9 Useful Tips for Your Unique Wedding Invitations
Sending unique wedding invitations to your guests is the first step of your wedding organization. In this post you will learn the best ways to do it and what you should know to make your invitation cohesive with the rest of your wedding concept.
1. Plan the invitation after your wedding concept
The invitation usually comes to mind as the first thing to do, but it is actually not. You need to figure out the main concept of your wedding first.
I always suggest choosing a theme for your wedding. It can be a period in time, a flower, a color or something special that represents you as a couple. Always have a theme in mind first and choose the style you like the most. Do you want your wedding to look modern? Sophisticated? Romantic? Luxury? Homey? Whatever you prefer, this is your starting point.
Your invitation should reflect the distinguishing element of your wedding that will be present on the rest of your stationery as well. This is why it is important to think about it when you have the main concept defined. It will give your guests an idea about what to expect and it will be cohesive with everything else, making a better impression and looking great in photos.
2. Don’t follow trends
While a destination wedding in Italy might give you some ideas, like Romeo and Giulietta or Renaissance themes, my advice is not to chase any trends. Follow your desires. Your invitation should reflect your personality and taste.
Trends fade, but if you choose your concept and invitation carefully based on your ideas and preferences, in ten years you will still be happy to see your wedding photos reflect it.
3. Your invitation should match your venue
If you are getting married in a luxury location, your invitation should reflect that. A shabby chic invitation or thin paper don’t match well with a five-star hotel!
There should be a harmony between your stationery and the venue, also in terms of color and perception to create a story line for your memorable wedding day.
4. Make it simple and relevant
To make a great invitation be sure to include all the important details, like date, hour, location and RSVP. For other details, I always recommend creating a website.
Since your guests will travel to reach your wedding, it is a good idea to tell them all the travel details on the website, from directions, and useful numbers to call a taxi, to the necessary plugs and registry information. If you mention the link to the website on your invitation, your guests will have all the necessary information at hand.
Keep in mind readability too. Some fonts are elegant and beautiful but quite difficult to read. You want the whole process to go smoothly for your guests, starting from the first impression – the invitation.
5. Keep the dates in mind
I suggest sending your “Save the date” for your destination wedding 8-10 months in advance; then the formal invitation 4-5 months before the wedding. As for when you should ask to receive the R.S.V.P, the sooner the better but give the last call 3-4 weeks before the date.
If you do so, you will have all the information you need to plan the reception and the seating chart in advance. There will always be last-minute changes, but the sooner you will have the bigger picture, the better.
6. Attention to detail
What distinguishes a unique wedding invitation? The attention to small things, like putting your beautiful invitation inside another envelope where you are going to put the address. So, the stamps and fingerprints of the mailbox office employees won’t affect your beautifully written stationery.
I suggest putting it inside an inexpensive envelope, so when your guests receive it and open it, they can take out the beautiful one, super clean and gorgeous.
7. Hire a calligrapher
If your handwriting is not that perfect, I have a solution for you. Hire a calligrapher to write your invitation for a more personal and classy touch. Your guests will appreciate your effort. A flowing calligraphy font will make a great statement on your romantic wedding invitations giving them an elegant, luxury look.
Every calligrapher has their own style, or even more than one, check their portfolios to decide the style you prefer. Even if you go with a printed invitation, you can still hire a calligrapher to write the addresses on the envelope.
Or ask your stationery company to take care of this step, they will be very happy to help.
8. Paper matters
Choose heavy paper. The thick paper will give your invitations the luxury and formal touch. Look for paper that is at least 80 lb. Linen and felt weave papers with an interesting texture can make your invitation feel unique for your guests.
Thick cotton fiber or bamboo paper are usually the right paper for an elegant looking wedding invitation.
9. Choose a printing technique beforehand
The printing process conveys how formal your wedding will be. It will also dictate the paper type and the design. These are the main printing processes:
– Engraving. The letters are raised on the front and indented on the back of the invite. This technique is ideal for an ultra-formal affair.
– Thermography. Similar to engraving, with the only difference that the lettering is slightly shiny and the back of the invitation remains smooth.
– Letterpress. The letters are indented on the front and slightly raised on the back of the paper. The look is textural and elegant. Letterpress is widely used for traditional designs.
– Digital printing. After a design is created online, your invitation goes through a professional printer. This process is ideal for more casual or funky wedding styles.
– Offset printing. Offset printing is similar to digital, with a higher quality. The letters and designs are flat.
– Foil printing. The paper-like foil leaves a metallic design behind. Foil stamping is a good fit if you are having a luxury or romantic wedding, but it is used for casual invites too.
– Embossing. It is like engraving but on a larger scale. Letters and images are raised but colorless. This printing technique is used for monograms and borders. It looks subtle yet modern.
What would you like your wedding invitation to be? Comment below!