Getting married is a very exciting time. It is also a time where you can be as creative as you like. When it comes to your wedding invitations, whether you choose to buy them, have them made or make them yourself, there are plenty of opportunities to show your personality. Even if you are not normally a creative person, making your own wedding invitations can be great fun, allowing you to have the exact invitations you want. Here are some tips for those of you who would like to make your own wedding invitations but are not sure how to go about it.
Consideration 1: time
The most important consideration before you even start. It is no good having an amazing invitation idea, but not having time or funds to execute it. You need to have your list of guests and think about how many invitations you need to make. If it takes an hour to make your chosen design and you need to make 50, that’s 50 hours of invitation making you potentially face. If your wedding is way off in the distance (over 6 months away) you could probably fit this in. If you have less time, you want to get your invites out as soon as possible so need to make them quickly. Depending on how far away people need to travel, aim to give your wedding invitations out around 4-6 months before your wedding, so people who are travelling can book accommodation and travel, as well as get time off work. If your time is limited, try and opt for a simpler design, and if possible enlist the help of your partner, family and friends.
Consideration 2: budget
Like with all things for your wedding, setting a budget for your wedding invitations is really important. You need to think about everything you will need including equipment such as special stamps, scissors, glues etc. If you know you need special equipment such as stampers, see if you have friends who are willing to lend them. They may even offer to come and help you make your invitations, saving time as well as money. If you know what you want, keep an eye online or even car boot sales to source cheaper materials. Of course if you have a bigger budget for your invitations, this may not be too much of an issue, but remember any savings made on invitations could be put towards other aspects of your wedding. Don’t forget to include the cost of sending invitations in your budget!
Consideration 3: colour
Generally, invitations tend to reflect the colour preferences of the couple. Many choose colour themes for the actual wedding, which is reflected by the bridesmaid dresses and men’s shirts. This could be the main colour of your invitations. Some colours will be easier to get hold of than other, so do some research to make sure you can get the materials you need in the colours you want, readily and easily. You don’t want to risk running out or finding yourself needing to make a few extra invitations and not being able to get the original material. It is always good practice to buy more of what you need, in case you mess up or do indeed need to make more invitations at a later date.
Consideration 4: decoration
Think about how you would like to decorate your invitations. What materials will you need? Can I get enough of the materials I want for the number of invitations I wish to make? It’s nice to link your decorations to your wedding colours, as well as thinking of decorations that match you and your partner’s personality. You don’t have to cover your invitations in pretty flowers and butterflies if it’s not really your thing. If you and your partner like the beach for example, link your invitations to this by decorating with shell shapes. Maybe you have been somewhere special on holiday (Paris, Rome, New York) or a favourite place you like to go. Use ideas from these places to decorate your invitations. Creating boards or collecting things you like to help you choose the final decorations can really help. If you are going to be sending alot of your invitations in the post don’t forget that some decorations may make your invites quite thick or heavy, making the cost to send them more than a standard letter.
Consideration 5: making them
When all the above considerations have been thought through, now is the time to think about making them. Personally, having a few girls round (pick your creative friends) to help can make the whole thing a lot easier and less stressful. It can also be lots of fun. It might be something you do with your bridesmaids. Give each person a job, almost so that you have a production line, rather than everyone making their own invites. This will mean you’re not all trying to use the equipment at the same time. Pick your friends with the best handwriting to write in them, or have your information printed on paper, choosing a nice font (just make sure it is legible!). If you are making them yourself, try and set aside a reasonable amount of time to do this. It might be that you have a day and you just go for it, or maybe over a few evenings /weekends, whatever works best for you. Try and get them made from start to finish in around a week, as any longer you may loose momentum, or some of your equipment.
When it comes to the writing part, remember to include all the key information such as venue for wedding/reception with post codes so people can find them, recommendations for places to stay nearby (think about people’s budgets), times, food choices, presents and by when you would like to know if they are coming. Give people plenty of opportunities to RSVP by including email, phone number and address.
Making your invitations shouldn’t be stressful, and if you think carefully about the considerations above you should be able to make your own personalised wedding invitations in a fun and interesting way.
