Creating Wedding Invites: Digital Guide For Couples

Creating a wedding invitation card on your laptop is easy and can be done in a few simple steps. You can use online tools such as Greetings Island, Adobe Express, Canva, and Basic Invite, or download an app like Wedding Invitation Card Maker. These tools offer customizable templates with various designs, fonts, colours, and images. You can also upload your own images and add personal touches to your wedding invitation card. Once you're happy with the design, you can download it as a high-resolution file and share it with your guests via email or social media, or get it printed and sent by mail.

Using online tools and templates

There are many online tools and templates available to help you create your wedding invitation card. These can be used on your laptop and offer a range of customizable options to make your ideal card.

Greetings Island

Greetings Island offers a wide range of free and premium invitation templates. You can choose from various designs, including floral, rustic, boho, or simple black and white. They also have specific designs catering to different ethnicities and religious identities, such as Indian, Chinese, Christian, Muslim, Jewish, Spanish, and Mexican weddings. Greetings Island allows you to customize your invitations with different fonts, colours, stickers, and photos. You can download the invitations, print them at home, or use their professional printing service.

Canva

Canva provides free, customizable, and printable wedding invitation templates. You can personalize your invitations with various editable designs, fonts, and colours. You can also add your photos to the template by simply dragging and dropping them into place. Once you're happy with your design, you can send it to print directly through Canva, choosing from different paper and finish options.

Adobe Express

Adobe Express offers a free wedding invitation maker with thousands of professionally-made templates to choose from. Their drag-and-drop editor gives you complete control over the look and feel of your invitation. You can add your photos, choose from various fonts and colour themes, and even include animated effects if you're sending your invitations digitally. After editing, you can resize your invitation and share it on social media platforms or download it as a high-resolution JPEG or PDF file.

Basic Invite

Basic Invite has over 1,200 design templates to choose from, with various themes such as modern, vintage, chic, and rustic. Their templates are fully customizable, with over 160 colour options, more than 100 fonts, and the ability to edit text and photos. They also offer a Love It Guarantee, ensuring that you're satisfied with your final product.

These online tools and templates provide a convenient and creative way to design your wedding invitation cards, allowing you to personalize them to reflect your unique style and theme.

Adding images, fonts, and colours

Images:

Adding images or illustrations to your wedding invitation card can give it a personal touch and make it more visually appealing. Consider using a photo of the couple as the main focal point of the design. This adds a unique and memorable element to the invitation, showcasing the deep love between the couple. You can also incorporate watercolour textures, floral wreaths, or other decorative elements that complement the overall theme of your wedding. Play around with different images and see which ones resonate the most with your style and personality.

Fonts:

The choice of font can significantly impact the overall look and feel of your wedding invitation. It's important to select fonts that align with your wedding theme and are easy to read. Here are some tips for choosing the right fonts:

• Romantic and elegant fonts: Cursive or calligraphy fonts are excellent choices for wedding invitations as they exude softness, romance, and elegance. These fonts pair well with serif fonts for the body text, creating a sophisticated contrast.
• Legibility: Ensure that the fonts you choose are legible, especially for important information such as dates, times, and locations. Avoid overly scripted or thin fonts that may be difficult to read.
• Accent fonts: Consider using accent fonts to highlight the names of the couple or important dates. These fonts can be more playful or decorative to draw attention to specific elements.
• Font combinations: Experiment with different font combinations to find a harmonious pairing. For example, you can pair a script font with a serif or sans-serif font for a classic and elegant look.

Colours:

The colour scheme of your wedding invitation sets the tone and atmosphere for your wedding. Here are some tips for choosing colours:

• Theme and location: Consider your wedding theme and location when selecting colours. For example, if you're having a rustic or outdoor wedding, green might be a popular choice. For a more elegant or formal affair, you might opt for a combination of gold and rust or gold and white.
• Personal preference: Don't be afraid to incorporate your favourite colours into the design. If you and your partner have different favourite colours, try combining them in a way that complements each other.
• Contrast and depth: Play with different shades and tones to add visual depth to your invitation. You can also use contrasting colours for dividers or decorative elements to make certain sections pop.

