Making Red Wedding Invitations

Wedding invitations set the tone for the wedding and fill guests with anticipation. Here are some design and cost-saving ideas for homemade invites.

Brides (and grooms) should consider making their own wedding invitations to cut down costs, add a personal touch, and exercise some creativity. Here are some ideas and guidelines for Red wedding invitations:

Keep the Red Wedding Invitation Design Simple

The more complicated the design and construction, the longer it will take to make, the greater chance of something going wrong, and the higher the potential for stress. Keep in mind that a simple design can look as elegant as a complicated one.

There are a few options when it comes to design. The first and most simple option is to print a design on some cardstock and put it in an envelope. Other options could involve layering two or three different types of decorative paper, card or transparent paper and adding embellishments such as ribbon, ornaments or stamps.

Depending on how much information needs to be included in the Red invitation, a small folder could be assembled, with inserts including the invite, accommodation options and directions to the venue. The folder could then be bound with ribbon or twine and held together with a wax seal. A visit to a local art and craft store should provide inspiration and material ideas.

Wedding Invitation Ideas -- Creating a Design

The first thing to do before creating a design is to decide on a theme and choose which size the invites will be. The envelope size should also be considered, as well as the cost of postage – anything too heavy or oddly shaped will incur an extra fee. Some common envelope sizes are DL (1/3 A4), C6 (half A4) and a 13 cm square. Make sure the invite fits easily into the envelope!

Once a theme has been chosen it will be easier to pick the elements of the invite. Usually, the theme will emulate the theme of the wedding, be it vintage, country, fairytale or ‘by the seaside’. Think of a motif or images that describe the bride and groom as a couple, or choose tried and true romantic images such as hearts, foliage designs or love birds. Using a photo or illustrated drawing of the bride and groom is also a popular idea.

Once an idea has been formed, start searching the internet for images that suit the theme. If the design is going to be created in Photoshop, look for free Photoshop brushes – there are literally thousands of designs and images that will make the design process wonderfully easy! Next, search for free fonts that suit the invite theme and download them to the font folder on the computer.

Once all the elements of the design have been found, take time to get the wording of the invites right (deciding what traditions and etiquette will be followed) and arrange images in an eye-catching way. Keep the colour theme simple (and matching) and don’t overcrowd the page.

Printing Options and Red Bridal Invitation Construction

Once the design is finished, it’s time to decide where the job will be printed. Options include home printing (providing the bride and groom own or have access to a printer), outsourcing to a specialist printing company or superstore such as Officeworks, or finding an online printing company that delivers.

Some other considerations might include the type of paper the invites will be printed on, the volume of invitations to be printed, and the quality of colour which the various printers can produce.

If home printing is the most convenient option, one cost saving tip is to buy some cardstock (found in stationary, art or newsagency stores) in A3 size, then use a craft knife, metal ruler and cutting mat to cut the invitations to size.

Cost Comparison -- DIY or Outsource?

As fun as the process of invitation making might be, it’s also wise to shop around for some quotes to have the invitation professionally made. Once professional quotes have been obtained, calculate the total cost of making them at home, including card and paper, accessories, ink (or printing costs) and envelopes. Will the end product be cost efficient enough to be worth the effort?

If so, then prepare for long hours of hard work and potentially a few frustrations. On the plus side, invitation making is a good way for the bride and groom to spend some time together pre-wedding and it gives both the chance to offer input into the design. If the design has been well thought out, then the end result will be an invitation that the couple will be proud of.