Your wedding invitations set the tone for one of the biggest days of your life. They give guests their first glimpse into the style and formality of your celebration.
With so many options available, choosing wedding invitations can feel overwhelming. This guide will walk you through the major invitation types and stationery choices to help you find invites that capture your unique love story.
Wedding Invitations: Know the Different Types
Generally, wedding invitations are grouped into three categories: traditional, digital, and hybrid. Here's a look at each of them.
Classic Wedding Invitations
Traditional paper invitations remain the most popular choice for weddings.
Printed on high-quality card stock or paper, they convey a sense of elegance and formality. While more expensive than digital options, their beauty lies in the tactile experience for the invited guest as they hold the weighty paper and run their fingers along the raised lettering or embellishments.
Traditional wedding invitations come in three main formats:
-Flat/single card: A simple invitation printed on one card.
-Folded: The invitation components (host card, RSVP card, accommodation info, etc.) are printed separately and assembled in a folded jacket. This multi-piece style is suitable for formal invitations.
-Booklet/Multi-Page: All invitation content is bound together like a miniature book using wax seals, ribbons, or enclosures.
Pros: Timeless aesthetic, luxurious feel, tangible keepsake, can display calligraphy/printing methods
Cons: Most expensive option, requires more lead time, can't update details after printing
Digital Wedding Invitations
In our digital age, many couples opt for online invites delivered via email or posted on a website.
These allow you to avoid the environmental impact and costs of printed materials while easily updating details.
Popular formats for digital wedding invites include:
-Email attachment: The full invitation design is sent as a PDF or image file attachment.
-Online RSVP form: Guests visit a personalized website or app to view details and RSVP.
-Video invitation: A multimedia experience with motion graphics and video greetings.
Pros: Eco-friendly, affordable, easy to update, instant delivery, integrated RSVP tracking
Cons: Lack of tangible keepsake value, tech challenges for older guests, less formal aesthetic
Hybrid Invitations
The best of both worlds: Hybrid invitations combine printed and digital elements.
A prime example is sending printed host invitations for the tangible experience while directing guests online to RSVP and view additional details via a wedding website.
Other hybrid options include:
-Printed invites with online RSVP
-Digital wedding invites with printed keepsake cards
-Video invites with printed host cards
Pros: Convenient digital RSVP tracking, keepsake printed pieces, eco-friendly
Cons: Higher costs than fully digital, tech challenges for some guests
Stationery Choices for Your Wedding Invitations
The stationery you select for your wedding invitations plays a major role in the overall aesthetic.
Here are some of the most popular paper options.
Premium Cotton Paper
This option is considered the gold standard for formal wedding invitations.
Cotton paper has a luxurious, textured feel and weighty thickness. It handles decorative printing and embellishments beautifully.
Kraft/Recycled Paper
For an earthy, natural look, kraft paper's fibrous brown texture evokes a rustic or bohemian vibe that's perfect for outdoor weddings.
Recycled/eco papers are another sustainable choice.
Vellum Paper
This translucent style offers an ethereal, dreamy aesthetic for wedding invitations. It's often used as an overlay or jacket enclosing other invitation pieces.
Velvet Paper
With its soft, flocked finish, velvet paper has an upscale vintage look and luxurious hand-feel. This distinctive texture suits romantic, glamorous, or vintage-inspired designs.
Metallic Paper
Add a touch of shimmer and luxury with paper infused with metallic foils like genuine silver and gold.
Metallic paper ranges from subtly glittering to boldly shining finishes.
Printing Options for Wedding Invitations
In terms of printing methods, the main options include:
-Thermography: Raised ink provides an engraved, elegant look for wedding invitations.
-Letterpress: Printing presses letters into thick paper for vintage charm.
-Foil stamping: Adheres metallic foils for brilliant shine and opulence.
Engraving: Timeless and formal with recessed lettering.
-Digital printing: Modern inkjet/laser allows photo printing and affordable color.
