CHOOSING YOUR WEDDING INVITATIONS

Emily In Paris Flatlays-52 copy
Regency inspired wedding invitation
handmade paper wedding invitation

Choosing your wedding invitations can be one of the most daunting tasks for a couple during wedding planning. Just search “wedding invitations” and you get thousands of options on your computer screen. It’s understandable how choosing your wedding invitations can be overwhelming and why this task is often put off until the last minute.

Let me say this to you now…don’t wait until the last minute to choose the perfect wedding invitation.

Even if you’re not going with custom invitations, you need to plan ahead and give yourself, and your stationer, enough time to complete the process. To ease the process of choosing your wedding invitations there are pre-designed or what are referred to as “semi-custom” or “collection” invitations in the stationer world. They are ready to go and just need your information added. Typically, these should be ordered no less than 8 weeks before your mailing date. This allows enough time for printing, shipping, assembly and any other tasks that may have to be completed. If you’re adding any special processes like letterpress or stamped foil, add another 2-3 weeks onto the timeline for ordering.

vintage laurel wreath monogram wedding invitation Noelle sq

So…how do you start your search for the perfect wedding invitation?

There are 3 things you will need to figure out before you start your search. I call them the “3 D’s”: Define, Determine, Decide

I. Define

Define your wedding style. Boho, Rustic, Glam, Modern, Elegant, Romantic…the list goes on and on. You may describe your style as “Elegant Rustic” or “Modern Boho” and that is perfectly fine! There is no set rule and it’s your wedding. Just keep in mind that the style, more often than not, relates to the tone of the wedding. That said, a more formal and classic design for an invitation would be used for a ceremony in a place of worship. A bolder, less formal, or more casual style can be used for ceremonies held elsewhere. Choose a wedding invitation that best shows off your personality and how you want to present your wedding to your guests. Remember, it’s the first thing they see. Wow them the second they open the envelope!

golden yellow invitation suite - mid century modern invitation
MID-CENTURY MODERN
modern monogram black and white wedding invitation
MODERN
light pink romantic floral wedding invitation
ELEGANT
romantic regency inspired wedding invitation
ROMANTIC
desert terracotta wedding invitation
RUSTIC

II. Determine

Determine your color palette. Choosing a wedding invitation color palette is really your personal preference. Pretty much anything goes for any time of year now. If you want to stick to the seasonal palettes, paler colors like blush, dusty blue and lavender are perfect for Spring and Summer. Pair them with complementary colors like white or ivory and a slightly darker color to round out the palette. You can also add an accent like a sage green or metallic like rose gold. For Fall and Winter, deeper colors like plum, burgundy and navy are always a good choice. They work well with lighter accent colors, greys and metallics. For any palette, keep it simple. A minimum of 2 colors and not more than 5 is plenty. And remember, they don’t have to be used everywhere. A bit of advice: choose a wedding invitation palette that you will love 10 years from now. Below are some examples of color palettes and inspiration:

color palettes for any season

III. Decide

Decide on a budget. Yeah, that pesky thing we all have to be aware of. It’s tough to choose just one wedding invitation with so many pretty choices out there. Deciding on a budget will really help you in the long run though and keep your entire wedding costs on track. Remember that custom invitations are going to cost you more. If they are within your budget, then go for it! There is nothing better than invitations designed just for you. If you have to reel it in a bit, consider semi-custom invitations. Often times, fonts and colors can be customized to meet your needs. Many of our styles at Lauren Yvonne Design can be re-colored to match your palette. Keep in mind though that designs with watercolor or full color photos cannot usually be matched.
In a future blog post we will discuss what invitations actually cost.

That’s really it, that’s all you need to begin your search to choose the perfect wedding invitation. There are other facets involved once you do decide on a design and we will discuss that in an upcoming blog post.

Feel free to email me if you have any questions: hello@laurenyvonnedesign.com …I’m all ears!

Have a great day!

~Lauren

PHOTO CREDIT: LAUREN YVONNE DESIGN

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