Creating your own wedding invitations

For many couples, designing and creating their own wedding invitations is a very enticing concept. Working together to create an invitation that is 100% unique helps the couple feel more like a team, and the idea of creating a beautiful invitation that others can keep as a remembrance of the wedding is a touching gesture.

With all of the planning that is necessary for a wedding, taking on the added task of designing and creating your own wedding invitations may seem like a task to be dreaded rather than enjoyed, but many couples find it to be an enjoyable diversion, and a money saver as well. With so many rules and traditions for the wedding, and so many people pulling in many different directions, the creative outlet of designing and assembling invitations can be therapeutic.

Do it yourself invitations do not have to be difficult or time consuming. Modern home computers, and pre-assembled do-it-yourself invitation kits make the process straightforward. With some patience, even those who do not consider themselves artistic at all can create unique and beautiful wedding invitations.

What types of invitations can you create yourself?
• Photo invitations.
There are many ways to add a photograph of you and your fiancé to a wedding invitation. Some do-it-yourself kits are designed so that you can create an overlay of vellum to a photo printed on the invitation paper. To create a finished look, add a bow in a complimentary color. A photo wedding invitation will stand out to your guests from most other wedding invitations they receive, and will really add a personal touch.

• Traditional invitations.
If you are interested in traditional invitations, there are many available in do-it-yourself kits. These invitation kits include the invitation card stock, response card stock and envelopes for both. You will decide the wording for the invitation and print the invitations yourself. Most invitation kits are compatible with both ink jet and laser printers.

Benefits of Do-It-Yourself Invitations

There are several reasons why the couple may want to design and put together their own invitations. While money is one consideration, it is not the only one. For many couples, designing and creating their wedding invitations is a fun and romantic way to enjoy the wedding celebration. Rather than the usual process of choosing invitations at the wedding store or online, you and your future spouse can choose the general design, and then work on it together, at home. This allows you to experiment with different fonts, styles and wording choices without the pressure to make a quick decision.

Once you have finalized your choices, you will print the invitations, and assemble them. This can also be a fun activity for the wedding couple, or the bride may choose to invite her bridesmaids over for help. The amount of assembling necessary depends on the cards that you choose. Some will require nothing other than printing and envelope stuffing and addressing, which is the same amount of work as with traditional invitations. Others may require you to fit a sheet of vellum over the top of the invitations and securing it with ribbon. Regardless of the type of invitation that you choose, the kit will come with all of the materials necessary for a completed invitation.

Adding your own personal touch

Even if you purchase a do-it-yourself kit for your invitations you can still personalize even further by adding your own touch and sense of style. Once you have printed your invitations, you can add stamps, ribbon or other ornaments to your wedding invitations. This is a wonderful way to make your invitation 100% unique, while adding a charming, home crafted and personal touch.

Once you have addressed all of the envelopes, you may want to add some decorative touches to the envelopes as well. You can add a monogrammed stamp or a motif, or a more traditional envelope seal. You may also want to add some wedding themed ink stamps to the outside of the envelope for a whimsical look.

You can spend as much or as little time as you like on your do-it-yourself invitations. Of course if your event is smaller in size, designing your own wedding invitations is a much more manageable task, but it can also be done for larger events. Some couples choose to make each invitation unique, with personalized stamps and decorations for each invitation, while others make all the invitations alike, and add nothing extra before putting them in the mail. Whether your goal is simply to save some money or to express your inner artist, creating your own do-it-yourself invitations can be a very rewarding experience.
by Arianna Jordan

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