There are three things I want to balance when I’m packaging up your stationery;

It’s safe, secure and going to arrive with you in pristine condition
It’s special and exciting for you to unwrap
It’s not wrapped in plastic or other unnecessary and harmful materials

Over the time I’ve been sending wedding stationery to couples, I’ve experimented with a few methods of packaging. Some of them cost more, some of them are stylish, and others are better for the environment. I’m going to quickly walk you through the decisions I’ve made and why - so you can feel safe in the knowledge that your wedding stationery will arrive with you in the best way possible.

Travelling safe

It would be heart-breaking for us both if your beautiful stationery turned up in a state that you’re unhappy with. Although I do some printing in-house, some projects are printed externally. I always get these delivered to me first; This way I can hand-craft and finish anything that needs it, but this also allows me to quality check it all before it goes to you. I am conscious that this has an affect on the carbon footprint - However, I try to offset the environmental impact with my packaging choices and I think it’s too important a process to omit.

I used bubble-wrap parcels as the outer shell to send your stationery. They allow items to be transported in the snuggest way possible to keep them perfect, and I encourage you to re-use them too. Currently they’re silver, which means they look a bit different to your average parcel, and hopefully get you excited to open them!

Looking good

I’ve been so tempted to get branded tissue paper and special boxes. There are some great companies out there, like No Issue who offer some stunning sustainable packaging products which are compostable and made from recycled goods.

The reason I’ve opted not to do this is simple; It’s pretty much single-use. Once my couples have unboxed their tissue-papered stationery, they’re often not going to want to reuse the branded wrapping for something else that’s unrelated. This is why, in instances where I use tissue paper, I use a plain coloured one - so when you’ve unwrapped your stationery, you can use it again to wrap something else.

Environmentally low-impact

I’m still on a learning journey when it comes to running an environmentally sustainable business - and the very nature of selling paper products means that I’m already up against it. It is my responsibility, however, to try. It’s also a great opportunity for improvement. Here’s a rundown of my choices for packaging from that perspective -

I re-use packaging where I can. This can include wrapping your stationery in tissue paper or wrapping paper that I’ve been sent, or re-using boxes from deliveries. Currently I’m re-using the wonderful paper from Who Gives A Crap. They have carbon-neutral deliveries and they donate 50% of their profits to ensure everyone has access to clean water and a toilet within our lifetime. I simply stick a recycled paper sticker over their logo so it’s more on-brand!
If I use new tissue paper, I make sure it’s plain colours, so that couples are able to re-use it themselves.
I usually opt for ribbon over stickers to tie stacks of stationery together. This means the ribbon can also be re-used by my customers, and the tissue or wrapping paper won’t get torn by a sticker when the delivery is being unwrapped. Sometimes I really do need to use a sticker to make sure things are secure, so I opt for plain, small ones or easy-peel washi-tape which limits the wastage.

I don’t want you to worry for a single moment that your wedding stationery is getting lobbed in the back of a delivery van, loosely wrapped in some old fish-and-chip newspaper. I make sure to re-use clean, stylish and sturdy materials that tick all the boxes - so all you have to do is get excited about your delivery.

Taken from above, a group of Who Gives A Crap wrapped toilet paper lay on lilac paper.

The same paper that wrapped the toilet roll is now pressed and wraps rectangular stacks of wedding stationery.

Re-using wrapping from Who Gives A Crap.

Black and blue tissue paper-wrapped packages wrapped with white ribbon.

Using plain tissue paper and ribbon which can be re-used by you for gift wrap.

Black and white patterned tissue paper wrapped around a rectangular block of stationery, on a lilac paper background.

Using patterned wrapping from other small businesses where I’ve made a purchase. This awesome design is by Grant + Blossom, who sell stunning hand-poured scented candles. They are conscious of their impact, and use ethically responsible ingredients, donate part of their profit to charity and support local artists.

Two silver bubble-wrap parcel envelopes.

A silver bubble-wrap parcel envelope with two packages wrapped in monochrome wrapping paper and blue recycled stickers reading, 'With Bells On!'

The bubble wrap parcels protect your stationery from bumps on their journey and look a bit jazzier than your average envelope. They can also be re-used by you.

Going forward

There are still things I want to work on. Most couples prefer a pure white, textured card stock, and the best quality I found for a while is not made from recycled paper. I’ve been collecting various samples to see which suppliers can offer me the best products that are made from recycled paper, are recyclable and still offer the luxury finish I need, even if this comes at a higher cost. I’ve found some great ones, so I’m swapping to these moving forward.

I want to offset the paper usage and carbon footprint of making these products and deliveries. As my little business grows, I plan to donate a portion of my profit to plant trees via More Trees. Currently I’m not in a financial position to do this, which is why I’m making small changes that are possible and can make a difference right now. If you would like to make a donation for the stationery you purchase - or to offset any other wedding plans, then this is a great cause!

If you have any questions, thoughts or ideas about my packaging, please get in touch!