There is always the misconception that elegant wedding invitations are a costly affair. This need not be as it depends on the type of materials used and whether any expensive services are engaged or not, such as getting a highly sought-after graphic designer who asks for a lot for his services. Even a simple do-it-yourself (DIY) invitation cards can look elegant and yet affordable. In fact, there is no exact definition of ‘elegant’ that dictates the ‘must-have’ in a card. It is actually very subjective and up to one to interpret what defines ‘elegant’. Nevertheless, the common understanding is to have simple and classy or even a classic design and sense of formality in its overall layout and presentation, including the wordings used. Less is often best for an elegant card.
The easiest way to create a wedding invitation that looks classy and stunning but yet affordable is to use card blanks. These are literally ready-made cards that can be folded along the pre-scored fold and be inserted into envelopes after some designs and wordings are printed on them. They are usually sold in bulk quantities of 50 or 100. These cards can come in envelopes with matching or contrasting colors. For an elegant look, one can choose soft hues like florescent or pearl white, ecru, ivory or cream.
In terms of the paper types to be used, there is a great variety available in the market nowadays. One of the most common ones is the textured paper. This type of paper gives a dimple effect and can be used as an insert paper too. It comes in various paper stocks and thus it is easy to find matching card stocks as well. The other type of paper is the scrapbooking paper. This is widely available in arts and stationery shops. It usually has a decorative print on one side and a slightly plainer pattern on the back. Messages can be printed on the latter for clarity. For some shimmering look, one can get the pearlscent, metallic and glittering papers that can add some sparkle to a plain card.
Other specialty papers like the vellum paper can give an elegant look to a wedding invitation. It is a semi-transparent paper that comes in various colors, patterns and textured sections of foam on the surface of the paper. For the classic look, one can opt for plain vellum in gold, platinum white, ornate white or silver color. This range of colors usually comes with a pearlscent effect. Another type of paper that can be used is the Angel Hair. It is a very fine paper that looks like candy floss that has been flattened, and thus gives a soft feel. It is usually used as layers on the front, at the back, panels or simply to add character to the card.
As ‘elegant’ is often associated with simplicity, it is wise to minimize the embellishments that come with the wedding invitation. Normally, one or two embellishments are more than enough to create a unique and outstanding card. One of them is the crystal heart gems with flat back. They come in varied colors to match the card. It is easy to use as one just needs to dab a little PVA glue to attach it on the wedding invitations. For a more exquisite look, one can go for the mini padded hearts in different colors, from sparkly gold to silver and red. For a cheaper alternative of heart-shaped designs, the mini wire hearts is a good choice. They can come in striking colors that stand out when affixed against a soft-colored background. These heart shapes are sweet-looking and can give a sentimental feel.
Another embellishment that projects a classy look is the brad, a decorative paper fastener that adds great accents to the invitation. They can come in the shapes of butterfly, dragonfly, heart, wedding cake and rose. A simple brad changes the overall presentation of the card that makes it simply charming, your very own .
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