by Rachel Jackson, executive summarized by Andromeda

wedding-invitation-trend

Wedding invitation trends are always very interesting to think about because they reflect several different fashion trends in other aspects of weddings such as bridal wear, wedding venues, and the preference of traditional or contemporary weddings. As the New Year begins, there are many new and different themes that are coming into focus. Also, there are several exciting wedding invitation trends that you might want to take part in. Remember, if you are able to use brand new trends in wedding invitation designs, you will find that your wedding invite is even more hip and exciting than you thought it could be.

• Incorporating the Seasons

First of all, many people are really trying to incorporate the seasons into their wedding invitation design. In the past this concept has not been overly popular. Other than for some fall weddings which would incorporate reds and oranges in their color schemes. However, this practice is now becoming more and more popular because many people are relying on the season in which their wedding takes place to really give them a good start for the theme of their entire celebration. When this happens, more people put the season into their invites to begin with.

The typical fall colors are still used, and when a wedding takes place in the fall, it is not uncommon to use the reds, oranges, and yellows as they might be used in the wedding design, in the invite as well. Other seasons are also being used. When a winter wedding is being planned, the invites are often done with whites, blues and purples, and often with designs like snowflakes and ice crystals, all design elements that really speak to the season. When a wedding takes place in the spring, pale colors and flowers are used in the invitation, and for a summer wedding, there are often beach scenes, sandy colors, or bright colors that are used. This reflection of the season is often something that is done on the invitations, as well as something that is done with the theme of the wedding.

wedding-invitations-trend

• Straight Lines and Borders

When colors are simply used in wedding invitations, one style that is becoming trendier is that of straight lines and thick borders. These are being seen even more in wedding invitations than they used to be. This is a style and an idea that many brides and grooms are incorporating. This goes along with the idea of structure and form that is very popular in design today, leaving behind the frilly and flowery type of designs of the past.

• Bright Colors

Bright colors are another type of trend that is increasingly seen in wedding invitations. In the past, muted and dark colors were seen because all weddings were seen as very formal events, rather than the fun, exciting affairs they have become. However, with bright colors and exciting designs, wedding invitations can give a casual lift to any type of wedding. If you want to have a great wedding, but you do not want it to be as somber and formal as, let’s say, your mother’s wedding, then you should think about using bright colors in your invitations.

• Unique Fonts

Another trend that is being seen with wedding invitations is unique fonts. In the past, most of the invites were done with script type writing, to mirror beautiful hand written invitations of the past. However, sometimes this writing can look archaic, even if it looks beautiful. These fonts are usually best suited for the traditional wedding invitations. Many couples are using unique fonts, even printed fonts that are not cursive and are not flowing. A big trend in fonts is not using capital letters, but having everything written in lower case instead. Another trend is to use round and thick fonts instead of flowing fonts. All of these images of fonts serve to help a couple make their invitations into a clear indication of what their wedding is going to be. The font of your wedding invitations will once again give the feel of a laid back gathering, or a formal event.

wedding-invitation-trend

• Re-wording Ideas

Another trend that you might want to think about when it comes to your wedding invitations is going to be rewording the classic ideas that you have probably heard one-hundred times before about weddings. Many people are playing with the formality of the words that are used in the wedding invitation. Sometimes the words are made more formal to fit the wedding, and sometimes they are made very informal, also to fit the needs of the bride and groom and of the wedding as a whole. You might want to think about the ways that you can do this with your own wedding invitations. If the wedding is going to take place on the beaches of Jamaica, there is a good chance you would not be using the same words you would be using if the wedding was in the ballroom in the nicest hotel in the city. The invitation should reflect the event.

Checkout my other guide on Wedding Accessories.

By Sandra Hishinuma, executive summarized by Andromeda.

wedding invitations

After setting the wedding date and tentative location, the next important decision is choosing your wedding invitations. With such a wide variety of wedding invitation styles and price ranges, this decision can sometimes be overwhelming. Here are a few ideas to help you choose the perfect wedding invitation for your big day.

wedding invitation

How many people to invite? You may not have specific numbers yet, but you should be able to set a number range of guests you expect to invite, such as fewer than 100 or between 200 to 300. The bride and groom each may have different ideas of how they picture their wedding day so it is very important to communicate your wishes and ideas regarding a large wedding (with many guests) or small wedding (family and a few close friends). With this guest estimate in mind, you will be able to decide on a budget for your wedding invitations.

