Creating Wedding Invitation Sleeves: A Step-By-Step Guide

Wedding invitation sleeves are a great way to add a touch of elegance to your wedding stationery. They are folded pockets that neatly hold together your wedding invitation, reception card, RSVP cards, and other inserts. You can make these sleeves yourself using tools like Cricut Maker or Cricut Explore, and decorate them with stamps, ribbons, twine, tags, wax seals, and more. You can also add a creative touch with custom embossing, gold edging, or calligraphy. Making your own wedding invitation sleeves is a fun and inexpensive way to personalize your wedding invitations and wow your guests.

Using Cricut Explore

To make wedding invitation sleeves using Cricut Explore, you can follow the steps outlined in this guide.

First, go to Design Space and type #ME7FD5C in the search bar. You will need to purchase the image if you don't already own it. Once you have the image, add it to your project and adjust the dimensions to 6" in width and 11.185" in height. If you want to remove the words "Forever & Ever" from the design, you can do so by going to contour and disabling them.

Next, it's time to cut your design. Remember to add the scoring tool to the Cricut machine to create the scores for you. You can reinforce the score lines if they are not deep enough.

Feel free to add some embellishments to decorate your sleeve. For example, you can use pearl beads to add a touch of elegance. You can also create a smaller version of the sleeve for RSVP cards.

• 12" x 12" Heavy Weight Cardstock
• Scotch ATG Gun Double Tape
• Scotch Clear Glue
• Scissors
• Bone Folder
• Scoring Tool
• Pencil
• Score Tape
• Decorative Embellishments
• Decorative Pearls
• Pick Me Up Tool

Using Cricut Maker Tools

Wedding invitation sleeves can be made using Cricut Maker Tools. The Cricut Maker is a cutting machine with various tools that can be used to create intricate designs and effects. Here's how you can use some of the Cricut Maker Tools to make wedding invitation sleeves:

QuickSwap Tools:

The Cricut Maker's QuickSwap tools allow you to score, perforate, engrave, wavy cut, and deboss. The QuickSwap Housing piece lets you swap between different tool tips, enabling you to expand your creativity. With the Single and Double Scoring Wheels, you can create extra-deep score lines and a flawless finish on your invitation sleeves. The Perforation Blade creates precise perforated cuts, allowing for clean tears without the need for pre-folding. The Wavy Blade adds decorative wavy edges to your designs, perfect for envelopes and cards.

Cricut Foil Transfer Tool:

The Cricut Foil Transfer Tool is a great way to add shine and elegance to your wedding invitation sleeves. It comes with three tips – fine, medium, and bold – allowing you to transfer foil in different line thicknesses. This tool is compatible with both the Cricut Maker and the Cricut Explore family of machines. You can use it to add foil details to your invitation sleeves, such as monograms or elegant borders.

Engraving Tip:

The Engraving Tip lets you create unique and permanent engraved effects on a variety of materials, including soft metals, leather, and acrylic. You can use this tip to add intricate designs, monograms, or personalized messages to your wedding invitation sleeves, giving them a truly custom and elegant look.

Debossing Tip:

The Fine Debossing Tip gives you the freedom to customize and design without being locked into a specific folder design. You can use this tip to add a professional and elegant touch to your invitation sleeves by debossing leather, aluminium foil, foil poster board, or cardstock.

Handheld Craft Tools:

Cricut also offers a range of handheld craft tools that can be useful for assembling and embellishing your wedding invitation sleeves. The TrueControl Weeding Kit and the Scraper and Spatula Set can help with precision crafting and clean application of adhesives.

Using Cricut Design Space

To make wedding invitation sleeves, you can use Cricut Explore. You can find the Floral Sleeve Image on the Cricut Design Space. Change the width to 6″ and the height to 11.185″. You can also remove any words in the design by going to contour and disabling them.

You can also use Cricut Design Space to upload your own images. A common cutting file is called an SVG, which is a template for you to cut out with your Cricut machine. You can find these SVG files on Etsy and DIY craft blogs or websites. Upload the SVG file into Cricut Design Space, and it will read the file and tell your machine where and what to cut. You can edit the design to fit your sizing needs.

If you want to use your own images, you can upload the invitation graphics as a Transparent PNG. When uploading, select complex to preserve the details of the design. You will not need to select and erase anything on the following page. Save the image as a "Save as a Print Then Cut Image".

