Creating DIY Wedding Invitations that Look More Chic than Shabby

You are a frugal couple and spending exuberant amounts of money on wedding invitations is not even in the question. Do-it-yourself wedding invites are a practical and realistic way to save money. But if you are not artistically inclined, you may worry that making your own invites will only end in disaster. Never fear! Even the most hopeless individuals can make chic DIY wedding invitations by following a few simple guidelines.

1. Invest in quality paper

While you can allow your practicality to reign in other aspects of this DIY process, purchasing a quality paper with ensure that your invites look more chic than shabby. Flimsy, thin paper will immediately give away that your invites fell victim to a small budget. Find a weighty paper, perhaps with a texture or a finish. Select a muted color for the paper that allows the font to be clearly read. The color of the paper should match the color scheme of your wedding and the font should be a dark neutral.

2. Use your computer

If you never received good marks for handwriting in grade school and can hardly make your scribbles readable much less aesthetically pleasing, utilize your computer. Most computers contain some type of word processing or design program. Use these to make the font on your invites uniform, crisp, and beautiful. You have endless options on the style of font and should be able to find one which agrees with the style of your wedding and your personal preference.

3. Include all the details

A sure sign of a professional invite is one that includes all the necessary details. The full names of you and your loved one should be the largest aspect on the wedding invites, as that is what these letters serve to announce. Parents’ names are optional but may assist with the wording of the announcement. Make the location of the ceremony clear by including the venue name and address. Don’t forget to make the date of your wedding obvious. Next, indicate the time, making sure to reference whether it is A.M. or P.M. Finally, pinpoint the RSVP date.

Double and triple check that your DIY wedding invites include this information. Your invites will look shabby if you have to squeeze in a handwritten detail you forgot to include before you printed them out. Ask your betrothed, your mother, and a friend to look over the invite before you permanently print the design onto the paper you purchased.

4. RSVP uniquely

As mentioned above, you should ask your guests to respond to your wedding invitation by a certain date. Instead of including an additional paper, envelope, and postage that your guests will have to return to you, try a more unconventional route. Prompt receivers of your invitations to email, call, text, or more and provide your respective contact information. You can include the items of a more traditional RSVP for older, less technologically savvy guests or get in touch with them personally in order to confirm their attendance.

5. Moderate embellishments

While you may be tempted to go wild with eye-catching embellishments, moderate your use of this form of decoration. Flashy embellishments can easily cheapen the look of your invites, as well as presenting an unnecessary expense. One or two strategically placed bows, buttons, or rhinestones can increase the aesthetic appeal of your invite, but any more than that can overwhelm your guests. Also, too many embellishments will increased the weight of your announcements, potentially driving up postage costs.

6. Save on envelopes

While you should invest in a quality paper when making DIY wedding invites, the quality of your envelopes is less important. The simple, white variety will do the trick and can be bought in bulk. In order to dress up these basic envelopes, take your time when writing out the addresses. You can purchase a large number of personalized return address labels for only a couple of dollars. For the guests’ addresses, you can enlist the help of a friend or family member with good handwriting.

Making your own wedding invites is a wise way to save money without forsaking any quality. If you carefully create these announcements, your guests will never guess how little money you spent on them. You do not need to have artistic talent or experience in order to create beautiful invites. All you need is a determination to stick to your budget and the willingness to put forth the effort necessary to do so. Chic DIY wedding invites can be achieved by purchasing quality paper, using your computer, including all the details, RSVP-ing uniquely, moderating embellishments, and saving on envelopes. Follow these guidelines, let your creativity run free, and enjoy the final product!