Creating Paper Cut Wedding Invites: A Diy Guide

Creating your own wedding invitations can be a daunting task, but it can also be a fun and rewarding experience. Not only will it save you money, but it will also add a personal touch to your special day. In this guide, we will take you through the entire process of making paper cut wedding invitations, from designing to printing and assembling. We will also offer tips and tricks to ensure your invitations look professional and elegant. So, whether you're a crafting beginner or a seasoned pro, read on to learn how to make stunning paper cut wedding invitations that will impress your guests.

Choosing paper and printing styles

Choosing the right paper and printing style for your wedding invitations is essential to achieving the desired look and feel. Here are some tips to help you make the right choice:

Paper Types:

• Cardstock: This is the most common choice for wedding invitations. It comes in various weights, colours, and textures, making it versatile and budget-friendly. The weight typically ranges from 80# to 130# for home printers, with heavier options available for professional printers.
• Cotton Cardstock: This type of cardstock is known for its strength, durability, and soft feel. It absorbs ink well, making it ideal for both laser and inkjet printing. Cotton cardstock is often used for a clean, modern look and is considered "photo-safe".
• Linen Cardstock: Linen cardstock has a delicate woven texture and a matte finish, resembling linen fabric. It is perfect for hiding imperfections and adding visual interest to simple invitations.
• Kraft or Recycled Cardstock: This type of cardstock has a rustic, on-trend look. It resembles coarse brown grocery bags but is thicker and more polished. It's a great choice for vintage or outdoorsy weddings.
• Vellum: Vellum is a translucent paper that used to be made from animal skin but is now made from cotton and wood pulp. It adds a sheer and frosted layer to invitations and can be used for belly bands or envelope liners.
• Parchment: Parchment is a thin, semi-translucent paper with a slight marble look. It's perfect for spring or small, intimate weddings that want a unique touch.
• Felt Cardstock: Felt cardstock has a unique texture that falls between cotton and canvas in smoothness and coarseness. It gives invitations an air of sophistication but may not be compatible with all home printers.
• Wood Grain Cardstock: This cardstock has a subtle wood grain texture embossed into the paper, perfect for accents and enclosure cards.
• Laid Cardstock: Laid cardstock has subtle vertical ridges running along its length, giving it a soft, romantic feel.

Printing Styles:

• Engraving and Embossing: These high-end techniques add a touch of luxury to your invitations. Engraving involves filling a custom-made metal plate with ink and pressing it onto the paper, while embossing creates a similar effect without ink.
• Foil Stamping: This method requires metal dies that can withstand high temperatures to impress the image onto the paper. It adds a glamorous, metallic effect that can elevate any paper or design aesthetic.
• Letterpress: Letterpress uses a plastic die to create a soft, romantic feel. The design is stamped into a soft cotton stock, resulting in a vintage vibe.
• UV and Thermographic Printing: These heat-based methods add a slight shine to raised lettering. Thermography is a flexible and affordable option, offering a wide range of colours, including metallic hues.
• Flat Digital Printing: This budget-friendly option provides freedom, flexibility, and quick turnaround times. It allows for playing with paper textures and finishes and can be enhanced with embellishments.

When choosing paper and printing styles, consider your budget, desired look and feel, and the printing method you plan to use. Remember to order slightly more paper than you need for practice and mistakes, and always do test prints to ensure the best results.

Designing the invitations

Choose the Right Tools:

Consider using software like Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator, or Canva for designing your invitations. These programs offer more advanced features and better quality than a simple Word document. Additionally, look for websites that offer downloadable templates, such as Etsy, Creative Market, or stock photography websites.

Keep It Simple:

Opt for a template with just 2-3 colours. Designs that are not too ink-heavy will be more cost-effective to print. Instead of a coloured background or large watercolour flowers, go for a design with a couple of colours. You can always add a pop of colour by using coloured cardstock or backing your invitations with pretty patterned paper.

Consider Your Paper:

The type of paper you choose will impact the overall look and feel of your invitations. Cardstock, for example, gives a more luxurious feel than regular thin printer paper. Aim for cardstock weighing around 120 lb. or more, and consider adding texture with linen or felt. Test different options by printing samples on your home printer to ensure the paper is compatible.

Play with Fonts:

The font you choose can dramatically change the look of your invitation. Experiment with different fonts, font combinations, and treatments (such as italics, uppercase, or lowercase). Try using two different fonts and playing with font sizes to highlight important information, like the bride and groom's names.

Think About Alignment:

Traditionally, wedding invitations have been centred. However, modern invitations often use a right or left-justified layout, or even a combination of alignments. Play around with different alignments to see what works best for your invitation's text and overall design.

Line Spacing:

Pay attention to the spacing between lines. You want the lines to be pleasing to the eye and well-balanced, not too close together or too far apart.

Finalise and Print:

Once you're happy with your design, create and print several versions to get feedback from family and friends. Ultimately, choose the design that you feel the most connected to and that best represents your wedding style and theme.

