How custom orders work

Every plaque we make is custom in some way (wording, dates, names, colour palette) so almost every order goes through the same five-step process. From your first email to a finished plaque in your hands typically takes two to three weeks for standard pieces.

The process

1. Get in touch. Email [email protected] with what you'd like — type of plaque, wording, size if you have a preference, any reference photos or palette ideas, and the date you need it by. We reply within a working day.
2. We send a mock-up and a quote. Usually within 48 hours. The mock-up is a digital preview showing the layout, lettering style, and colour. The quote includes materials, making, and UK delivery.
3. You approve and pay a 50% deposit. The deposit secures your slot in our schedule and covers the materials. The remaining 50% is invoiced on completion.
4. We make it. Two to three weeks for most pieces. Larger pieces or memorial hardwood orders take a bit longer. We send a photo of the finished plaque before shipping for any final adjustments.
5. UK delivery. Royal Mail tracked 48 for standard pieces, courier for larger pieces. Most UK addresses arrive within 2–3 working days of dispatch. International shipping is available — write to us for a quote.

Timing

Two to three weeks is the standard turnaround. If your event is sooner than that, write to us anyway. We keep a small amount of flex in the schedule for genuine emergencies and we can usually squeeze in rush orders for a small surcharge (typically £15–£30 depending on the piece).

Larger jobs (e.g., full wedding sign sets with welcome sign + seating plan + table numbers + arrows) need at least four weeks. For those, get in touch as soon as you have your guest count finalised.

What we need from you

To quote and produce a plaque accurately, the most useful things you can send are:

• The exact wording you want, including any punctuation, capitalisation, and spelling preferences (especially for names and place names. We ask twice on names because nothing is worse than a typo on a permanent piece).
• The date by which you need it.
• A preferred size, or the dimensions of the space it'll hang in if you'd rather we suggest.
• Colour preferences or a reference photo (a piece of the wedding stationery, a fabric sample, a photo of the room).
• Any specific lettering style you want — script, serif, hand-lettered display, etc.

Materials

The default for most pieces is plywood with a painted finish — durable, takes lettering beautifully, light enough to ship affordably. MDF is an option for the cleanest possible paint surface. Solid hardwood (oak, ash, walnut) is available for pieces meant to last generations — memorial plaques, heirloom keepsakes, anniversary pieces. Materials charge varies by choice; we'll quote on the specifics.

Payment

50% deposit on approval, 50% on completion before dispatch. UK bank transfer, PayPal, or credit/debit card via Stripe. The deposit is non-refundable once we've started making — typically that's within 48 hours of approval.

Returns and corrections

Personalised pieces aren't returnable for change of mind — once your name is on it, it's only useful to you. We will, however, correct any mistake on our side at no charge: if we typo'd a name, painted the wrong shade, or got the date wrong, we remake it and you don't pay twice.

If you spot something at the photo-preview stage before dispatch (step 4 above), we'll fix it at no charge. That's why we send the preview — most issues are easy to catch before the piece leaves the workshop.

International orders

We ship outside the UK regularly. Most pieces ship via tracked international air mail. Shipping costs and delivery times vary by destination — write to us with your address and we'll quote. Customers in Ireland, the EU, Australia, the US, and Canada are most common.

FAQ

Can you match a colour from my wedding palette? Yes, with a reference photo or a Pantone code. We hand-mix the paint and try to get it within 90% of the reference; perfect digital matches aren't realistic on hand-painted wood but we get close.

How long do the plaques last? Indoors, indefinitely. Outdoor pieces (porch signs, garden plaques) need a marine-grade finish and a re-coat every few years; we'll specify if that's relevant to your order.

Can I see real samples before ordering? We don't run a physical showroom but we can send photos of previous similar pieces. If you're local to our workshop area, we'll arrange a visit by appointment.

Can you make non-English lettering? Latin-alphabet languages (French, Spanish, German, Italian, etc.) yes. Other scripts (Arabic, Hebrew, Cyrillic, Chinese, Japanese) on a case-by-case basis. We can usually do it if you can supply the design or the exact characters.