With Leeming Brothers
In the world of luxury wedding stationery, few names carry the weight of tradition and craftsmanship quite like Leeming Brothers. Renowned for their impeccable attention to detail and commitment to age-old printing techniques, this esteemed British brand has become the gold standard for couples seeking bespoke, beautifully crafted invitations. With a heritage rooted in die-stamping, letterpress, and engraving, Leeming Brothers creates designs that don’t just announce an event — they set the tone for it.
From the first touch of thick, pillowy paper embossed with gold foil to the rich texture of hand-fed letterpress, every element is considered, ensuring an air of refinement. It’s no wonder they’re the go-to for those who appreciate the art of print. But what’s trending in the world of wedding stationery right now? We asked Lewis R. Stevenson, Managing Director of Leeming Brothers, to share the seven key trends defining the most stylish wedding suites of the season — from modern minimalism to the revival of Regency-era embellishments.
Let’s dive in.
The Return of Craftsmanship
Are couples moving away from digital printing in favour of die-stamping, letterpress, and engraving?
This would be a yes and no answer. As much as there is no craft in digital printing compared to print methods like die stamping and letterpress, there is still definitely a place for it. We have been mixing it up for years, printing the main parts of an invitation using the proper print methods but then using digital printing to accent this. For example, we worked with a bride who wanted a gold foiled invitation but also wanted to include some florals to match what the couple were going to have down the aisle on the day. That being said, this year we have seen a huge resurgence in the classic, quintessentially British wedding invitation — black text, hand engraved on a folded ivory board. When I started my career, these were everywhere. Over the last five to ten years they became less popular, but in 2025 they have come back with a bang. For couples who love this style but want to add a little something extra or different, we can use different ink colours, board colours or digital accents.
Bespoke Crests & Monograms
How big is the trend for personalised motifs, and what is the most unique design you have seen?
Most wedding suites we produce now will have some sort of monogram involved. Some are very simple, with the couple’s initials intertwined. Others include illustrations — the couple’s hobbies, florals, their pets, anything you wish. One of our favourite things to do is a more traditional style monogram but then incorporate different print methods into it. For example, one letter might be printed using a certain type of printing, with the second letter that is intertwined printed using a different method. This way you can have different levels, embossing and debossing on one image to create a truly tactile and visually striking design.
Modern Minimalism
Are clean lines, negative space, and monochrome palettes taking over?
When it comes to wedding invitations, I would say no. We have made the odd suite that is very minimalist, but most couples actually do the opposite. They are adding full watercolours, maps, backgrounds and illustrations to their suites, really showing their characters and often telling the story of how they met or the timeline of their relationship through these additions.
A Colour Revolution
Are couples ditching classic ivory in favour of bolder, statement hues?
This would definitely be a yes. Ivory and white boards will never go out of fashion, but more and more couples are opting to add colour to their suites. Some do so subtly, others boldly. It is the perfect way to give guests a hint as to the colour scheme of the wedding by matching the invitations to it. Colour is being added through the ink, the board, or sometimes both. Bold is better — we love it when couples do this. You sometimes get some pushback from family members who want to keep things traditional, but if anyone ever asks for our advice, we always say politely: it is your wedding, not theirs. You do whatever you want to do. You will remember this day for the rest of your life.
The Envelope Upgrade
From wax seals to intricate linings, how important is envelope design in 2025?
There are two camps when it comes to envelopes. For some people, the envelope is just an envelope. Your guests will throw it away. The other camp, which I am in, thinks the envelope is very important. It is the first thing your guests will see, so why not make it beautiful. Traditionally, tissue linings were added to envelopes, originally white only for weddings, but then couples started adding coloured tissues to try and incorporate some of their colour scheme. Then along came the addition of printed linings — patterns, maps, watercolours, you name it, we can do it. We are actually working on a lining at the moment that is going to look like the writing at the beginning of a Star Wars film. The couple love Star Wars and I thought that could be a perfect way to include another nod to it, with the story of their relationship as the text flying through space as you open the envelope. Wax seals are still very popular, in all different colours and styles. One of our favourites recently was a wax seal of a couple’s beloved Chihuahua. They sent us an image, we digitised it and engraved it into the seal. That way their pooch was included in the wedding from the word go.
Sustainable & Chic
What’s trending in eco-friendly luxury stationery without compromising on style?
The trouble with some sustainability options in the past was that you had to compromise on something. It may well have been for good reason, but it was still a compromise. Nowadays it is getting easier to add sustainable elements into your wedding. Paper and card stocks are getting better in this respect, being made from hemp or one hundred percent biodegradable materials, or even seed card. This fantastic invention means you can still have a lovely wedding invitation, and then when guests are done with it they can plant it in their garden, keep it well watered, and after a couple of weeks it will start to degrade and little green shoots will sprout. Keep it up and these will grow into beautiful wildflowers. We can use this material with all of our print methods. It works better with some than others — foil, for example, looks lovely but uses heat so can damage the embedded seeds. But it is easier now more than ever to be eco conscious and sustainable without having to compromise on style.
The Invitation Suite as an Experience
Are multi-layered, story-driven designs becoming the new standard?
For some weddings absolutely. We see more of this with weddings that are taking place abroad or are multi day events. If your wedding is happening over one day, it is sometimes difficult to find enough copy and information to fill out a large suite. But if your wedding is over multiple days or is abroad so there are usually a lot of elements to it, then it is perfect to fill out a large suite. Maps and games are often included, activities, treasure hunts, you name it. Some couples love turning their wedding into more of an experience for their guests — and they will never forget it.
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