The art of designing-planning- managing wedding invitations and events
Love is in the air and has been delivered to my mailbox frequently lately. Friends and family are getting married. It’s so exciting! With that said, I cherish an elegant printed invitation no matter what the event is. The type of paper invite that stops you in your tracks. The type of stunning invite printed on luxe paper you want to display.
I really admire the art of a memorable invitation held elegantly in a beautiful envelope. I also appreciate the value of a stunning digital invitation. I am so fascinated with the creative tools brides have access to these days. The design elements available with a click of a button are impressive.
If you haven’t noticed, nearly every wedding and all of the events are now so carefully curated. Bridal showers, wedding menus, thank you cards and, wedding invitations and wedding websites should all have the same design and vibe.
Thank goodness for professional online sites that can make it all come together as see below.
A wedding invitation is more than just a simple letter in the mail. All the choices can be overwhelming. I hope this guide will walk you through the process to simply the elements you may or may not want to consider when designing a special invite.
You could go the classic route and send a full invitation suite, which involves choosing paper, fonts, and multiple inserts to inform your guests in style. Or, you could even send digital invites that lead people to a well-designed wedding website. This model will break down the process and provide inspiration to choose the best design that fits your personality and style.
The type and style of your invitation will set the tone for your wedding or special event. Not to mention, it presents your friends and family with all the essential information they need to know for your big day, like when and where to show up.
How To Create Your Wedding Invite Digitally
Enter the value of creating your invitations digitally. Many of the websites available today offer services and quality that rival that of high-end, bespoke stationery—at a fraction of the cost. I tell you what, a friend recently shared the Basic Invite with me and I was blown away with the Basic Invite website. Right now Basic Invite is offering 15% off with coupon code: 15FF51
Once they select a design, customers can change the color of each element on the card. With over 180 colors to choose from, the invite is sure to be exactly how they want it.
Whether you want to go entirely digital or simply design your paper invitations online, sites like Basic Invite offer everything you could want, from free chats with designers to sample boxes to etiquette guides that answer all of those confusing questions.
You can also find a great tool to create the perfect corporate event invite, birthdays, bridal showers and more. In addition to invites, the digital design platform provides the ideal graphic design for menus, saves the date, thank you and holiday cards.
What To Consider When Designing Your Invite Digitally:
- Budget
Before you choose the type of invite, you should consider what budget you have per invite. per-invitation price will help you as you build a package that includes not only the invitation but perhaps other options like embellished envelopes and RSVP cards. How many people do you have on your guest list?
2. Invitation Printing Techniques
Depending on the paper or medium you choose, couples also have several options when it comes to printing the design on their wedding invitation.
Here are some of the most popular printing techniques for wedding invitations:
a. Invitation Digital Printing
Digital printing is one of the most popular methods for couples looking to print their own invitations at home. This is a great option if you’re on a budget or want to have full control over your invitation design. All you need is a printer and high-quality paper, and you can print your invitation right from your computer.
b. Classic Engraving Printing Technique
Engraving is a classic printing technique that uses a metal plate to create raised lettering on your invitation. This method is more expensive than digital printing, but it gives your invitation a luxurious feel.
c. Thermography Printing Method
Thermography is a printing method that combines digital printing with raised lettering. This technique uses heat to raise the ink on your invitations, giving them a slightly 3D look. Thermography is more expensive than digital printing, but it’s still a budget-friendly option.
d. Letterpress Traditional Printing Method
Letterpress is a traditional printing method that uses a metal plate to create raised lettering on your invitations. This method is more expensive than digital printing, but it gives your invitation a luxurious feel.
e. Engraving and Embossing
High-end techniques of engraving and embossing are perfect for adding a hint of luxury to your wedding invitations. For both, letters and images appear raised on the front and indented on the back, thanks to the use of a custom-made metal plate.
The difference is that with engraving, this die is filled with ink and pressed onto the paper—each color requiring its own plate—while embossing creates an inkless imprint best suited for monograms, borders, and other design effects. Both engraving and embossing require customized plates, which raises the cost of your wedding invitations.
3. Colors and Theme For Your Wedding
Your wedding invitations should be a reflection of your personality while also providing a preview of your venue, theme. Consider where the venue will be and the vibe you want to portray.