Remember, the key to designing a stunning wedding invitation is to inject your personality and style into it. Don't be afraid to break away from traditional designs and incorporate unique elements that reflect your relationship. By combining beautiful imagery, elegant fonts, and a harmonious colour palette, you'll create a wedding invitation that delights and dazzles your guests.

Printing and sharing options

Once you have designed your wedding invitation, you can either print it out or share it digitally.

Printing Options

If you want to print your wedding invitations, you can either print them at home or use a professional printing service. Some websites, such as Greetings Island, offer a printing service, or you can use a third-party printing service. If you are printing at home, you can download your invitation as a JPEG or PDF file and print it yourself.

Sharing Options

If you want to share your invitation electronically, you can do so via email, social media, or messaging apps. Some websites, such as Greetings Island and Canva, allow you to share your invitation directly from their site to your list of email addresses or via Facebook. You can also add your invitation as an animated effect to your social media accounts.

RSVP and deadline date

When creating your wedding invitation card on your laptop, it is important to include an RSVP and deadline date. This allows you to plan for the number of guests who will attend your wedding, create a seating chart, and inform vendors like your wedding planner, caterer, and transportation company of the final headcount. Here are some tips and suggestions for including an RSVP and deadline date:

• Set your RSVP date two to four weeks prior to your wedding. This will give you enough time to follow up on missing responses and provide final numbers to your vendors.
• Include a pre-addressed and pre-stamped return envelope within your invitation. This makes it convenient for your guests to respond and reduces the chances of late responses.
• Provide guests with options for RSVPing. While mail-in cards are traditional, offering an alternative such as a digital RSVP through your wedding website can increase the likelihood of timely responses.
• Choose clear and explicit wording for your RSVP request. Instead of simply stating "RSVP," consider using a phrase such as "The favor of your reply is requested by [insert date]." This ensures that guests understand a response is needed.
• Request a song or a favourite memory of the couple as part of the RSVP. For example, "RSVP with a song that will keep you on the dance floor" or "Share your favourite memory of the bride and groom when you RSVP." This adds a fun and engaging element to the process.
• For destination weddings, allow more time for RSVPs. Set the deadline for two months before the wedding, and send out invitations four months in advance. This accounts for the additional time needed for travel arrangements.
• Make the RSVP date clear and legible on the card. If you have a wedding website, consider including a countdown ticker for the RSVP deadline.
• If you're using an online invitation service, take advantage of their tracking tools to manage your RSVPs and electronically receive responses.
• When creating your invitation on your laptop, ensure that the RSVP and deadline date are prominently featured and easy to find.

Wording and tone

The wording and tone of your wedding invitation will depend on the style of your wedding. If your wedding is formal, you might want to opt for classic invitations with script, foil elements, and sparkle. On the other hand, if you're going for a casual gathering, you might prefer rustic invitations with muted colours, simple typography, and barnyard graphics.

The wording of your wedding invitation should also reflect the level of formality of your wedding. If you're telling guests to "come eat cake", they can assume the event is informal.

• Host Line: Traditionally, the bride's parents are the hosts and their names come first. However, listing the names of both sets of parents is acceptable and gracious. If the couple and their parents are contributing, you can opt for something like, "Together with their parents" or "Together with their families".
• Attendance Request: This is where you extend the invitation to attend your wedding and can be used to set the tone for your celebration. For a religious service, "The honour of your presence" is traditional, while "The pleasure of your company" is used for non-religious ceremonies.
• Couple's Names: The bride's name typically precedes the groom's. The bride's first and middle names are usually used, while the groom's first and last names are standard. However, this is all up to personal style and whether you're opting for formal or casual invitations.
• Date and Time: Traditional wedding invitations require the date and time to be spelled out in full, while modern invites often use numerical figures. Be sure to choose a legible font to avoid confusion.
• Location: Include the name and full address of your wedding venue, including the state and zip code. If your wedding is abroad, include the country as well.
• Reception Details: If the ceremony and reception are at the same venue, simply say "Reception to follow". If the reception is elsewhere, include the full address on a separate details card tucked into the invitation.
• Dress Code: Including dress code information isn't compulsory but can be helpful for guests. This can be mentioned in the lower corner or bottom centre of the invite, or on a separate details card.
• Registry Details: It's not typical to include registry details on the invitation. Instead, provide guests with a link to your wedding website.

Frequently asked questions