Wedding Stationery in Lagos: What to Print and When

Most Lagos weddings print five things: invitation cards, meal or table cards, programmes, thank-you cards and some form of signage. Order the invitations first, around eight to ten weeks before the date, because everything else can follow but invitations have to reach people in time to reply. Production itself takes 5 to 10 working days once the proof is approved.

Two ceremonies, two guest lists and a printer who closes for nobody's deadline but their own. Here is the order to do it in.

What wedding stationery do you actually need to print?

Not every wedding needs all five. A traditional ceremony and a white wedding often need two versions of the first three, which is the part couples forget when they count. If you are also ordering favour boxes or gift bags, read the guides on boxes and paper bags before you decide sizes.

When should you order?

Work backwards from the date.

1. Ten to twelve weeks before. Decide the guest list size and the design direction. If you need a designer, this is when.
2. Eight to ten weeks before. Approve the invitation proof and print. You need them in hand with enough time to deliver them by hand, which always takes longer than planned.
3. Four weeks before. Finalise names, the order of service and the menu. These are the details that change last and hold everything up.
4. Three to four weeks before. Print meal cards, table cards and programmes, once the guest list has stopped moving.
5. Two to three weeks before. Print signage, once the venue layout is settled.

If your date falls between November and January, add two weeks to everything. That is the busiest printing season in Lagos, and it is not the moment to discover you needed another fifty invitations.

Which wedding stationery finishes photograph well?

Wedding stationery is photographed more than any other printed item, usually in close-up and often in daylight. Some finishes reward that and some fight it.

• Gold, silver and rose gold foil catch light and read as expensive in photographs. The single most effective upgrade for an invitation.
• Thick board does not show in a photograph but it is felt the moment a guest picks it up. It is what separates an invitation from a flyer.
• Matte lamination with spot UV gives contrast without glare: a soft card with the names or a motif in shine.
• Acrylic and transparent cards photograph beautifully and work for a small, high-value guest list. They cost more per piece, so many couples order them for the top table or close family only.
• Heavy gloss across the whole card fights the camera flash and fingerprints show. Use it sparingly.

How many should you order?

Count households, not guests. One invitation goes to a couple, a family, a household. Then add spares, because you will need them.

• Add about ten per cent for mistakes, late additions and the ones that get damaged in a bag.
• Order meal and table cards after the guest list closes, not before.
• Keep ten invitations unaddressed for the people who are remembered at the last minute. Every wedding has them.

A reprint of fifty cards costs much more per card than the original run, because setup is paid again. Ordering slightly over is cheaper than ordering twice.

What to send us

Send these in one message and your proof comes back quickly. The file rules in the artwork guide apply here too:

• Both names, spelled exactly as you want them printed.
• The date, the time and the venue with its full address, for each ceremony.
• Any RSVP contact details.
• The order of service or menu, if you are printing programmes or meal cards.
• A design you like, if you have one, or ask us to design it.

Then read the proof slowly. Names, dates, times and the venue address. Read them out loud to someone who was not involved in writing them. This is the one printed item where a typo is remembered for years.

Frequently asked questions

How early should wedding invitations be printed in Lagos?

Eight to ten weeks before the date is comfortable: production takes 5 to 10 working days after you approve the proof, and the rest of that time is for delivering them by hand and chasing replies. For a wedding between November and January, add two weeks, because printers are at their busiest.

Can you print small quantities of invitation cards?

Yes. Cards are the one product that prints sensibly in smaller runs, which is why couples often order a short run of premium cards for close family and a larger, simpler run for everyone else.

Do you print for traditional and white weddings separately?

Yes, and most couples need both. Designs usually share a look but differ in colour, wording and sometimes guest list. Printing them together saves time and setup, so plan them in one conversation rather than two.

What else do couples order besides invitations?

Meal and table cards, order of service programmes, thank-you cards, welcome signage, and sometimes small printed favour boxes or gift bags. Tell us the whole list at the start, because printing them together is cheaper than printing them one at a time.

What happens if I spot a mistake after approving the proof?

Once a job is on the press, a correction means a reprint. This is why the proof matters more than any other step: check names, dates, times and phone numbers carefully, and ask someone who was not involved to read it too.

Start with the invitations

Settle the guest list, approve the invitation proof eight to ten weeks out, and order the rest once the details stop changing. Everything after that is straightforward.

Send us your names, dates and venue and we will come back with a proof and a timeline. Cards and invitations we have produced are on the work page.