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What are the Different Types of Wedding Invitations?

Sherry Holetzky
Sherry Holetzky

You are planning the day you have dreamed of since you were a child. Everything has to be perfect from the very start, including the wedding invitations. From handcrafted specialty invitations to formal, engraved styles or cards with raised letting, there are beautiful wedding invitations available to help make planning your special day an enjoyable process. Whether you choose stock invitations or decide to have them custom made, invitations an important part of setting the mood for your big day.

From contemporary to traditional, there are wedding invitations to compliment every theme. If you prefer simple invitations, you might choose ready-to-use wedding invitations available in card shops, stationary stores, and bridal supply outlets. If you prefer to go all out, custom-made wedding invitations can incorporate anything you can dream up.

A wedding invitation will ask if a guest will be bringing someone else so that the appropriate number of plates can be laid out at the reception.
A wedding invitation will ask if a guest will be bringing someone else so that the appropriate number of plates can be laid out at the reception.

If you are planning a fairy tale wedding, or a vintage affair, you can have the perfect wedding invitations designed to coordinate with your theme. Choose a layered design, or one with a vintage feel, complete with wax seal. You might also consider handmade paper with embedded flower petals, lettered in calligraphy.

If traditional doesn't suit you, don't worry. There are also plenty of modern and even funky styles to choose from, and you can always have something created especially for you. If you create your own art, or have favorite photos of you and your beloved, you may want to add such items to your wedding invitations to give them a more personal touch. You can also purchase blank invitation cards and decorate them yourself.

If you wish to celebrate your heritage or religion through the theme of your wedding, you can also use your ivitations to express your culture the wedding even begins.

Wedding invitations may be designed to reflect many different themes.
Wedding invitations may be designed to reflect many different themes.

Many wedding invitations come complete with matching envelopes and may even include a return R.S.V.P. card, much like a post card, or R.S.V.P. cards with return envelopes. Many invitation sets also include personalized thank you notes, which will make things easier for you after the big day, so make sure you select all the features you need when ordering your wedding invitations. It's your day and it should be just the way you dreamed it would be from the very first step.

Discussion Comments

chicada

@ Fiorite- Another place to look for eco-friendly but elegant wedding invitations is a site called momental designs. There are other sites too that are similar. This site is the home page for an artist who hand makes wedding invitations. She has some invitations that are made entirely from recycled paper that is tree free.

istria

@ Fiorite- I went with an online site called the petal press to buy a scrapbook for my mother. They have great scrapbooks and wedding albums made from handmade papers. They also have some very cute unique wedding and event invitations. Their prices are reasonable, and they definitely do not use cheesy clip-art. You should tell your fiancée to check this site. The items are unique, down to earth, and the colors are great.

Fiorite

My fiancée has been looking for wedding invitations for a while now, and she has not been able to find any that she likes. We are having a non-traditional, non-denominational beach wedding in Hawaii, so she wants something elegant, but casual. Her main complaint is that everything she has looked at either has cheesy clip-art, or is over the top. We would like to find nice handmade wedding invitations that speak to our casual style.

We are basically having a barefoot wedding on a Maui beach at sunrise. She is wearing a chiffon gown, and I am wearing linen. We are both into sustainability. If anyone has any ideas, I would appreciate it.

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    • A wedding invitation will ask if a guest will be bringing someone else so that the appropriate number of plates can be laid out at the reception.
      By: shotsstudio
      A wedding invitation will ask if a guest will be bringing someone else so that the appropriate number of plates can be laid out at the reception.
    • Wedding invitations may be designed to reflect many different themes.
      By: Deklofenak
      Wedding invitations may be designed to reflect many different themes.
    • An old fashioned quill and ink may be used to create calligraphy on wedding invitations.
      By: Nejron Photo
      An old fashioned quill and ink may be used to create calligraphy on wedding invitations.