I understand how great it is to get your creative juices flowing and design your own invitations – it’s something each of my clients do. Designing your invitations is one thing; making them yourself is a different ball game.
You don’t have to be wildly creative to make your own invitations but what you do need is time – a lot of it – and patience in bucket-loads. It is extremely rewarding to make something yourself but making 50, 100 or more of the same thing over and over again can sap the energy of even the most determined person.
If you are keen to give it a go, here are a few tips...
Timing However long you think your invitations will take to make, double it and add a little extra. Trust me on this – it’ll save you a lot of stress.
Timescale Work backwards from your wedding date. Invitations should be sent out at least 6-8 weeks before your wedding; earlier if the date is during popular holiday months (you may even consider sending Save the Dates). You will also want to think about when you need to let venues/coach companies know numbers and factor this in.
Design Keep it simple and personal. It’s nice if the invitations say a little bit about you.
Materials Remember to factor things like adhesives etc into your budget and make sure you use the right ones for the job.
Help Co-opt your bridesmaids and family to help. Remember that not everyone has the same level of skill or perfection, so assign tasks accordingly.
Patience Whether making use of friends, or going it alone, take time to develop the design and research your materials. Have the patience to get the design of the invitation right and then complete the component parts one by one.
Perfection Handmade invitations are individual, each one has been made by hand – your hand – and not a machine, so be kind to yourself and don’t judge your work too harshly. Your guests will appreciate the effort you’ve gone to for them.
If all of this sounds like too much work, but you have a specific idea of how you want your invitations to look, you could always design them together with a company who will make them for you!