Chris French and Helen Johnson wrote:
A standard bricklaying mortar is builders sand and cement. For wide
joints in paving, as the OP is using, then I would use a mix of sharp
sand (called grit sand in some areas)

I disagree - a sharp sand mortar has a coarse visual texture and a variety
of colour from the large mixed grains that fight with the texture of the
paving slab (beit stone, reconstituted tone or simple concrete) I would
ALWAYS us a soft sand and cement mortar for pointing paving.

A simple technique I have used in my garden several times is to water the
joints well, leave for an hour till the top surface is dry and then brush in
ready mixed dry sand cement mortar (kiln dried sand and cement in bags from
B&Q: Note the ready dry mix type, not that with a separate bag of cement
with semi damp sand) carefully brush all excess off the top surface using a
small hand brush and hey presto the residual moisture is drawn up into the
dry sand/cement mix and you have a nice neat recessed mortar joint. Tommy of
Ground force uses the same technique.

Not a technique to use on prestige jobs where the pointing finish is a
design element in itself, but more than ok in most general situations - and
takes a small fraction of the time wet pointing takes and is far less messy.
Good up to a 10mm joint, more and I would suggest a semi dry hand pointing
mix

pk