You can now slice the graphic in Cricut Design Space. Duplicate, rotate, resize, and customise the graphic as you see fit. Create a rectangle using the square shape tool and size it to your preference. Select “Print” as the fill and colour it white. Place the rectangle over the graphics and slice two elements at a time. Delete the extra pieces outside the rectangle. Select all the internal white pieces of the rectangle from the right panel and weld them back together. Then, rearrange the graphics layers by selecting the rectangle and “Send to Back”. Now flatten the graphics together.

Use the text tool to create the text overlay. When you are done, make sure everything is attached and set the Fill = Print. Select black as the colour for text, but you can change this to any colour or pattern fill. Do not forget to select all the text and “Flatten”. If you do not do this, the Cricut will attempt to slice all the letters. Be sure to attach the text and graphics together and then Flatten.

The default bleed setting for Print and Cut on the Cricut is on. They add extra coloured padding around the cut line in case the cutting is not perfect. If you see a weird extra line around the perimeter of the design, do not be thrown off. However, if any of the internal text or images have weird lines or are super fat, it usually means you did not flatten that part or the fill was not set to print.

Different vellum brands also have different levels of opacity. At times, the scanning mechanism has a hard time on vellum print and cut projects. You can use a black marker and trace over the alignment lines, or cut the rectangle by hand.

Using Cricut Metallic Posterboard

Wedding invitation sleeves can be made using Cricut Metallic Posterboard and the Cricut Maker. The Maker is a cutting machine that can cut an array of materials and create wedding decor.

To make the sleeves, you will need the following:

• Cricut Design Space project
• Wedding invitation suite
• Cricut Metallic Posterboard
• Cricut Foil Kraft Board
• Cricut Maker Tools (Fine Debossing Tip, Engraving Tip, Double Scoring Wheel, Fine Point Blade)
• Foam adhesive circles

First, open the project in Design Space and connect your Maker. Select Cricut Metallic Posterboard as your material. The Design Space will guide you through the project with prompts on your computer screen. You will be prompted to load the Double Scoring Wheel first, so secure your poster board to the cutting mat and press the blinking arrow button to load. Once loaded, press the blinking "C" to begin scoring.

Next, you will be prompted to load the Fine Debossing Tip. Leave the mat in place and press the blinking "C" to watch the tool work. Then, switch to the fine-point blade, which will cut out the sleeve. Unload the mat.

Now, it's time to inscribe the initials for your sleeves. Secure the Foil Kraft Board to the mat and load the Engraving Tip into the machine. Follow the prompts to engrave, then, without unloading the mat, load the fine-point blade and cut out the initial coin.

Using the score lines, fold the sleeve so that the debossed design is at the bottom front. Apply two thin lines of hot glue down the inside sides of the folded sleeve, leaving enough room for the invite to fit between the glued sides. Fold and hold until secure.

Attach a foam adhesive circle to the backside of the engraved coin, then adhere it to the centre of the debossed design. Layer your invitation suite inside the sleeve, and you're done!

Using Cricut Foil Kraft Board

To make wedding invitation sleeves using Cricut Foil Kraft Board, you'll need the following materials and tools:

• Cricut Maker Tools (Fine Debossing Tip, Engraving Tip, Double Scoring Wheel, Fine Point Blade)
• Cricut Foil Kraft Board
• Foam adhesive circles
• Cricut Design Space
• Cricut Metallic Posterboard
• Hot glue

First, open the project in Cricut Design Space and connect your Cricut Maker. Select Cricut Metallic Posterboard as your material. Follow the prompts in Design Space, which will guide you through the project.

You'll first be prompted to load the Double Scoring Wheel. Secure the poster board to the cutting mat and load it into the machine. Once loaded, start the scoring process. Next, you'll be prompted to load the Fine Debossing Tip. The machine will let you know if you've loaded the wrong blade. After debossing, switch to the fine point blade to cut out the sleeve.

Now, it's time to inscribe the initials for your sleeves. Secure the Foil Kraft Board to the mat and load the Engraving Tip. Follow the prompts to engrave, then cut out the initial coin without unloading the mat.

Using the score lines, fold the sleeve so that the debossed design is at the bottom front. Apply two thin lines of hot glue down the inside of the folded sleeve, leaving enough room for the invitation. Fold and hold until secure.

Finally, attach a foam adhesive circle to the back of the engraved coin and adhere it to the centre of the debossed design. Layer your invitation inside the sleeve, and admire your handiwork!

Frequently asked questions