Crafting Wedding Bands: Diy Invitation Ideas

Wedding invitation bands, also known as belly bands, are a great way to add a touch of elegance and creativity to your wedding invitations. They are slim, decorative paper bands that fit snugly around your invitations, holding all the pieces of your set together. In this guide, we will walk you through the steps to make your own wedding invitation bands, from finding the right materials to assembling the final product. We will also provide tips on customising your bands to match your wedding theme and colour palette. By the end, you will be able to create beautiful and unique wedding invitations that your guests will be excited to receive.

Choosing the right paper for your belly bands

Belly bands are a great way to add a finishing touch to your wedding invitations. They are slim, long pieces of paper that wrap around your invitation, holding all the pieces of your set together.

When choosing the right paper for your belly bands, there are a few things to consider. Firstly, you need to ensure that the paper is thin enough to easily wrap around your invitations. A text weight of 60-70# (roughly 90-100 gsm) works well for this. You can usually find suitable paper online or at your local office supply store.

The size of your belly band is also important. For a standard 5 x 7-inch invitation, your belly band should measure 11 x 2 inches. If you are creating custom-sized invitations, simply double the width of your card and add an extra inch for overlap. It's important to ensure that your belly band will fit snugly around your invitation set, so be sure to measure carefully.

When it comes to the design of your belly bands, the possibilities are endless. You can choose from a variety of paper stocks, including standard options such as Nettuno and Tintoretto Gesso, as well as more unique options like foiled belly bands in colours such as gold, silver, rose gold, copper, blue, or red. You can also add a personal touch by customising your belly bands with monograms, dates, or names.

In terms of printing, you can choose to print your belly bands at home or use a local print shop, depending on the ink heaviness and quantity you need. If your design has a full-colour background, it will consume a lot of ink, so printing at a local print shop might be more cost-effective for larger quantities.

Finally, to secure your belly bands, you can use a glue stick, double-sided tape, or a sticker. If you want an invisible finish, a glue dot works well. Alternatively, you can use a sticker to complete the look or even a wax seal for a more elegant touch.

How to print and trim your belly bands

Belly bands are a great way to add a touch of elegance to your wedding invitations. They are slim paper bands that fit snugly around your invitations, keeping all the pieces of your set together. Here is a step-by-step guide to printing and trimming your belly bands:

Step 1: Choosing the Right Paper

Select a thinner paper that can easily wrap around your wedding invitations. A 60-70# text weight (roughly 90-100 gsm) works well and can usually be found online or at your local office supply store. If you want something more durable, you can also choose a lightweight, flexible paper that is easy to wrap and fold.

Step 2: Determining the Size

For a standard 5 x 7-inch invitation, your belly band should measure 11 x 2 inches. If you have a custom card size, simply double the width of your card and add an extra inch for overlap.

Step 3: Designing Your Belly Bands

You can design your own belly bands or purchase editable templates online. When creating your design, consider the ink heaviness and quantity you'll be printing. If your design has a full-colour background, it will consume a lot of ink, which can be expensive. In this case, consider printing at a local print shop to save costs.

Step 4: Printing and Trimming

Once your design is ready, set your printer settings to No Scaling / 100% and select the accurate paper size. Most templates will be 8.5 x 11 inches, fitting multiple bands per page. After printing, cut out the individual bands using a paper cutter or an X-acto knife. Ensure your cuts are straight and accurate.

Step 5: Assembling Your Invitations

Now you are ready to assemble your invitations! Apply a bit of glue or double-sided tape to one end of the belly band and wrap it around your invitation suite, holding all the pieces together. You want a snug fit, but not so tight that it bends the edge of your invitation.

By following these steps, you will create beautiful and elegant wedding invitations that your guests will be thrilled to receive.

Assembling your belly bands

Belly bands are a great way to add a touch of elegance to your wedding invitations. They are slim, paper bands that fit snugly around your invitations, holding all the pieces of your set together. Here are the steps to assemble your belly bands:

Step 1: Choosing the Right Paper

Select a thinner paper that can easily wrap around your wedding invitations. A 60-70# text weight (roughly 90-100 gsm) works well. You can usually find this type of paper online or at your local office supply store. If you're looking for a more premium look, consider using transparent vellum or laser-cut paper, which gives your guests a teased or partial view of the invitation within.

