As you start to plan your wedding, there are a number of aspects you'll turn to the professionals for assistance with. For example, unless you're an aspiring fashion designer, you'll likely purchase your ensemble for the big day from a boutique. And while you may feel as though your iPhone photos are quite spectacular, you'll likely hire a photographer to document all of the key moments at your celebration. However, whether you're operating on a tight budget, want to cut down on costs, or simply feel empowered to take on more of the tasks yourself, you may decide to make your own wedding invitations. Even though choosing to do so isn't necessarily uncommon, it does require careful planning—and an extensive time commitment.
Meet the Expert
- Brittany Michelle is the founder and CEO of The Venlist, a virtual wedding- and event-planning company.
- Valarie Kirkbride is the founder and team manager of Kirkbrides Wedding Planning & Design.
- Becky Piscitelli is the owner of Cards & Pockets, a stationery manufacturing, printing, and distributing company.
Before you get started creating your DIY invites, it's important to map out all of the expenses you'll incur as a result of this task. "Many couples choose DIY wedding invitation options because of the potential savings, but costs can add up quickly," says Brittany Michelle, the founder and CEO of The Venlist. "If you're aiming to create a uniquely stunning wedding invitation without overspending, keep the design simple and limit the number of inserts in the invitation suite." If you find that the fees are getting a little too high—but you still can't afford custom invitations—opt to go the semi-custom route, collaborating with a designer on some aspects while doing others yourself.
Below, the experts explain where to find inspiration for your wedding invitations and provide a step-by-step guide on how to actually create your invites. Read on for everything you need to know.
Where to Find Inspiration for Your DIY Wedding Invitations
"When creating your own wedding invitations, a great place to start is by considering your overall wedding aesthetic—things like your wedding colors, the city you're tying the knot in, or whether you're getting married in a garden, hotel, or something else," says Michelle. She adds that you can also consider incorporating aspects of your relationship, such as the spot where you had your first date or your favorite team to root for together. When looking for inspiration online, be incredibly specific in your search, says Valarie Kirkbride, the founder and team manager of Kirkbrides Wedding Planning & Design. "Think of a few words that capture the mood you want—sophisticated, modern, casual, cocktail-chic, colorful, summery, boho—and use those as a guide when searching Pinterest or Etsy for invitation inspiration," she adds.
If there aren't any specific motifs you're looking to incorporate into your wedding invitations, turn to the design of your big day for inspiration, says Kirkbride. "Patterns—like florals or nature-inspired prints, geometric or graphic motifs, hand-drawn artwork, textile-inspired elements, or even cultural and historical references—can be beautifully infused into your invitation design," she adds. Ultimately, the design of your invites can also influence other paper products, such as your bar signage or place cards.
Photo by Deirdre Alston
6 Key Steps to Follow When Making Your Own Wedding Invitations
Once you've found your inspiration and created your mood board, it's time to start creating the invites. Below, the experts break down the six key steps to follow when making your own wedding invitations.
Assess Your Skill Level
Not everyone is an expert-level crafter—and that's completely okay. However, if you're envisioning your invites with different shapes, various layers, and complex edging, you may need to reassess what you're actually able to do, says Becky Piscitelli, the owner of Cards & Pockers. You'll also want to take inventory of how much time you have to devote to this task. Making your own wedding invitations isn't an easy to-do—and requires a substantial time commitment.
Source Supplies and Test Your Printer
Now is the time to source all of the supplies you'll need to create your own wedding invitations, including the paper and printer you'll use in the process. Start by researching the maximum paper weight your printer can handle, Piscitelli says. "Most printers, especially inkjet printers, can accommodate specialty stocks and smaller sizes, but be sure to do some research and some testing before purchasing anything in bulk," she adds. If you want to avoid having a border around your invitation, make sure to seek out a printer with a borderless capability. Additionally, select the color of your paper carefully. "Even a light pastel stock will skew the color profile, and you may not achieve the look you are hoping for," she warns.
Find the Right Site for Your Design
When crafting your own wedding invitations, it's important to find the right site for what you specifically need. "If you're a design ninja and you're fully confident that you can create the vision you want all by yourself, Canva is your answer," Michelle says. "If you have a vision, a few sketches or mock-ups, but you still feel stuck, my go-to is Minted or Paper Source. They provide stationery experts who will work with you to bring your wedding invitation vision to life." Piscitelli also recommends downloading the Procreate app to start sketching your own artwork and lettering. And if you want to go the semi-custom route? She suggests purchasing files or printed materials from an Etsy designer or a Creative Market design.
Finalize and Print Your Design
After you've completed your design, it's finally time to print out your invitations. If you're printing them out at home, Piscitelli says to make sure you're using a high-resolution file. However, if you're sending your file to a printer, compile PDFs that don't have any crops or printer's marks, she says. And be mindful of your edges before hitting print. "Bleeds are the most confusing thing for most DIY designers who are not familiar with the print process," she says. "Typically, if your design is meant to print to any edge of the card (as if it is 'cut off'), you will likely need an extra one-eight of an inch added to each edge, [or] a quarter of an inch total added to each dimension. The printer will print your design and cut the 'sacrificial' artwork off, leaving a clean edge-to-edge print."
Add in the Layers and Embellishments
Once you've printed out all of your cards, it's time to think about the embellishments and layers that will truly make your invitations shine. Perhaps you purchase some tassels to attach your RSVP card—or a wax seal to seal your envelope. "Ribbons and bows are a little less popular right now, but if you do opt for them, lightweight silks and translucent soft materials are the most common, or a simple band of thin velvet in a bold jewel tone, depending on your vibe," Piscitelli says.
Assemble and Mail Your Invitations
After finalizing your invites, it's time to assemble all of the pieces together, placing your inserts inside of the corresponding envelopes and sealing them. Once you have one invitation suite sealed in the envelope, take it to the post office to be weighed. That way, you'll know the correct amount of postage to purchase for all of your invites. And make sure to leave enough time to send them out: It's typically recommend to make sure your invitations are mailed six to eight weeks before your celebration.
