Spruce Up Printed Wedding Reception Invitations

Most couples that are planning a wedding reception make a lot of their plans around a budget. Satin custom handmade invitations look great, but those kind of invites are often times too expensive for the average couple to afford.

Going to mass printed wedding reception invitation cards does not mean having to sacrifice beauty. Getting a matte finish, digitally printed greeting card might seem a little plain at first, but think of all the handmade embellishments that you can add later to make your invites custom and unique. Ribbons, rhinestones, dried flowers and additional velum paper/envelopes all add to a wedding invitation design that people will be talking about long after you say “I do.” Here are some great embellishment ideas:

Ribbon

One of the cheapest, easiest embellishments you can add, and the possibilities are endless. There are many different types of ribbon, so try to think outside of the box on this one. If you don’t want to use a satin ribbon, try the rustic raffia ribbon or instead of a thick strand of ribbon, try a thin string to bring a sense of texture.

Example:

Your print order: A matte finish greeting card with the bride's name or picture at the top left and the groom's at the bottom right.

Your embellishment:

Try tying a ribbon around the top and bottom of the front of your invitation. This will separate the front of the card into four rectangles. Make a bow in the middle to give the illusion of your card being a present for your guests. The bride’s name/picture will be in the top left rectangle and the groom will be in the bottom right.

Rhinestones

Lots of brides love bling. Nothing says fancy wedding reception like diamonds and sparkle. Your invitation can easily go from bland to bling in a few simple steps. Starting with a printed card, you can add stick-on diamonds in strategic places and give your card a fresh face.

Example:

Your print order: Use a printed greeting card with a landscape orientation. The front of the card will show an inspiring quote about love in a pretty script font. Center the quote on the card’s front and use center justification.

Your embellishment: Find a swirl design on the Internet that you like. Lightly trace the swirl design, small and underneath the quote on the invitation with pencil. Place the stick-on rhinestones along your swirl pattern or glue them down. Be sure to use a small amount of glue on each stone, you don’t want the glue spreading outside of the stone.

Dried flowers

Dried flowers, especially fragrant flowers such as jasmine and lavender can add a sweet touch to any card. Your guests will have a feeling of calm and peace from these types of smells and gets them looking forward to coming to the wedding reception!

Example:

Your print order: Start with a plain white card. Don’t use any printed words on the front, rather use all of your text for the card on the inside; using a font color similar to that of the flower.

Your embellishment: Take a small dried flower and wrap string or raffia around the stem, tying a knot. Take a small hole punch and punch out two small holes right next to each other near the top of the front of the card. Thread the string from the knot through each of the holes and tie a knot in the back of the card.

Charms

Not a bling person? There is a way to add interest to a wedding card without having all of that sparkle and shine. Perhaps you’re more into antiques, or you’re having a Victorian-style wedding. Adding an aged look with charms might be a better way to spice up your invites.

Example:

Your print order: Order a printed card that is blank on the front and has your wedding text on the inside.

Your embellishment: Find a bronze set of alphabet charms from your local craft store. Find the letters that spell out your name (to save money, perhaps just the first or just the last names). Use a small hole punch and cut two small holes where each charm should be. Use ribbon or string to thread through the holes and the charm to attach the charms to the card. Tie a ribbon that will show on the front to add an extra touch.