Designing Your Own Email Wedding Invites

Planning a wedding can be an expensive and stressful affair. From the venue to the catering, there are a lot of things to organise and pay for. One way to save money is to design your own wedding invitations. This can be done through online platforms such as Canva, Greetings Island, VistaPrint, Paperless Post, and Etsy. These platforms offer templates with custom options for fonts, colours, images, and more. You can also upload your own designs or hire a professional designer to create a bespoke invitation. Email wedding invitations are also a more environmentally-friendly option, saving paper and postage costs.

Choosing a template and customising it with your details, colour scheme, and images

When it comes to choosing a template for your wedding invitations, you'll be spoiled for choice. There are hundreds of graphic designs available with customisable colour schemes and fonts. Whether you're looking for a floral, rustic, boho, or simple black-and-white theme, there's something for everyone.

If you're looking for a more traditional, romantic aesthetic, consider a template with cursive or calligraphy fonts. These are soft, romantic, and elegant, and pair well with a serif font for the rest of the text. Bold, blocky fonts are best avoided as they can appear too harsh.

If you're tying the knot in a country or farm setting, you might prefer a rustic and natural look. Green is a popular choice for outdoor ceremonies and can be paired with colours like rust or gold for a luxe feel. You could also incorporate floral patterns, pressed botanicals, and lush greenery for a romantic and nature-inspired look.

For a modern and sleek look, consider a template with straightforward sans-serif fonts and neutral colourways. If you're having a destination wedding, you could tailor the design to reflect your wedding's location, such as a beach, desert, ranch, or mountain theme.

Once you've chosen a template, it's time to customise it! Upload your own photos, play around with colours, and add shapes, lines, and other graphics. You can also add your own text, including the names of the couple, the date, time, and location of the wedding, and any additional information such as the wedding website address and gift list details.

If you're sending your invitations via email, you can use email services like Constant Contact, MailChimp, and Vertical Response, which offer customisable templates and the ability to track who opens and clicks through to your links.

Remember, your wedding invitations should feel authentic to you and your partner, so don't be afraid to inject some personality into your design!

Selecting the right fonts to convey the tone of your wedding

Selecting the right fonts for your email wedding invitations is an important part of setting the tone for your wedding. The font you choose will convey subtle things about your wedding's aesthetic and give guests an idea of what to expect.

There are three main groups of fonts for wedding stationery: serif, sans serif, and script/calligraphy. Serif fonts have 'little tails' or 'strokes' on the end of letters and tend to have a more traditional or formal style. Sans serif fonts are 'without tails' and tend to be more contemporary and less formal. Script and calligraphy fonts are stylish and romantic and are the most popular choice for wedding invitations.

When deciding which font to use, it's important to consider legibility. While a highly scripted or thin font may look attractive, it may be difficult for your guests to read. You should also consider whether the font choice adds to or takes away from your wedding theme. If you're planning a formal wedding, a font with a clean, elegant look may be more suitable. For a casual wedding, you might opt for a playful or whimsical font.

You may also want to use accent fonts to highlight certain information, such as names or the wedding date. Combining a script or calligraphy font with a serif or sans serif font can be an effective way to draw attention to important details while maintaining readability.

• Coneria Script: A traditional calligraphy font with regular and slanted letter styles.
• Madina Script: A contemporary calligraphy font with dynamic lettering and a casual feel.
• Desirable Calligraphy: A traditional calligraphy font inspired by ancient manuscripts, perfect for a formal and luxurious feel.
• Brachetto Script Font: A calligraphy script font inspired by traditional calligraphy, offering versatility and an upscale look.
• Parisian Vintage Calligraphy Script: A sophisticated font with regular and swash versions, allowing for a personalized touch.
• Candlescript Pro: A sans serif font with letterforms inspired by traditional calligraphy, featuring a wide range of swashes, alternates, and ligatures.
• Alex Brush: A sophisticated and playful serif typeface with slightly italicized and joined-up lettering, giving it the atmosphere of handwriting.
• Yaquote Script: A stylish, understated, and formal font with creative flourishes and an uber-thin design.
• Yellow Rabbit: A neatly rounded font with extra accents, ideal for modern couples hosting a fun event.
• Dancing Script: A serif font with a contemporary feel, suitable for couples looking for a combination of elegance and modernity.

Remember, your wedding invitations are a reflection of your unique style and personality, so choose a font that speaks to you and sets the desired tone for your special day.

