Ordering a sample is a great way to show you the quality, colours, and style so that you can make up your mind. Samples are not personalised in any way, and we can include swatches of our ivory and lightly textured Premium cream card. 
All our stationery can be fully customised for you for the perfect finish. We want your family and friends to be excited to receive them. We are careful to select only the best quality card and paper. Read on to find out more about the samples available.
We can provide a sample of the Order of Service in any of our existing designs. Please just add a note to your order.

Generic Sample - A generic sample is to show you the size, quality, style, and colour of your chosen Order of Service. We do not personalise them in any way and you will receive a sample with one random insert as shown in the images. We will do our best to provide the sample in your chosen card colour if available. If we don’t have one in stock, you will receive a white sample and we’ll include swatches of our ivory and/or Premium card. There is no need to send us any details but please remember to tell us which of our existing designs you’d like if using the ‘Any Design’ listing to order. You can choose any design from any product on our website. We’ll dispatch your sample as soon as possible, usually within 1 or 2 working days.

Electronic Sample - Perhaps you’ve had a Generic Sample already and are happy with the quality but would now like to see what your information would look like all laid out and formatted before you have the confidence to place a full order. Perhaps you need to have the design tweaked? Then this is the option for you! We create electronic proofs using all the information you provide. Tell us whether or not you need an insert (or two). You can make changes to your proofs until you are happy with them. If we don’t hear from you for 10 days, then we will presume that you were happy with the most recent proofs and close the order out. Please note that an electronic sample is not suitable for printing at home. It is purely for you to see what your information will look like in your chosen design. Please note that once we have created your proofs, the price of an electronic sample is non-refundable. If, however you then go on to place a full order of that proof without any changes (small tweaks allowed), we will refund you the cost of your Electronic Sample! Just remind us when placing your final order.

Personalised Sample - A personalised sample is a great way to take you through the whole process of creating your perfect order of service, from ordering through to receiving the finished product in the post. This option consists of two parts: an electronic sample and a printed copy of your approved electronic sample. You choose the card type and whether or not you require 1 or 2 inserts. Please note that once we have created your proofs, the price of an electronic sample is non-refundable. If, however you then go on to place a full order of that proof within without any changes (small tweaks allowed), and within 30 days of the proofs, we will refund you the cost of your Electronic Sample! Just remind us when placing your final order.

Proofs - Please note that all proofs are shown on a white background irrespective of your chosen card type. Please always read any annotations on your proofs with regards to card colour.

Approximate sizes:
Cover: A5 when folded, approx. 14.8 x 21cm (A4 folded to A5)
Insert: Trimmed slightly to ensure the pages do not stick out of the cover when folded

Choose the type of sample you would like to receive and remember to tell us which design you’d like if using the ‘Any Design’ listing to order. Please email the details for your Electronic or Personalised Sample at your convenience once you have placed the order. Ideally the information will be in a Word document. PDF documents are okay if they are ready to print but please be aware that formatting is often corrupted if we need to use a PDF to copy the details for editing. We’d be happy to send you a blank template that explains how to lay it out for us. Please don’t add lots of tabs or spaces to try and space the text out as we will do the alignment ourselves.
There is no need to send any information if ordering a Generic Sample.

Once we receive your order for an Electronic or Personalised Sample, a member of our design team will create electronic proofs using the information you have supplied, usually within 2 – 3 working days. The proofs will be emailed to you. Unlike many companies, we do not limit the number of changes you can make to your proofs within reason. Once you are happy with them, let us know and we will send them to print or, in the case of an electronic sample, close the order. Nothing goes to print without your approval. If after placing an order you haven’t heard from us after 3 working days, please get in touch.

After you have approved your proof, we aim to dispatch your order within 3 - 4 working days. The whole process normally takes around a week plus delivery time depending on the product and whether amendments are made to the proofs. Generic Samples are usually dispatched within 1 or 2 working days. Shipping times may vary due to bank holidays or during busy periods.

SHIPPING
After you have approved your proof, we aim to dispatch most orders within 3 - 6 working days, depending on the product type (please see individual product details for dispatch times). Large orders with assembling, gluing or foiling may take a few days longer. Samples are usually dispatched within 1 - 3 working days. Shipping times may vary due to bank holidays or during busy periods.

Royal Mail 2nd Class postage (no rush) – Royal Mail quote 3-5 working days however in our experience this often takes longer and can take up to 3 weeks. Please do not select this option if you need to receive your order within 3 weeks of approval for print. It really does mean ‘no rush’!

Royal Mail 1st Class postage (not guaranteed) – Royal Mail quote 1 – 2 working days however, in our experience this often takes considerably longer and can take up to 10 days. Please do not select this option if you must receive your order within 10 days of approval for print. 

Tracked 24 (tracked but not guaranteed) – Royal Mail quote 1 – 2 working days however, this is not guaranteed and has been known to take a full 10 days. If it’s crucial you receive your order within 10 days of sending your order to print, this is not the option for you.

*Next Day Delivery takes 1 or 2 working days (weekends & holidays excluded). 

*Next Day Options are only available for UK mainland. Please contact us separately for shipping to Northern Ireland or any of the other islands or highlands. 

NOTE: There are Delivery Speed Exclusions for many postcodes. These can be viewed on royalmail.com/termschanges under Changes from 11 August 2025. They are subject to change by Royal Mail without notice.

If you require any other shipping such as Guaranteed Next Day or Saturday Delivery, please contact us separately for a quote. Most shipping options can be upgraded for a surcharge.

Shipping Abroad
Sadly, Brexit has made it impossible for us to ship to Europe. There are companies available that will handle this for you and provide a UK shipping address for you. Companies such as https://forwardvia.com/ and https://www.shopandship.com/ are just 2 examples. The best option is usually to have your order shipped to friends or family in the UK who can then forward things on for you.

FAST TRACK ORDERS
If you choose to add priority processing to your order, it will flag up for us and will then jump to the front of the queue and take priority. We will make sure that your order is processed as quickly as possible from proofs through to printing and dispatch. We will aim to prepare your proofs within 1 or 2 days and will also endeavour to dispatch your order as soon as possible once you’ve approved your proofs. 
Please contact us for availability before placing your order if you need your order within just a few days. Large format items (Foamex/2mm Card) still need a minimum of 4 days to be processed, printed, and shipped. Traditional foil pressing also takes a few days because a plate has to first be manufactured before we can even begin pressing.

Digital Foiling orders (not to be confused with our traditional foil pressing) can be sped up as all foiling is done in house. 

Please note that your order will still be dispatched using whichever shipping method you choose during checkout so if you select 2nd class postage, the order will simply slow down once we’ve dispatched it. We recommend selecting our Next Day delivery service (UK mainland only. Weekends & holidays excluded).