Don't worry about finding paper with these exact numbers, just use them as a guide to figure out which samples you'd like to request. Papers of the same weight can vary in thickness mainly due to the amount of
fiber (like cotton) in the paper, but also due to processing. Lofty papers are especially nice for letterpress invitations.
Texture
Wedding Invitations
Wedding Stationery
You will have many options for the texture of the paper from slick coated papers to rustic, rough handmade paper. Many specialty papers like metallics or vellum are coated.
Textured papers add interest to invitations that otherwise are just type or one color. Very coarse textures suggest rural settings. Deckle edge paper - paper with edges that appear torn - is another beautiful texture option. It can be used even for the most formal wedding invitations.
A slick silver metallic could be perfect for a New Year's Eve wedding, while an irregular texture with flower petals would be ideal for a rustic afternoon wedding. If the paper you love is too rough to print on, use it to line envelopes or create paper sashes to enhance the style.
Color
While ecru and white are still overwhelmingly popular choices, they aren't the only ones. Don't let anyone tell you that bright colors aren't "appropriate" for wedding invitations! Use your common sense. Not all weddings are formal affairs.
Think about the event you are having, its formality, the time of day, the location, and the cultural or personal details you want to include. A white card with traditional black script is not the right invitation to your weekend wedding at a girl's camp in the Adirondacks. Fuchsia, lime green and a plaid ribbon may be perfect for your preppy southern wedding.
Choosing colored paper or envelopes for your wedding invitations adds color without the expense of two-color printing. The best options are light or mid tones which will contrast well with the printing.
Dark colors like navy and chocolate have special considerations. Metallic and white opaque inks needed to print on dark paper are often only available with engraving. Printers use different ink formulations, so limitations will vary. For example, if you have your heart set on a traditional Chinese wedding invitation, William Arthur offers gold metallic thermography on red paper.
Larger sizes suggest more formality and elegance. Don't downplay your upscale event by sending out a tiny card. Whimsical or unexpected shapes like scalloped cards or circles, on the other hand, can let guests know
to anticipate a more relaxed event or even downright quirkiness.
The main considerations for size and shape may be your budget. Larger or unusual sized wedding invitations will cost more and some will require additional postage. Square invitations are very popular, but they cannot be machine-read by the post office, so extra postage is needed.
Don't forget that there are minimum sizes, too! Skipping the envelope and using RSVP postcards can be a great money saver, but the standard RSVP card is too small to use on its own without an envelope. If you want to see how your invitation measures up, check out the online guides from your post office listed in the resources.
Environmental Concerns
Paper has a reputation for not being environmentally friendly, but you can go green for your wedding and have beautiful invitations. Even paper that's all wood pulp can be made entirely from sawmill by-products and post-consumer use recycled content.
To minimize the amount of virgin forest used in your wedding invitations, look for paper with a high cotton content. Cotton is a renewable resource, and the cotton used in paper is a by-product of processing. Other natural fibers to look for include kozo (mulberry) fiber, common in Japanese papers, and lotka, often used in Indian and Nepalese papermaking.
Paper with renewable fibers is easy to find. All high-end wedding invitation printers use it since its greater strength and loft is ideal for engraving and letterpress. Check out Crane's Lettra, a 100% cotton paper created especially for letterpress.
Search out paper made without using chlorine. Chlorine is used to remove lignin from wood pulp, so that it doesn't yellow or degrade over time. Bleaching is also necessary to get pure whites. Paper bleached with oxygen or hydrogen peroxide is a better choice.
Paper Source gives detailed environmental information for all their papers from the percentage of post-consumer recycled content to whether renewable energy was used in its manufacture. Conservatree also has a shopping guide.
There are many paper options for all types of wedding invitations. Have fun collecting a few samples, perusing the shelves of paper stores and checking out wedding invitation albums. Ask your stationer questions! Most
will try not to overwhelm you with information, but are happy to talk about their love of paper if asked. Finally, keep in mind that you'll want coordinating paper for other wedding stationery such as programs or menu cards.
Your wedding is among life's most amazing experiences, and a DIY wedding invitation is an adorable addition to the details that will supply your guests with something to admire and appreciate. By "Designing It
Yourself" or DIY, you will be able to save money and still accomplish the polished look that you want. DIY wedding invitations are a great chance for you to unleash your creative thinking, so adopt these tips for producing the perfect DIY wedding invitations:
1. Research it. With a couple of simple searches you will discover sensational designs from which you will be able to take inspiration. Professional designers lead the way with their letterpress stationery, so ascertain what other people are making and how you'll be able to incorporate their ideas in your DIY wedding stationery.
2. Among the key aspects of good design is balance, or how objects are placed relative to one another. For DIY wedding invitations, determine if you wish the object or text to be very evenly distributed or additional loosely arranged on the page. Whichever style you select, you are able to guarantee that your DIY wedding invitations are appealing by applying multiple elements (such as lace or ribbons) - these will allow for depth and texture to your invites.
3. Like professionally designed wedding invitations, your DIY invitations can profit from having an "anchor" object or focal point on the invitation. One very fashionable method is to create a border or frame around an anchor object, like a picture of the blissful couple that is partially centered on the page. Having this type of attention catching framed object barely off-center will bring about your DIY wedding invitations a more sophisticated look.
4. Use colors that compliment one another and are not overly hard on the eyes. Applying different hues in the same color family can help keep your DIY wedding invitations from appearing too "busy" with color.
You may likewise prefer to experiment with printing on colored paper, as some color schemes will appear better than others. Also, pick out fonts that will compliment your text, are appropriate for the affair, and are comfortable to read. You will need your guests to be able to decipher the details at first sight.
Your DIY wedding invitations can be dainty and personal. Only take care not too over-design them. Abide by the tips here and you will produce wedding invitations that will be treasured by you and your guests for a lifetime.