Printing the invitations

Printing DIY wedding invitations at home is a great way to save money, but it can be time-consuming and may require some trial and error. Here are some detailed steps and tips to help you print your own wedding invitations:

Choose the Right Paper

The type of paper you use will significantly impact the overall look and feel of your invitations. Opt for a thicker cardstock, such as a 120 lb. uncoated cardstock, for a luxurious feel. Linen or felt-textured cardstock can also add a nice touch. Visit a specialty stationery or print shop to browse paper options and ask for recommendations based on your printing method (foil printing, UV printing, or digital printing).

Consider Paper Colour

If you want to incorporate your wedding colours, consider printing on coloured cardstock or backing your invitations with patterned paper. However, keep in mind that designs with lighter colour backgrounds and more white space tend to look better on home printers and will save you ink.

Buy Ink in Bulk

Printing on the "photograph" or "high" setting will give you the best quality, but it can be expensive. Look for bulk ink packs at stores like Sam's Club, Costco, or Amazon that are compatible with your printer. It's a good idea to buy at least one extra set of ink in case you run out.

Plan for Mistakes

Things may go wrong during the printing process, so it's wise to buy extra supplies. Purchase slightly more invitations, envelopes, and ink than you think you'll need to account for mistakes and allow for some buffer.

Find the Right Template

You can design your invitations from scratch using software like Adobe Photoshop, Canva, or Adobe Illustrator. Alternatively, you can purchase a template from sites like Etsy, Creative Market, or stock photography websites for around $5 to $20. Look for templates with just 2-3 colours to minimise ink usage.

Customise Your Design

Customise the template with your wedding details, and consider the layout and font choices. Play around with different fonts, font combinations, and text treatments (italics, uppercase, lowercase) to achieve the desired look. Remember to leave enough space at the top and bottom of the template for any additional design elements, such as a lace pattern or edge punch.

Test Print and Adjust

Before printing on your final cardstock, do a few test prints on regular paper to ensure the design and text are correctly positioned and aligned. Make any necessary adjustments to your template until you're happy with the results.

Finalise and Print

Once you're satisfied with the test prints, it's time to print your invitations on the cardstock of your choice. Remember to set your printer to the highest quality setting for the best results.

Trim and Assemble

After printing, trim your invitations and inserts to size using scissors or a paper cutter. If you're adding any additional design elements, such as a lace pattern or edge punch, do so now. Finally, assemble your invitations by inserting them into envelopes along with any inserts or enclosure cards.

Printing your own wedding invitations can be a fun and rewarding project, but it requires careful planning and attention to detail. By following these steps and tips, you'll be well on your way to creating beautiful and personalised wedding invitations that fit your budget.

Decorating the invitations

There are several ways to decorate your wedding invitations and take them to the next level. Here are some ideas:

• Enclosures: These are used to hold the invitation, along with other components such as response cards and reception cards. They can have pockets or folded sides to keep the contents secure.
• Backing: You can mount your invitation onto a flat card that is slightly larger, creating a thin border and adding heft to the invitation.
• Paper sashes: Sashes can add colour or pattern to the invitation. They can be wrapped around the invitation as a permanent embellishment or something to be removed. You can create sashes at home by cutting strips of paper in the desired width and length.
• Ribbon: Ribbon can be used in the same way as paper sashes, and can even be layered on top. Choose a material, width and colour that fits your style. You can tie a bow or square knot for a lovely presentation.
• Envelope liners: Lining envelopes is an easy way to add an unexpected touch to your invitation. You can choose a solid colour or a decorative paper with a particular pattern or texture. You can make your own envelope liners using any paper and an envelope liner template kit.
• Outer envelopes: An outer envelope can protect the inner envelope and its contents from postal service machines, which can sometimes leave marks. It also ensures that your invitation, embellishments and enclosed cards stay neatly together.
• Return address embosser: A return address embosser adds your return address to the flaps of your envelopes, saving you from having to print or handwrite it.

Assembling the invitations

Once you have all the pieces of your wedding invitation, it's time to assemble them. This is a great opportunity to get your family and friends involved. Before you get everyone started, make sure you've assembled a full invitation from start to finish so you know the steps and have a finished sample for everyone to refer to.

Use an assembly line method for efficiency. Divide the assembly steps into stations and assign one person to each station. For instance, if you are creating a mounted A7 invitation suite, you could have four stations:

Station one = Run the printed invitation through an adhesive machine

Station two = Adhere the invitation to its backing

Station three = Apply a postage stamp to the RSVP envelope

Station four = Insert the backed invitation, RSVP card, and RSVP envelope into the main envelope

If you have additional steps, such as lining envelopes, you can work that into the flow.

For easy assembly, use glue dots or double-stick tape instead of glue. This method will ensure your invitations look neat and tidy.

Frequently asked questions