Step 2: Determining the Correct Size

For a standard 5 x 7-inch invitation, your belly band should measure 11 x 2 inches. If you're creating custom-sized invitations, double the width of your card and add an extra inch for overlap.

Step 3: Printing and Trimming

When printing your belly bands, ensure your printer settings are set to "No Scaling / 100%" and that you have selected the correct paper size. Most templates will be 8.5 x 11 inches and fit multiple bands per page. After printing, cut out the individual bands using a paper cutter or an X-acto knife.

Step 4: Assembling the Invitation Suite

Stack your invitation cards from largest to smallest, with the main invitation at the bottom. If you have an RSVP card, tuck it into its envelope before placing it in the stack.

Step 5: Applying the Belly Band

Take your belly band and fold one flap around the invitation stack. You can use a bone folder to create a more defined crease if desired. Apply a small amount of glue to the end of the flap and fold the other flap on top, pressing and holding for a few seconds until the glue dries. Ensure the band has a snug fit to hold all the cards neatly, but not so tight that it bends the invitation.

Step 6: Final Touches

Flip the entire stack over so that the invitation suite is face down, with the belly band at the bottom. If your band has a design, ensure it is centred. Place the entire bundle inside your envelope, and your elegant wedding invitation is ready to be mailed!

DIY belly band ideas

Belly bands are a charming and practical way to add a special touch to your wedding invitations. They are slim paper bands that fit snugly around your invitations, keeping all the pieces of your set together. Here are some ideas and tips for creating your own belly bands:

Materials

For printing your belly bands, choose a thinner paper that can easily wrap around your invitations. A 60-70# text weight (roughly 90-100 gsm) works well and can be found at your local office supply store or online. If you're looking for a more sustainable option, consider using 100% recycled paper.

Measurements

The standard size for a belly band is 11 x 2 inches, which fits a 5 x 7-inch invitation. If you have a different card size, simply double the width of your card and add an extra inch for overlap.

Assembly

When assembling your belly bands, use glue or double-sided tape to adhere the ends. You can also use a bone folder to create a more defined crease if desired. Cut out the individual bands using a paper cutter or X-acto knife, ensuring accurate measurements by selecting the correct printer settings.

Design

You can purchase editable templates for your belly band designs or create your own with decorative paper from a craft store. If printing at home, consider the ink heaviness and quantity to keep costs down. Printing through a local print shop may be more budget-friendly for large quantities or ink-heavy designs.

Final Touches

Once your belly bands are printed and trimmed, you're ready to assemble your invitations! Apply glue or double-sided tape to one end of the belly band, wrap it around your invitation set, and secure the other end. Stack your cards from largest to smallest, with the invitation on the bottom, and centre the belly band.

Remember, the purpose of belly bands is to keep your invitation cards together during transit, so don't worry if they're not extremely tight. With these ideas and tips, you can create beautiful and functional DIY belly bands for your wedding invitations.

Where to buy belly bands

When it comes to sourcing belly bands for wedding invitations, there are several online retailers to choose from.

Etsy

Etsy is a great place to start, with a wide range of belly bands available in different styles, colours and materials. Many of the bands sold on Etsy can be personalised, and some even come with free shipping. You can expect to pay around $10-20 for a set of 25 blank belly bands, with prices varying depending on the level of customisation and the materials used.

Amazon

Amazon also offers a large selection of belly bands, with sets of 50-150 pieces available for around $15-20. Many of these are clear or translucent vellum bands, but you can also find coloured and patterned options, as well as premium metallic bands.

Paper Tie Affair

Paper Tie Affair allows you to fully customise your belly bands to match your wedding invitations, with options to select your own colours, patterns, monograms and more. Their belly bands are priced at $19.99, and they offer free shipping on orders over $35.

Envelopes.com

Envelopes.com offers stylish paper belly bands in a range of colours and patterns, with prices starting at $0.11 per band for orders of 250 or more. They also provide free ground shipping on orders over $99 within the US (excluding Alaska, Hawaii and Canada).

Minted

Minted is another option for custom belly bands, with a curated selection of over 1,000 unique designs created by independent artists. You can filter their collection by style, colour, printing technique and material to find the perfect match for your invitations. Prices vary depending on the design and level of customisation.

Frequently asked questions