3D printed wedding place cards and favours

Wedding orders are some of the biggest a small 3D printing business will take. A single wedding can need a place card for every guest, table numbers and a favour for every seat. Couples want something personal, planners want something reliable, and everyone wants it on time.

Here's how to sell and deliver wedding place cards and favours without the stress.

Why 3D printed place cards work

A paper place card gets left on the table. A 3D printed one is a place card and a favour in one: guests take their name home. That gives you a strong selling line for couples who want fewer, better details:

Each guest's name, standing up, readable from across the table.
A second line for the table number, the date or the couple's initials.
Colours that match the wedding, from sage and ivory to gold and burgundy.
Something guests keep, on a desk or a shelf at home.

What to offer

Keep the wedding range small and coordinated:

Standing place cards with the guest's name and a table number. The Olive Wreath standing place card suits classic weddings; see the full wedding and event details range for other styles.
Keepsake trays with the couple's names and date, for the bridal party or parents. See home and keepsakes.
Monogram coasters in sets as favours or gifts. See drink coasters.
Name keychains for bridesmaids and groomsmen. See keychains.
A pen drive case with the couple's names, for photographers delivering wedding photos. See the wedding pen drive case.

The wedding favours ideas page and wedding photographers ideas page have example text.

Selling to couples and planners

Couples usually find you through Instagram, Etsy or word of mouth. They want to see a sample in their colours.

Wedding planners can send you several weddings a year. Give them a sample set and a clear process. A planner who trusts your delivery dates is worth more than any single wedding.

Venues and stationers sometimes refer suppliers. A sample on a venue's display table can bring steady enquiries.

The guest list is the order

The guest list is where wedding orders go wrong. Names change, guests drop out, plus-ones get named late. Set clear rules:

One list, one name per line, exactly as printed. "Aunty Meena" or "Meena Patel"? The couple decides, once.
A final list date, well before the wedding. After that date, additions are a separate small order.
Table numbers in the same list, if the second line shows them. A spreadsheet with name and table columns works well.

With the STLmint Seller plan, open the place card design with the agreed colours and second line, choose Bulk order and paste the names. You get a ZIP with one file per guest, numbered in list order. Lists of up to sixty go in one go; split larger weddings by table or by side of the family.

If each guest's second line is different (a table number per guest), group the list by table and run one bulk order per table, with the table number set in the design.

Approve one, then print all

Send the couple pictures of:

the longest name on the list,
the shortest name, and
any name with accents, hyphens or apostrophes.

Ask for a clear "approved" before printing anything. The picture in the studio comes from the file you print, so the couple sees exactly what guests will see. See how to avoid misspelled names.

Plan the timeline backwards

Weddings have one date that can't move. Plan from it:

Delivery: at least a week before the wedding, so the couple or planner can set out the tables without panic.
Printing and packing: time a full bed, count the beds, then double it for safety.
Final list date: before printing starts.
Sample approval: a few weeks before the final list date.

Write the dates into your quote, and remind the couple of the final list date a week ahead.

Pack for setting out tables

Whoever sets the tables will be busy on the day. Make it easy:

Pack by table, each table's cards in a labelled bag.
Sort alphabetically within each table.
Include the printed list, with tables.
Add a few blanks or spares in case of late changes on the day.

Pricing a wedding order

Price per piece with a minimum order, plus a set-up fee for the sample and approvals. Wedding orders take more messages than most, so count that time. See how to price personalised 3D prints.

Common questions

How far in advance should couples order place cards? Two to three months is comfortable. Set a final guest list date two to three weeks before the wedding.

Can each card show a different table number? Yes. Group the guest list by table and make one bulk order per table, or put the table number on the main line with the name.

Can I print the couple's monogram? Use initials as text on the second line or on a monogram coaster. The templates take text and built-in icons, not uploaded artwork.