Invitations are a guests’ first look at what your wedding will be like. Will it be luxe? Sophisticated? Rustic? Your invitations should be a reflection of what the guests can expect. With this in mind, there are 5 important things you should consider when choosing your invitations.
Where is the ceremony? At a beach or a mountaintop? In a historic mansion? At your family’s church? This will help you think of a general theme for your invitation design-- for example, if the ceremony is lakeside, perhaps incorporating champagne and blue-green watercolor into your invitation would be a subtle but effective homage to the location.
It’s always a great touch to include the same colors you are asking your bridal party to wear, or the colors your flowers will be. Andrea at Protea Press, an invitation company that we adore, tells us “I’ve been doing a lot of inkier watercolors and dark green/blue/purple/charcoal ink washes.” This 2017 watercolor trend allows you to have a subtle color scheme match between the colors at the wedding and the colors in your invitations.
What do you do for fun? How did you meet your fiance? For example, I photographed a couple who met on a hiking trip that mutual friends had organized. For their wedding, they chose a rustic invitation that matched their theme, and had their wedding on a mountaintop. Their story made their wedding choices that much more special to them, and reflected who they were as a couple.
Can you make this invitation style work for other aspects of the wedding? For example, you will probably want your menu and your thank yous to match your save-the-date and your invitation. Choosing an overarching style is difficult but will make the entire experience much more cohesive. Fonts are especially important to consider. Andrea says that this year she has noticed that “fonts are leaning more towards the hand lettered look, so not perfect structured scripts, which is fun.”
This ties in all of the items above. Is it rustic? If so, Pantone’s color of the year in 2017 is Greenery, which is being incorporated into many invitations this season. This pairs well with a boho or rustic wedding, which might be perfect for an outdoor ceremony for two people who love nature. Andrea from Protea Press explains: “So far this year there’s been a HUGE amount of greenery: laurel wreaths, olive branches, eucalyptus, and watercolor leaves/branches (as opposed to last year’s watercolor florals). Lots of trees/mountains/nature too.” Or, perhaps you are going for a classic look. In this case, pale blushes, champagne, pastels (including mint!) and hints of sparkles are becoming the very definition of classic wedding. Andrea adds, “gold foil is definitely still in, but lots of my clients are opting for rose gold instead.”
If your invitations reflect you and your fiance, your guests will notice that and appreciate them so much more than if they are hastily thrown together. Additionally, if they are thoughtfully crafted and beautiful, your guests will be so excited for your wedding-- even if it’s a year away. The hype will build, and your guests will be counting down the days until you tie the knot.
Charleston Photographers Amy & David Bennett | 1559 Gemstone Dr, Mount Pleasant, SC
802.825.7505 | www.amybennettphoto.com | amybennettphoto@gmail.com