Popular Invitation Designs and Trends
While traditional invitations will always have a place, many modern couples seek wedding invitation designs that express their unique love story and personalities. Here are a few examples.
Rustic Wedding Invitations
The rustic aesthetic has surged in popularity alongside barn and farmhouse wedding venues.
A rustic wedding invitation embraces natural textures like kraft paper and wood grain patterns.
Design elements could include burlap, lace, twine, floral wreaths, calligraphy fonts, and botanical illustrations.
Bohemian Invitations
With a free-spirited, eclectic vibe, boho chic invitations feature a profusion of color, global patterns like Moroccan prints and mandalas, pressed flowers, feathers, and charms.
Earthy materials like vellum and recycled paper complement the aesthetic.
Romantic Wedding Invitations
These elegant wedding invitations evoke sophistication through flowing calligraphy scripts, floral illustrations like peonies or roses, soft watercolor washes, shimmery paper, laser-cut details, and metallic foiling.
A Modern Twist to Invitations
Clean lines, minimalist typography, and innovative materials give the modern wedding invite its sleek, fashion-forward look.
From acrylic to wood and everything in between, contemporary materials and printing techniques produce fresh, unexpected designs aligned with an urban-chic or avant-garde wedding vision.
More on Trends
While classic black ink was once the default, today's invitations increasingly incorporate bold colors. Trending hues include rich jewel tones like emerald, plum, and sapphire as well as muted earth tones drawn from natural elements like terra cotta, sage, and dusty rose.
The Wedding Invitation Suite
A wedding invitation suite refers to all the separate printed components included alongside the main host invitation card, such as:
Enclosure Cards
Additional inserts provide relevant information not displayed on the host card, including:
-Directions/map card
-Accommodation information card
-Wedding website URL card
Response Cards
RSVP cards often double as the reply vehicle if no digital RSVP option exists. Some couples also use a:
-Reception response card (if hosting two separate events)
-Song request card
-Meal preference card
Envelopes
Two envelopes are typically provided: an outer envelope for posting/guest addressing, and an inner envelope that holds all interior invitation components.
Envelope Embellishments
Your wedding invitations can also feature:
-Custom stamps: A commissioned design printed on the envelopes
Envelope liners: A coordinating printed pattern or color on the inner envelope
-Envelope printing: Guest addressing printed directly onto envelopes
-Wax seals: An antique wax-sealed closure for a classic look
Beyond just functional needs, the wedding invitation suite pieces work together to convey the event's level of formality, color palette, and thematic motifs.
Save-the-Dates
Save-the-date cards are before you send wedding invitations, usually six to eight months before the wedding day.
While not mandatory, a save-the-date allows guests to pencil in your wedding date early, which is especially helpful if you're planning a destination wedding.
Save-the-dates' style and format are entirely separate from your wedding invitations. Many couples aim to loosely coordinate their save-the-date designs with the wedding's overall aesthetic, but matching isn't required.
Working with Invitation Providers
Most wedding stationery retailers offer several options for customizing your wedding invites.
Ordering Samples
Before committing, order a sample pack of the wedding invitations you're considering. This ensures you experience the stationery's look, feel, and print quality firsthand, and ultimately, receive a final product you absolutely love. Samples are extremely helpful since digital swatches can differ from real life. Most retailers apply the sample cost toward the final purchase.
In-House Design Services
Many invitation companies employ in-house designers who can customize pre-made templates by changing colors, fonts, and motifs, or designing suites from scratch.
This service is ideal if you want a pro's assistance but don't have printer-ready art files for your wedding invites.
Print-Ready Design Upload
If you're hiring a graphic designer to create a custom wedding invitation design or purchasing wedding invitations from an online marketplace like Etsy, you'll need printer-ready artwork files to upload for production.
Most printers accept vector formats like AI, EPS, or PDFs with embedded fonts and trim lines.
Rush Printing Options
While ideally, you should order your wedding invitations at least two to three months before the mailing date, many retailers expedite invitation orders for an added fee.
