Today we talk about DIY wedding invitations. And let’s try to answer all those questions that run through your head when you find yourself struggling with invitations. Questions like:
- How can I wow guests with original wedding invitations?
- How do I create DIY wedding invitations without spending too much?
- What paper do I choose for printing invitations?
- What should be written in a wedding invitation?
- When should it be sent out? How?
Here are a few answers, along with some examples of really original DIY wedding invitations to take inspiration from.
DIY wedding invitations: the DNA of original wedding invitations
You may have received dozens of wedding invitations, but how many can you remember? Hmm, maybe not many. This happens because, among the thousands of things to think about, invitations are often dismissed a little too hastily. The result? They lack personality and originality. If you don’t want yours to end up in oblivion, focus on: the common thread that will guide the celebration, the mood you want to give to the event, visualize even the location and the arrangements. Are you done? There, the wedding invitations need to be consistent with all this. Then, of course, you need to add a dash of you.
Here we show you examples of invitations that reflect what we mean by “original wedding invitations.”
Wedding by the sea? See down to what microscopic detail you can customize invitations to make your guests feel all the immensity of the sea.
If you have conceived your wedding as a big informal party, you can transfer this spirit to your guests with playful and fun wedding invitations.
Are you tireless globetrotters? Celebrate the big trip you’re about to take as a couple with a passport- or airline-ticket style invitation.
Have you chosen a villa surrounded by nature for the reception? Do you have a passion for gardening and a green thumb? Aim for an invitation with natural themes, perhaps echoing your favorite flower or floral decorations you have chosen for the setting. If you have an experienced hand, you can even paint the flower on the card. But if a paintbrush is not your forte, go for a dried flower to attach to the invitation. Here’s some bucolic inspiration for you.
Then a nice idea for cinephiles, or for those who would like their wedding day to resemble a Hollywood movie: the invitation can turn into a retro-flavored movie ticket. The show? Your love story, what a question!
Wedding invitations: the tools to create DIY wedding invitations
We have seen that creating original wedding invitations requires creativity and personality. But then you also need to figure out what tools to make it with. Having reached this point you are faced with a crossroads: DIY or digital graphics?
- Fine if you want to give the invitation a warm touch and if you have skilled hands. Less good if you have a lot of guests-consider that all the wedding planning will take up a lot of your time.
- Digital graphics. Fine if you want to make a more formal invitation or if you want to go for a high-impact visual. Digital graphics are also perfect if you want to save time and money.
If you have chosen to go the latter route-we suggest it-here are two tools you can use to make your wedding invitations online:
- The tool has a specific section for creating wedding invitations. Hundreds of layouts are waiting for you to customize with photos (yours), illustrations, filters, text.
- It is a graphic design tool very similar to Canva. Here, too, you will find a section dedicated to wedding invitations with customizable templates.
After a few clicks, you will have created your own inexpensive and personalized wedding invitations. To these you will have to add a text, which can be handwritten – more personal and elegant, but recommended only for those with good penmanship – or digitally. In the latter case: what fonts to use? We recommend a font that is easily readable (watch out for calligraphics, some are a bit difficult to decode) and of a size that is myopic-proof. For a more classic effect we go for a graceful font, for a more modern participation for a sticks font. Then we always keep in mind some rudimentary tips on font pairing:
- do not mix more than two different fonts;
- pair, perhaps, a sans serif with a serif (or a legible calligraphic);
- if you want to play it safe, use fonts with different weights belonging to the same typographic family.
And if font pairing really isn’t your thing, get help from Fontjoy.
Okay, all clear, but-what should be written on the invitations?
Wedding invitations: what to write?
First of all make sure that the invitations fulfill their main role, which is informative. It should not be missing: date, time and place of the ceremony, time and place of the reception and banquet. You can also add maps, useful tips for getting to the locations, or transportation information. Of course, do not forget to request confirmation of attendance.
A word of advice: if there are guests attending only the ceremony and not the subsequent festivities, we suggest you opt for two separate invitations-usually the ceremony invitation is a larger format than the reception invitation. This way you will not risk confusion.
To the practical information you can add two lines written in your own hand. We know that in these circumstances it is difficult to find the right words, we advise you to be simple and spontaneous. Rather than aphorisms about love, quotes from Baci Perugina, or tear-jerking song lyrics, prefer a simple sentence, without it being at all cost impactful. An example? “We’d like to celebrate this day with you.” Okay, it may not be the most original, but it’s a “real” phrase.
Very last tip regarding the text: ask friends and family (but only if invited to the wedding!) to reread everything you have written thoroughly. More eyes are better than a couple to unearth any typos.
Now all that remains is to decide how to present your invitations to guests.
Paper or digital? Which paper to choose for wedding invitations?
Call it professional distortion if you want, but we like our wedding invitations printed on paper. On this aspect we are traditionalists. We like the idea of the invitation being stored not in a digital memory, but in a drawer.
So what paper to choose for printing? The first thing to look at is the paper weight. The invitation paper should not be too fine because it should not break or fold. We suggest you go for a 170-gram paper.
After that comes the choice of paper type. And here a world opens up:
- For a classic and elegant effect you can go for a special paper, such as pearl papers, watercolor papers, or a glossy or matte coated paper.
- Want to give the ceremony a green feel? Print your invitations on recycled paper and let your invitation carry a sustainable message.
- If you want to surprise your guests with something unusual, choose a plantable paper-it will turn into a small gift for your guests. Not familiar with it? Come and find out what it is. (link to article on plantable paper).
And for printing? Well, we take care of that, conveniently online. And, if needed, we can also guide you in choosing the right paper for your invitations.
DIY wedding invitations: how and when to send them?
Weddings have their own rituals and traditions that, however, can be betrayed to make the event more on your own terms. Even when it comes to the delivery of invitations, there are rules that you can choose to follow or take with elasticity.
Tradition dictates that invitations-printed on paper-are mailed or hand-delivered. We add: we turn a blind eye to invitations that have to travel very far. In that case we can make an exception to the rule and rely on the conveniences of digital.
When should invitations be sent? Most strict ones answer, “two months before the date of the ceremony.” This is a fair amount of time for guests to get organized, but it is also not too early to let you know if they can be there. What about those living abroad? Inform people of the wedding date as soon as you have an official one- even informal communication is fine, so much so that guests can book reasonably priced airplanes. Then send them invitations as well two months before the event.
Finally, if you really want to do things with bon ton, a few days after the wedding you can send the guests a thank-you note for the invitations. But a new chapter opens here, and in case you want to take care of that too, you already have quite a few tips that can come in handy.