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Because handwritten notes are a Southern tradition. postage stamps washi tape set
Moriah is a writer for Southern Living who specializes in reviewing cookware, gifts, kitchen gadgets, home decor, and more. Her work has appeared in Allrecipes, Real Simple, Alabama Political Reporter, and The Samford Crimson.
As Southerners, we often pull out our stationery set for special events like weddings, baby showers, or birthdays—but who says stationery can only be used during life’s big moments?
Everyday events can be made even sweeter when you use personalized stationery. “Sweet notes can accompany a home cooked meal for someone who is sick or a fun note in your child's lunchbox,” says Laurie Montgomery. “[Personalized stationery is] a collection of life moments that are made a little more special when you can look back on them years later.”
Our top retailers include Papier, Etsy, Crane, Minted, Rifle Paper Co., and Erin Condren. You’ll also find our top picks from each brand below, too. From writing letters to sending thank you notes, we found the best personalized stationery sets for every occasion.
When gifting someone a stationery set, Papier is your go-to brand. This brand features stationery sets with animal prints, patterns, elegant styles, and floral designs. Plus, you can even include a gift box with your order (so this brand is perfect for last-minute gifting).
Besides stationery sets, Papier has different stationery accessories such as highlighters, pens, sticky notes, and much more. Even though you aren’t able to customize the size of the cards, you do get to choose between standard or premium cardstock paper. And you can choose from packs of anywhere from 10 to 1,000 cards. Size: 5 x 7 inches | Orientation: Horizontal and vertical | Designs: Floral, animal prints, colorful borders, checkered and geometric patterns
As an online marketplace for handmade and vintage goods, Etsy has some of the best personalized stationery sets. You’ll find all sorts of options throughout their website created by artists and designers from all over the world.
This is the perfect brand for those who don’t have a favorite type of stationery style and are open to trying new ones. We found a set with a classic Southern monogram design and even one that can be customized with your favorite breed of dog. While you can personalize most of their stationery sets, note that each option comes with varying quantities depending on the seller. Size: Multiple | Orientation: Horizontal and vertical | Designs: Floral, monogram, small graphics
For those who are searching for an elegant style of stationery, then we highly recommend you check out Crane. Even though the brand offers a wide range of designs, the one thing that they all have in common is a more formal style compared to that of other stationery brands.
To make your shopping easier, the website allows you to filter by color, style, paper weight, and more, so that you can easily find what you’re looking for. Sizes: 4.25 x 6.4 inches, 3.5 x 5.8 inches | Orientation: Horizontal and vertical | Design: Floral, monogram, small graphics
What makes Minted stand out from our other places is its plethora of letterpress and foil-stamped stationery sets. In addition to these unique styles, they also have options tailored to him, her, kids, teens, and even businesses. And if you’re looking for a stationery style with a holiday theme, we found the perfect foil-pressed option that can transition out of the holiday season as well.
When it comes to features, Minted lets you design your stationery set however you want to. As you’re placing your order, you can select a certain quantity, format, silhouette shape, paper signature, and add a special personalization. Size: 5.5 x 4.25, 7 x 5 inches | Orientation: Horizontal and vertical | Designs: Letterpress, foil-stamped, Disney, business
When it comes to colorful stationery, Erin Condren has you covered. The brand offers four different types of stationery materials: classic stationery sets, notepads, listpads, and return address labels. They feature geometric, floral, abstract, painted backgrounds, and even a school supply theme for teachers. Even though most of their stationery sets come in a horizontal landscape, you are free to select a note card style and envelope color with your order. Sizes: 4.75 x 3.5 inches, 6.25 x 4.63 inches | Orientation: Horizontal | Designs: Geometric, floral, school supplies, abstract, painted backgrounds
Folded and flat note cards are the most common types of personalized stationery to have on hand, but consider jotter sheets or notepads for more casual settings. You can also personalize your set in multiple ways, including your name, monogram, or crest.
When shopping for personalized stationery, Montgomery says to “allow your stationery to reflect you, because when your recipient receives it, it makes it even more delightful.”
“For note cards and thank you cards, I love a flat 5-by-7 or 4-by-6 that allows for writing on both sides of the paper with ample space,” says Montgomery. These standard sizes are widely available when shopping for personalized stationery.
Personalized stationery can be either landscape (horizontal) or portrait (vertical), but Montgomery prefers landscape designs. “Standard store cards, like birthday cards, are usually designed vertically, so designing horizontally distinguishes these cards as something more personal,” she explains. Stationery mostly comes in rectangular shapes, however, some of our picks allow you to customize the silhouette by rounding the edges for a softer look.
Personalized stationery comes in many different designs and patterns. Some note cards have stylish borders, watercolor backgrounds, floral designs around the edges, and even small illustrations.
When selecting a stationery set, think about the occasion that you will be using them for. For example, if you mostly intend to use the set for birthdays and other happy occasions, you should purchase a set with a celebratory theme. On the other hand, if you plan to use the note cards to send condolence letters to family and friends, we recommend choosing a set that has a simple theme.
Montgomery says traditional card sets come in packs of eight to 24 and typically include color-coordinated envelopes. She adds that elevated stationery sets might come with stickers to seal your envelopes and a color-coordinating pen.
Your stationery collection should be personal to you, so it’s important to stock up on the items you’ll use most often. For most people, this means having a variety of folded and flat cards. Jotter sheets can also be useful for casual settings. To elevate your collection, Montgomery recommends having congratulatory, “thinking of you,” and birthday cards on hand.
“This is a personal choice based on your taste,” says Solarek. “[Price] depends on paper weight and the printing method.” She explains that thinner paper with flat print is usually less expensive, while you pay a premium for thicker paper with embossed or foil designs. As far as price range goes, Montgomery says you can expect personalized stationery to range from $0.50 to $5 per card. It’s common for the price per card to decrease when buying higher quantities of stationery.
It’s most common to personalize stationery with your name, monogram, or crest. To complete your set, consider creating color-coordinated envelopes with your return address printed.
As any Southern mama will tell you, a handwritten note beats an email any day. Therefore, personalized stationery always makes a great gift. Solarek says this gift would benefit children and young adults so they can “learn the lost art of a handwritten note early.”
It’s also a thoughtful gift for those in a new stage of life, including newlyweds, graduates, and young professionals. Montgomery adds that personalized stationery “can be an unexpected gift for someone who simply loves to be organized and might not invest in something custom for themselves.”
sticky note cubes Addie Morton is a writer for Southern Living who specializes in home decor and lifestyle content. For this story, she spoke with two stationery experts, Laurie Montgomery and Troy Solarek. Montgomery is a graphic designer, illustrator, and owner of Fanciful Ink, which specializes in wedding and event stationery. Solarek is the founder and creator of The Dotted Line, a paperie boutique specializing in stationery, invitations, weddings, and Christmas cards. Using Montgomery’s and Solarek’s expertise and recommendations, Morton researched hundreds of options to compile a list of the best personalized stationery on the market. Moriah Mason, a writer for Southern Living who specializes in shopping content, also contributed to this article.