• Budget.

wedding budget

When estimating the cost of wedding invitations, setting aside about 3% of your total wedding budgets would be an adequate amount. This means if you have budgeted $20,000 for your wedding, you are able to spend up to $600 for your wedding invitations. Costs for wedding invitations can range anywhere from $1,000 and up per 100 invitations on the high end or as little as $70 per 100 invitations on the low end.

Plan ahead, order early. It’s good to start early when choosing wedding invitations. You and your partner will need time to research and discuss the various choices available for your invitations. If you look early enough, you may even have time to request samples from various companies. Ordering your wedding invitations at least 6 months in advance will give you a cushion of time to allow for printing of the invitations and correction of any errors that may occur in printing. You also need to account for the time it takes to assemble your invitations and mailing them out to give sufficient time for a response. Plan on ordering 20 to 25 extra invitations in case they are needed because of mistakes in addressing the invitations or if you find you need to add additional guests to the list.

• Wedding invitation types.

There are three or four different types of stationery that are popular with most couples choosing wedding invitations. Prices for these various types of stationery vary widely because of the way the invitations are made. Use Wedding flowers as the basic motif design are common. The following are some common types of stationery used for wedding invitations:

• Thermograph.

thermograph wedding invitation

This type of wedding invitation is relatively inexpensive, popular and easy to find. This type of invitation can be used for a casual wedding. Thermograph creates the illusion of raised text through a printing process that heats the ink and resin chemical in a combination that causes the printed text to appear raise while the paper beneath it looks smooth. Because of the heating process involved in creating this type of invitation, the proper combination of paper and ink must be used.

• Offset Printing.

offset printing wedding invitation

This type of wedding invitation uses normal, everyday print. Although the print may seem common, this type of invitation will still announce your wedding in an elegant manner.

• Engraved.

engraved wedding invitation

This type of wedding invitation is usually very expensive and reserved for very formal weddings. Engraved invitations are usually used to announce a very traditional style of wedding. This type of invitation is costly because an engraver must first carve the image or message into a copper plate, ink the plate, and then push the plate down onto the paper. This creates the raised lettering on the paper. Because of all the steps needed to create this type of wedding invitation, this method is time consuming and you will need to wait weeks for your invitations to be ready.

embossed wedding invitation

• Embossed.

Embossed invitations are very classy but also very expensive. Similar to engraved invitations, the raised print on this type of wedding invitation looks impressive but may be hard on your budget because of the technique used to create this type of invitation.

• Calligraphy.

calligraphy wedding invitation

This handcrafted invitation is elegant and refined but needs to be done by a skilled calligrapher who may be difficult to find. You can also look for a printer who creates the look of calligraphy on printed invitations. Obviously, the printed calligraphy is more affordable than the hand-written calligraphy but may not be as elegant as the hand-written one.

Once you have decided on your wedding invitations, make sure you order all the wedding stationery you will need, such as response cards and thank you cards, together for uniformity.

Choosing your wedding invitations should be an exciting and fun task in preparation for your big day. Keep in mind some of the ideas discussed above and choosing your invitations will be a bit easier.

Checkout my other guide on Wedding Dress.

A Step By Step Guide To Saving Money And Getting What You Order

By Kim Lapp, executive summary by Andromeda

wedding reception invitation

Wedding invitations can be ordered in several different ways. You can order your invitations online or in a stationery shop. You can also find a company that customizes your invitations based on your theme and style of your wedding. Choosing the perfect wedding invitation can be a daunting task. Making sure that the invitation wording is correct is essential. Many brides have had to reorder their wedding invitations because they made a mistake when entering their information during the ordering process.

Choosing your invitations

• 12 months before your wedding day

I like to have my brides order their invitations on the internet. There are several advantages to ordering online. The biggest is that you have the ability to preview your invitations with your customized text before you place your order. As soon as you have reserved your wedding date and location send your save-the-date announcements.

Ordering your wedding invitations

• Six months before wedding day

Spend the money to order a sample, many times I have found that brides base their opinion on the picture from the internet. The images on a website do not tell you the thickness of paper or the color of the invitation details. Don’t forget to order the thank you cards, wedding programs, receptions and response cards.

Tip: Be careful when choosing your font, not all fancy script is easy to read. And match the wedding flowers motif with your wedding theme, since flowers are common used as basic motif design for invitation.

Order a proof of the invitation.

This can delay your order for up to a week, but the satisfaction of knowing that you can edit or proof the wording on your invitations is well worth it.

Track your order

Make sure that where you order your invitations that website has the ability to give you a confirmation email and tracking number for your order. You will then get an email with when you invitations ship.

Checkout my other guide on Wedding Dresses.