Prior to giving out any information to business for your wedding samples make sure you create a designated email address. The last thing you want is to have your primary email clogged up with a bunch of ads and solicitations. At this point in planning I am getting emails from businesses I never reached out to so do not skip this step thinking it won’t happen to you. All the companies listed below are ones that I reached out to for samples: none of them require you to pay for shipping either. There are companies that will advertise “free samples” and require you to pay to ship them so tread cautiously.
Paper Companies
- Vista Print
- Shutterfly
Apparel
- Azazie
- Birdy Grey
- Kennedy Blue
- Generation Tux
Other
- Brilliant Earth
- Original Runner Co.
With technology, wedding planning has changed a lot. Before brides would go into a stationary store to choose their invitations but with everything online it is vital to get your hands on samples for invitations. Figure out what weight and finish of paper you are interested in. Add accents such as shimmery paper or even gold foiled lettering. The reason I choose Vista Print and Shutterfly specifically was because they will print uploaded invitation designs. Some companies will only allow you to customize parts of their templates. Determine if you really want to go full on DIY or just pick a template that matches your wedding theme. I did choose Vista Print simply for their pricing but had a horrible experience and never received my order: it was a nightmare. After waiting weeks we ended up spending more money to get our invites done at a local print shop, otherwise they would have gone out too late. For other parts of our invitation I printed them myself at home which I will share with you in a full video later.
Out of all of the apparel companies I would recommend AZAZIE. The samples came with each type of fabric available for the specific color samples you picked. Plus I really enjoyed that they gave a measuring guide because a lot of people struggle with taking their measurements. We did not end up using any other brands that I received samples of for bridesmaids or groomsmen. They ended up using a color swatch and purchasing their own dresses themselves that fit their personal taste. If we had a lot of bridesmaids or groomsmen it would have been worth it, but we are having a small wedding. I am however, thinking of using one of the companies for a bridal outfit, if I do I will definitely do a review of it.
The two other businesses I received samples from I did end up loving and would recommend. Brilliant Earth will send you a ring sizer to give you the confidence to order the perfect ring without going to a physical jewelry store. My favorite out of all of the samples I received was from the Original Runner Co. They are a company that debuted on Shark Tank. Their runner is split resistant, heel proof and comes in beautiful colors with the option to even customize them. I did end up purchasing a runner from them and will make a full review of them in the future but for now it is resting in its packaging so that I don’t have to refold it. To see all of these freebie samples watch the video below.
MaddieAutumn 