Creating Translucent Wedding Invitations: A Step-By-Step Guide

Translucent paper, also known as vellum, is a unique material that can add a touch of elegance and magic to your wedding invitations. Its semi-transparent quality allows light to shine through, creating a dreamy and ethereal effect. In this guide, we will walk you through the process of making your own wedding invitations using translucent paper, from creating a template and design to printing and assembling your invitations. We will also offer tips and tricks to ensure your invitations look perfect and provide suggestions for adding creative touches to make them truly yours.

Choosing the right paper

Translucent paper, often called vellum paper, is a unique material that adds a touch of luxury and creativity to wedding invitations. It comes in various colours, weights, textures, brands, and levels of transparency, allowing light to shine through and creating a dreamy, ethereal look.

When choosing the right paper, consider the following:

Thickness and Weight

Vellum paper comes in different thicknesses and weights, typically ranging from 63lb to 115lb. Thicker vellum, such as the 115 GSM variety, provides greater strength and durability, making it ideal for wedding invitations. However, if you prefer a lighter option, the 63lb or 68lb varieties are also suitable.

Quality and Appearance

The quality of vellum paper is essential for achieving a refined and elegant look. Look for premium translucent paper with a smooth surface that facilitates clear printing. The paper should be thick enough to prevent tearing but also translucent enough to allow the background design to show through.

Printing Compatibility

When selecting vellum paper, ensure it is compatible with your printer. Some vellum papers work better with inkjet printers, while others are designed for laser printers. Check the product specifications to ensure the vellum paper you choose will work with your printing method.

Size and Orientation

Vellum paper comes in various sizes, typically ranging from 8.5 x 11 inches to 7 x 5 inches. Choose a size that aligns with your invitation design and background paper. Consider whether you want the vellum to be the same size as the background paper or slightly smaller, creating a border.

Environmental Considerations

If sustainability is important to you, opt for vellum paper made from natural cellulose fibres. This type of vellum is environmentally friendly and recyclable, as the paper traps air during the manufacturing process, creating a translucent effect without the use of chemicals.

By considering these factors—thickness, quality, printing compatibility, size, and environmental impact—you can choose the right vellum paper for your wedding invitations, ensuring a luxurious and elegant final product.

Creating a template and design

Translucent paper, also known as vellum, is a unique material that can add a touch of magic and elegance to your wedding invitations. Here are some detailed steps to help you create a template and design for your translucent paper wedding invitations:

• Decide on the size of your invitation: Most translucent wedding invitations are the same size as the background paper, but they can also be smaller. You can print your own background paper or use plain or patterned cardstock.
• Cut your paper: Use a paper guillotine or paper cutter to cut your paper down to your desired invitation size. Make sure the cuts are as precise as possible.
• Choose your word processing program: Open a new document and adjust the page set-up to match the size of your invitation. This will ensure that your design prints in the correct scale and proportions.
• Create a template: You can either download a template from the internet and fill it in or design one from scratch. Experiment with different fonts, sizing, alignment, and line spacing. Remember that dark colours will show up better, especially if your background is dark. Thinner fonts often work better with vellum and acetate paper than thicker fonts.
• Play with design options: Minted offers a variety of design options for your translucent invitations. You can choose a textual overlay to provide more room for important details, an image-heavy overlay to showcase your favourite photo, or a text-on-text overlay for a modern, bold look. You can also work with a dedicated Minted design associate to create a completely custom design.

Printing the invitations

Before printing, it is essential to create a template and design for your invitations. Decide on the size, cut the paper to fit your desired invitation size, and create a template digitally. Play around with fonts, sizing, alignment, and line spacing, keeping in mind that dark colours tend to show up better, especially on dark backgrounds.

Once you are happy with your design, follow these steps:

• Open the printing properties: Click "Print" to access the printing properties, but do not print the test invitation yet.
• Adjust printer settings: Choose the desired print quality based on your paper type. Select the paper size. For vellum, a draft setting often works best, while a normal setting is usually better for acetate.
• Identify the printing side: Vellum should be printed on the coated, less shiny side, while acetate should be printed on the rough side. You can find the printing side of vellum by licking your finger and tapping both sides – the side that sticks is the coated side.
• Prepare the paper: As vellum and acetate are slippery, you can prevent curling or jams by folding a strip of tape over the feeding edge of the paper or taping a sheet of plain paper to the back using double-sided tape.
• Load the paper: Load up to 20 sheets at a time, ensuring the printing side is facing the right way.
• Adjust the printer tray: Adjust the sliders on the sides of the tray until they are flush with your paper.
• Print a test invitation: Print a single invitation and let the ink dry to check for any formatting, scaling, or alignment issues. If adjustments are needed, try printing on the opposite side or change the print quality settings.
• Print the remaining invitations: Set your printer to print the desired number of sheets, ensuring you check the ink level between batches.
• Allow the ink to dry: This step is crucial, especially when printing on vellum or acetate, to prevent smearing.
• Remove any tape or backing paper: Carefully peel off any tape used during the printing process.

Assembling the invitations

Now that you have your printed translucent paper and background paper, it's time to assemble your wedding invitations. Here is a step-by-step guide:

Choose a background paper:

Select a solid-coloured or patterned cardstock that complements your wedding theme. Avoid dark colours as the lettering on the translucent paper won't be visible. You can also print your own design onto the background paper.

Cut the background paper:

If needed, cut the background paper so that it is the same size as the translucent paper, or cut it slightly larger, leaving a 0.5- to 1-inch (1.27- to 2.54-centimetre) border around the translucent paper. Use a paper cutter or paper guillotine for a precise cut.

Attach the translucent paper:

Turn the translucent paper over and place a strip of thin, double-sided tape along the top edge. You can also use glue dots. If you cut the background paper larger, ensure that the translucent paper is centred when you attach it.

Optional: Add a ribbon:

Punch two holes near the top of the invitation and thread a narrow ribbon through. Tie the ribbon into a bow at the front of the invitation. This works well if your translucent paper and background paper are the same size.

Your wedding invitations are now ready to be sent out!

Adding finishing touches

Once you've designed and printed your wedding invitations, it's time to add some finishing touches. Here are some ideas to elevate your invitations and make them even more special:

Ribbons

Punch two holes near the top of the invitation and thread a piece of narrow ribbon through each hole, then tie the ribbon into a bow at the front. This works especially well if your invitation is the same size as the background paper.

Background Paper

Choose a solid-coloured or patterned cardstock for the background paper. This will peek through the translucent vellum and create a dreamy look. Cut the background paper to be the same size as the vellum or leave a ½ to 1-inch (1.27 to 2.54-centimetre) border.

Double-Sided Tape

Use thin, double-sided tape to attach the invitation to the background paper. Run a strip of tape along the top edge of the invitation and then place it on top of the background paper, aligning the edges.

Envelopes

Choose coloured envelopes to add a pop of colour to your invitations. You can find envelopes in a variety of shades, from classic white to romantic options like aubergine and antique rose.

Recipient Addressing

Consider adding styled recipient addressing to your envelopes. Many stationery companies offer this service, and it can add a touch of elegance to your invitations. You can also collect your guests' addresses digitally through address collection cards or your Minted account.

Custom Stamps and Wax Seals

Complete the look with custom postage stamps or wax seals. You can personalise these with photos, monograms, or messages. Wax seals add a traditional and prestigious feel to your invitations.

Frequently asked questions