round of extra amends will incur a £20 charge.

    Please ensure you check your digital proofs very carefully before giving final approval to print – once your order is sent to print it cannot be changed. If a reprint is required due to errors identified after your final approval is given and your order is printed, this will be charged as a new order.

  • We created very customisable collections to provide semi-bespoke wedding stationery – each collection offers various options to make it your own.

    However, if you’d like us to create something fully bespoke for you please get in touch. Bespoke commissions are subject to production schedule availability.

  • Yes – this is a service we offer, either as a collection-themed printed address label, or direct to envelopes (dependent on colour) – let us know if you’d like this service when we create your custom quote.

  • Please get in touch with us for a quote if you would like to add a map illustration or timeline layout to your information cards.

  • No, we will not recreate like-for-like designs by other stationers. We, and our fellow stationers, put huge amounts of time, effort and expense into creating our collections and designs, going through multiple stages of design, prototyping and testing. There may be similar inspirations, themes, techniques and materials – but directly copying someone else’s work is a no-no. If you have seen a design you love, we suggest you contact the designer directly.

Upgrades & Special finishes

  • Several of our collections have a foil upgrade option (we love foiling!), in the form of direct to card digital foiling or as pretty vellum overlays. If you like the look of a collection that doesn’t have a foil option, please get in touch with us to see if it’s possible.

  • All our collections offer a choice of upgrades and extras to customise and add the extra wow factor to your invitations. These can include envelope liners, wax seals, vellum overlays, belly bands, digital foiling, colour-core cardstock, tassels and our favourite – our Charmed Invites™, which feature a pretty charm specific to the style of the collection. All upgrades and extras are priced individually so that you can clearly see what the cost will be and build your dream stationery suite according to your budget.

General

  • Please note that slight variations can occur between batches of digital print, particularly when printed at different times – this is perfectly normal. This may mean that slight colour variations between samples and your order may occur, or between save the dates and day invitations, but these should be minimal, and it is very unlikely that your guests would notice anything at all.

    It is also important to note that since all colour monitors (desktop and phones) reproduce colour slightly differently, what you see on screen may be slightly different to what you see in print. The colour monitors we use for designing are fully colour-calibrated.

  • No – the items in our sample boxes all use fictional information to protect the privacy of our clients. Further, if we share an image of your invites on social media it will always be after your guests have received them and any personal information, such as addresses for example, will be obscured.

Shipping

  • Sample box shipping is free.

    We aim to post out your sample box within 48 hours of ordering, however please note that during busy periods this may take up to a week.

    Sample boxes are sent by standard Royal Mail (second class) and we cannot accept any responsibility / provide refunds if they do not reach you once they are in Royal Mail’s care.

  • Your order will be carefully packed and posted using a fully-tracked service – either Royal Mail or a courier service.

    We charge a flat rate shipping fee of £15, which will be shown on your custom quote and invoice.

  • No, sorry, at present we are only accepting orders that ship to a UK address.

Cancellations /Refunds

  • If you change your mind about your order please notify us within 24 hours. After 24 hours, orders are not cancellable as production will have commenced.

    Please review our full Terms & Conditions before placing your order.

  • As your order is personalised to you, returns are not possible. It is your responsibility to check your digital proofs carefully before you give final approval to print.

    In the unlikely event that an error is due to a mistake on our part, we will do our utmost to resolve any issues as fully and swiftly as possible.

    Please review our full Terms & Conditions before placing your order.

Sustainability

  • Being a sustainable and eco-friendly business is very important to us. All our printing is done on FSC Certified cardstock (from sustainable sources), and wherever possible we make every effort to use recyclable materials and packaging. Additionally, we only use paper tape for sealing our packages, and any paper offcuts are recycled.

    We recognise that a business like ours uses more paper resources than some. Though we are a small business, we signed up to Ecologi, which works to directly fund climate change projects, tackle deforestation, and engage local communities. For every main order placed with us at Ink & Heart Studio, Ecologi plants 25 trees, which means you’re also supporting this vital effort to combat climate change.

    Every customer of Ink & Heart is helping us to plant a forest! Thank you :)

    You can find our more about our approach to sustainability on our About page.

On-the-day stationery

  • We certainly do! We can create your on-the-day items to match your chosen collection and customise them to suit your day.

    Because everyone’s day is so personal, we don’t create generic pieces for online ordering, we’ll work with you to create your ideal on-the-day stationery.

    Take a look at our on-the-day stationery page for more ideas!