Even if you haven’t 100% nailed down your wedding details by the time you need to send out the invitations, you can still be keep it simple. Just knowing how formal the event will be and what colors or design elements you want can help you narrow down the invite field so you can pick a layout you’ll love.
The good news is that website such as Basic Invite are one of the few websites that allow customers virtually unlimited color options with instant previews online. Having the ability to choose your ideal color makes the design process so much easier.
Don’t forget the envelope design that should match the invite color scheme. For example, Basic Invite has over 40 different envelope colors to choose from. With so many options, customers can make their envelope match the invitation.
Custom Samples
If you are investing in a memorable invite, you should consider requesting a custom sample so you can see and touch the invite in person. Basic Invite is one of the few websites that allows customers to order a printed sample of their actual invitation before they place their final order. They can see the paper quality and how it will print, and make sure the card is perfect.
- Address Capturing tool + Envelope Printing Service
Gathering addresses for your invites can be overwhelming. Find an online invite service that allows you to share a link on social media so to get updated mailing addresses will make your life much easier.
Address Capturing Service- There are a few invite design services that offer an address capturing service that allows customers to share a link on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, or any other social media to request their friends and family’s addresses. The mailing list addresses are stored in the customer’s account and can be selected during the design process.
Consider a service that will print your envelopes for free. Basic Invite offers recipient address printing at no cost on all card orders.
- Wedding and Event Website Builder
Using a wedding website builder will not only organize your wedding planning but also help your guests easily access all your wedding details (without needing to text or call you on every whim).
What is a Wedding Website?
A wedding website is a site that you create to help organize and share your wedding details with guests. On your wedding website, you can include all the important information guests will need to know about your big day, from the date and location of the ceremony to where they can stay and what they should wear. You can also use your wedding website to share photos and videos, post updates about your wedding planning process and even collect RSVPs.
Creating a wedding website is easy and there are lots of great templates and designs to choose from. Plus, most wedding website builders will walk you through the process step-by-step so you can get your site up and running in no time. With Basic Invite, creating landing pages is a piece of cake.
So what are you waiting for? Start creating your wedding or event website today!
What about digital wedding invitations?
The main advantages of digital wedding invitations are:
- Digital Invites are affordable
- They are easy to mass send and track
- You can include direct links to phone numbers, addresses and navigation apps which can help avoid long descriptions of how to find venues
- Animation can be included
- You can include video elements
- There is an increasing range of designs and capabilities
The disadvantage of digital wedding invitations are:
- They are likely to feel less personal
- Invites go to spam
- Your guests do not have a printed reminder of your special day
- They can be easily deleted
- If your wedding is in a low signal area, advantageous elements like clickable navigation links become redundant
- Compatibility across devices can mean that animations on opening don’t work as successfully as hoped
Wedding Wording Etiquette- All the important details
When it comes to wedding invitations, there is a lot of etiquette to be aware of. Wedding invitation wording can be tricky, but as long as you follow a few basic rules, you should be just fine.
Here are a few tips for getting your wedding invitation wording right- Here is the crucial information you should consider adding to your invite:
1. Use proper titles: When addressing your invitations, be sure to use the proper titles for your guests. For example, if you are inviting a married couple, be sure to use the titles “Mr. and Mrs.” followed by their last name.
2. Honor The Host Of The Event
An inclusive approach such as “Together with their families” but it’s traditional to include the names of whoever is paying for and hosting the event.
3. Where and When?
Include the day of the week, plus full date and time, typically completely spelled out. Then include the venue name and full address.
4. Keep It Formal
While you want your invitations to be friendly, they should still maintain a formal tone. Avoid using slang or casual language in your invitation wording, even if it sounds fun.
5. Proofread
Before you send out your invitations, be sure to proofread them carefully. Check for any errors in alphabet, spelling, or punctuation.
6. Use proper etiquette
By following these tips, you can be sure that your invitations will make a good impression on your guests.
After the engagement ring is presented, the wedding planning begins so make it easy on yourself and loved ones by using a professional online event and wedding site to design all of your wedding invitations and cards.
Check out holiday card and invitations and designs here.