Assembly and Addressing Services
Full-service printers can assemble a multi-piece wedding invitation suite, address outer envelopes with calligraphy or printed fonts, and even stamp the enclosures with custom designs. These add-ons save time but increase costs.
Budgeting for Invitations
Wedding invitations comprise roughly 4-8% of a couple's wedding budget, depending on guest count and chosen styles.
Expect to pay roughly:
-Traditional printed wedding invitations: $4 - $15+ per suite
-Digital wedding invitations: $0 - $2+ per invitation
-Hybrid wedding invitations: $2 - $8+ per invitation
Additional invitation and wedding stationery costs could include:
-Addressing services (printing or calligraphy)
-Envelope embellishments (liners, wax seals, stamps)
-Guest book/program/menu design and printing
-Thank you card printing
For premium printed wedding invitations like those with engraving, letterpress, or foiling, be prepared for costs at the high end of $10-$15+ per assembled suite.
Tips for Affordable Wedding Invitations
Budgets are highly personal, but most couples aim to manage their wedding invitations' cost sensibly while avoiding cheaply made invites. Here are ways to trim expenses:
Print digitally: Digital printing provides photo-quality images and text at low costs compared to engraving, thermography, and similar options. Consider flat or folded styles over bulky multi-layer assemblies.
Order samples: Before ordering full suites, sample the weight, stock, and colors to avoid reprint costs due to something being off.
Limit enclosure cards: Only include cards with absolutely essential info to cut back on printing/assembly expenses. Display other event details on your website instead.
Use digital addressing: Having invitation envelopes digitally printed with guest addresses costs less than commissioning traditional calligraphy or handwritten styles.
Consolidate and downsize: Reduce portioning costs and excess paper waste by selecting a single-card invitation format instead of multi-piece suites. Use smaller, simplified designs printed on lighter card stock.
Forgo accessories: Opt out of decorative finishes like envelope liners/belly bands/ribbons/foil/wax seals. These embellishments make invites feel luxurious but add costs quickly.
Shop Etsy and local stationers: Browse Etsy's vast marketplace of invitation templates or support local printers and designers for competitive pricing and custom options.
For an ultra budget-friendly wedding invitation option, some couples curate digital invites sent via email/website, then order affordable printed keepsakes like ceremony programs or thank-you cards instead.
Wedding Invitation Tips and Advice
-If environmentally friendly wedding invites are a priority, check your stationer's policies. Many offer recycled, tree-free, and recyclable options for earth-conscious couples.
-Send invites six to eight weeks before the wedding, but prepare things like addressing envelopes at least two to three months out.
-Order 25 extra invitations to account for printing errors and last-minute guest list additions.
-Coordinate invitation attire codes like "Black Tie Optional" with your venue, wedding party, and officiant's formalwear.
-As you receive RSVPs, create a spreadsheet tracking the total headcount. This helps with venue seating and catering planning.
-Get comprehensive proof approvals before printing to ensure flawless design, invitation wording, and spelling.
-Unless the wedding is very small, avoid handwriting envelope addresses to prevent errors and tardiness. Hire a calligrapher or use digital printing services instead.
-Mail wedding invitations to out-of-town guests first to account for longer delivery times.
-Consider creating a wedding website with all event details to minimize paper usage and printing costs.
-After launching, order a custom stamp or digital upload of your invitation design to embellish thank-you notes and other paper goods.
The Perfect Wedding Invitations for Your Big Day
Your wedding invitations serve as the opening pages to an unforgettable love story.
The wedding invitation style you choose will make a lasting impression on your guests and reflect the vibe of your big day.
Take the time to explore all your wedding stationery, printing, and customization options. The time you invest in this process will help you create wedding invitations that truly capture your relationship's unique spirit.
The Bell Tower on 34th is a leading Houston wedding venue with a chapel, executive chef, and full-service planning services.
Learn more about holding a wedding here.
The Bell Tower on 34th
901 W 34th St, Houston, TX 77018
(713) 868-2355