How to give a great first impression of your wedding day

What's the first thing people will notice about your wedding plans? It's probably going to be your choice of wedding stationery. It's the first statement you make about the day itself - your style, how formal or informal the occasion is likely to be, the mood you want to create. When that invitation envelope pops through the letterbox it's already saying a lot about you and the wedding day ahead. So you need to think about your wedding stationery carefully.

Luckily, there are masses of ideas and themes around for wedding stationery. Here are some words of advice from specialist wedding stationer Inspired by Lisa.

• Your wedding invitations can say so much more than just the date, time and venue.
• The pocketfold invitation is an absolute winner right now. A black and white print teamed with a pocketfold design can be ubër sophisticated.
• Personalising your stationery makes your invitations unique. Try incorporating childhood photographs, a personal poem or your initials.
• Sparkles and diamantés can evoke a feeling of grandeur. A sparkly touch sets off a simple design.
• The butterfly theme just seems to continue on and on. What could be more beautiful than a polka-dot butterfly finished with a Swarovski crystal?
• Remember your theme can continue from invitations through to table plans, place settings, menus, favours, thank you's. It's your choice.