First impressions count. So when your guests open the crinkle of paper

 to reveal your wedding invitation, they will immediately make their

 mind up about the nature of your wedding. If it comes, say, nestled in

 Egyptian silk, they will instantly assume your Big Day will be a truly

 chic affair. If on the other hand, it comes in the shape of a

 run-of-the-mill cardboard bearing a tacky picture… well, what would

 you think? Juggling a hundred expenses, a vast majority of couples

 assume it must be cheaper to buy wedding stationery from ‘back home’

 rather than order it in England – a decision often ending in disaster.

 Another reason is because many people feel the designs produced on

 these shores aren’t Asian enough. Neither statement is true, says,

 Pritika Bhatia from bespoke wedding stationers Xpressions, who

 provides not only affordable, unique designs but ones that capture the

 spirit of the modern British Asian wedding to perfection. She reveals:

 ‘More than 50 percent of my customers come to me to fix botched cards

 they bought from from India. It’s difficult because things can go

 wrong – perhaps the symbol is upside down or maybe its mis-spelt – and

 because they’re made in India, they can’t get them ammended. Or even

 if you can, you have the added hassle of waiting for them to be sent

 back – a luxury you may not have. Believe me, by the time you’ve

 couriered everything and pass it through customs it’s more hassle than

 it’s worth.’ Being the top bespoke wedding stationery company in their

 field renders Xpressions reliable, with a flair for beautifully

 stylish artwork. And if you want your occasion to be a cut above the

 rest, then they should be your first port of call. Colour

 co-ordination, says Pritika, is extremely popular at the moment,

 stressing we’ve moved on light years since the typically traditional

 cards we were used to seeing ten years ago.

 ‘If you have a design in mind, we can try to create it. One of the best

 aspects of Xpressions is that we match everything, so all your

 invitations will have an element of continuity with matching inserts,

 RSVP cards - you name it. We’ve got a lot of clients who match their

 stationery to the outfits or décor, which can range from menu and place

 cards to favour boxes.’

 With couples striving to put a unique touch on their Big Day,

 Xpressions excel at matching their requirements, whether it be

 materials or style.

 ‘We are so far ahead of the Indian market in terms of material sourcing

 and design. We import from Netherlands, Egypt – all over the world –

 which makes a big difference in the final product. No one wants to buy

 off-the-shelf stuff for their wedding, which is where we come in

 because individuality is our forte. We’ve never made two invitations

 exactly the same.’

 If it is your wish to have beautiful paper creations at a reasonable

 price, Xpressions can make your dreams a reality. They don’t want you

 to break your balance anymore than you do, and can offer extremely

 amenable rates.

 ‘We know people are worried about their budget, but when spending £30

 to £40 a head for just food, it doesn’t cost that much more to give a

 gorgeous wedding invitation at £1 extra per head. It’s a mistake to

 believe people throw wedding invitations away, it’s something they’ll

 hold on to and keep on the shelf. Long after the food has been eaten

 and the guests have departed, it will serve as a reminder of how

 spectacular your Big Day was.’

 With a huge range of materials to choose from, including silk, organza,

 rice paper, embossed card and delicate parchment, Xpressions are the

 perfect hosts to welcome your guests to your Big Day.

 • For further details contact Xpressions on: 020 8279 3300/07763 212030