The Modern Wedding Invitation

The days of being limited to the traditional white or ivory wedding invitation are over.  Today’s bride and groom have so many more invitation options than they have in the past and they can be quite overwhelming.  So many couples come to me wanting fun, vibrant invitations but say they are feeling pressure to purchase traditional invitations. Some are feeling pressure because of the influences of their families and some because of the things they’ve read about wedding invitation etiquette.

Remember that your invitations are the first thing your guests will receive regarding your wedding so they should indicate what type of event to expect. With so many new and exciting options available to you, why not put a little bit of your own style and personality into your invitations. You can select from hundreds of paper and envelope styles in a range of colors and textures, choose one or more font styles and colors, add embellishments or artwork and select from several different printing techniques to create your own unique invitation.

In this article we will discuss what modern brides are doing differently than brides of the past and review some basics you should keep in mind when browsing for invitations.

Don’t be afraid to consult with a custom invitation designer

By the time you are ready to choose your invitations you might be tired of meeting with vendors but there are a lot of advantages to meeting with an invitation designer. You will get a chance to meet with someone who is very knowledgeable about all types of invitations. They can help you narrow down your search and give you recommendations based on your tastes and budget. They will have samples of the invitations and envelopes that they carry and you’ll able to look through sample books for ideas. It can be difficult to imagine what the invitations in a catalog or on the internet will look like, so it can be very helpful to see the invitations in person.  Custom invitations don’t necessarily cost more. It all depends on the types of papers and printing techniques you choose and the assembly involved in your design. Most custom companies also carry traditional styles so don’t count them out even if you want a traditional design. The personal attention they can give you can save you a lot of time, money and stress from the time you begin shopping to the time you put your beautiful invitations in the mail.

Paper and Envelope choices

Paper choices have expanded greatly in the past few years. Beautiful papers are available in almost any color and pattern, and textured or metallic papers can add a whole new level of sophistication and style to your invitations. A popular trend right now is to use a two layer invitation. Typically a colored paper is used as the bottom layer with the invitation text printed on a white or ivory top layer. Matching envelopes are available for most solid papers so don’t assume that you have to use white envelopes if you don’t want to.

Traditionally all wedding invitations came with outer and inner envelopes. Today, many couples are opting to use only outer envelopes to save money. This brings up some addressing questions like how to address single guests with dates on the outer envelope, especially if you don’t know the name of the date. Traditionalists will say that’s what the inner envelope is for, but lots of modern couples are just putting “and guest” on the outer envelope and skipping the inner envelope all together.

Don’t forget about all of your other paper needs like menus, programs, thank you cards, place cards and shower and rehearsal dinner invitations. Ordering them all from the same stationer can save you time and money and lead to a beautifully coordinated event.

Addressing your Invitations

I’ve yet to meet a bride that doesn’t ask me if they have to hand address their own envelopes. More and more brides are opting to have their guest lists printed on their envelopes or printing labels. Some brides would rather spend that time concentrating on other wedding details and some think they have messy handwriting. Whatever the reasoning, having your addresses printed directly on your envelopes in a font matching your invitation looks especially elegant, but if you really want the hand addressed look and don’t want to address your envelopes yourself, hire a calligrapher to address them for you.

Invitation Wording

Choosing the wording for your wedding invitations can be pretty challenging. For example, if the bride’s parents are divorced or the groom’s family is contributing to the wedding it can leave a couple fairly confused about how to word their invitation. In many cases “Mr. and Mrs. Smith request the honor of your presence at the marriage of their daughter….” simply doesn’t make sense anymore. Many couples are opting for less traditional wording styles like “Together with their families, Anne Marie Smith and James Robert Jones request the pleasure….” Or “Mr. and Mrs. Jones and Mr. and Mrs. Smith invite you to celebrate with them at the marriage of their children…” These wording styles allow the couple to acknowledge more than one family on the invitation. Ask your stationer for wording examples for your situation or visit invitation websites for ideas.

Invitation Basics

Understanding Printing Techniques

Fonts and ink colors

The font type and colors that you use can drastically change the appearance of your invitation. Consider using more than one color or 2 different fonts for a dramatic effect. Ask your stationer to show you examples of different combinations.

Postage

Square envelopes, some box mailers and invitations that are heavier than one ounce require additional postage. Using an enclosure around your invitation like a petal enclosure or folder may cause your invitation to exceed the weight limits for a first class stamp. Take your proof or an extra invitation to the post office and ask them to weigh it for you before you purchase your stamps to make sure you have the correct postage.

Invitation Assembly

It’s best to address your outer and inner envelopes before you start assembling your invitations. If your inserts are in the envelope when you start addressing, your writing surface will be uneven and you run the risk of getting impressions from your pen on your invitations.