Incorporating your wedding colours and theme into the design

When it comes to creating your own email wedding invitations, you can easily incorporate your wedding colours and theme into the design. Here are some tips to help you get started:

Choose a Colour Scheme

Decide on a colour scheme that complements your wedding theme and style. This could be something classic and elegant, such as navy blue and gold, or something more playful and bold, like raspberry and soft grey. Consider choosing one or two main colours and then selecting one or two secondary colours, including a neutral shade, to create a harmonious look. You can also add an accent colour, such as metallic gold or silver, to use sparingly throughout the design.

Select a Theme

The theme of your wedding will also influence the design of your email invitations. For example, if you're going for a rustic theme, you might want to use recycled brown paper for your invitations, while a modern theme could call for minimalist designs. Other popular themes include vintage, with soft pastel colours and delicate motifs, and bold type, which focuses on the text and uses a neutral colour palette.

Customise Your Invitation

Once you've chosen your colour scheme and theme, it's time to customise your invitation. You can use online tools and templates to personalise the text, colours, images, and even add your own photos. Play around with different fonts, graphics, and layouts until you find a combination that reflects your style and theme.

Add a Personal Touch

In addition to the visual elements, you can also incorporate your wedding colours and theme into the wording of your invitation. Consider using creative language that ties into your theme, whether it's a rustic barn wedding or a whimsical garden party. You can also include a photo of you and your partner to add a special touch.

Finalise and Share

Once you're happy with the design, preview your invitation to ensure it looks perfect. Then, simply share it via email or social media with your friends and family.

By following these steps, you can create beautiful email wedding invitations that perfectly capture your wedding colours and theme, setting the tone for your special day.

Using a photo of the happy couple to make the invite more personal

Adding a photo of the happy couple to your email wedding invitations is a great way to make them more personal and unique. Here are some tips to help you create beautiful and memorable invitations:

Choosing the Right Photo:

• Select a photo that captures the essence of your relationship. It could be a romantic photo of you and your partner, showcasing your love and personalities.
• Consider the overall aesthetic of your wedding. Choose a photo that complements your wedding theme, venue, or even your bridal dress.
• Opt for a high-quality, clear, and well-lit image. Make sure the photo is in focus and has good resolution, as this will ensure the best printing results.

Photo Editing and Customization:

• Basic Invite, Greetings Island, and Mixbook offer user-friendly design tools that allow you to edit and adjust your photos. You can play with colors, brightness, contrast, and other effects to enhance your image.
• Consider adding a creative touch to your photo. You can use die-cut shapes, overlays, Polaroid-style borders, filmstrips, or collages to make your photo stand out.

Invitation Design and Layout:

• Choose an invitation template that complements your selected photo. Basic Invite, for example, offers a bold new collection of shaped invitation suites that can be stacked and layered for a one-of-a-kind look.
• Ensure that your photo works well with the overall layout and design of the invitation. Consider the orientation (portrait, landscape, or square) and the placement of text and other design elements.
• Play with colors, fonts, and shapes to create a cohesive and visually appealing invitation. Match the colors of your invitation to your wedding theme or use colors that complement your photo.

Printing and Sharing Options:

• Greetings Island and Canva offer both digital and print options for your invitations. You can share your invitations via email or social media, or opt for high-quality prints.
• If you decide to print your invitations, pay attention to the paper type and weight. Thicker stocks tend to feel more luxurious, while lighter stocks may have a delicate feel.
• Consider adding envelopes to your order. Greetings Island and VistaPrint offer custom envelopes with recipient addressing, making it easier for you to send out your invitations.

Remember, your wedding invitations are a glimpse into your special day for your guests. By adding a personal touch with a photo, you can make them feel even more excited and involved in your celebration!

Sending the invites via email or another digital platform

There are many advantages to sending your wedding invitations digitally. It can save you time and money, as well as being more environmentally friendly. Digital invites are also a great way to ensure your wedding's design and theme are cohesive, as it's easy to make your save-the-dates, invitations, wedding website, and even thank-you cards all part of the same design suite.

If you're worried that digital invites won't be as impactful as physical ones, don't be. You can still convey your overarching design concept digitally by choosing a colour palette, working in a signature pattern, or identifying a font that will carry over to physical day-of paper, signage, and décor.

There are many online services that offer digital wedding invitations, often at a much lower cost than physical invites. These services are typically affordable, intuitive, and offer a ton of templates.

• Greenvelope: Costs begin at $19 for up to 20 people and include RSVP tracking.
• Evite: Premium invitations begin at $15.99 for 15 invitations. You can also set up standard email invitations that do not include the ability to RSVP and have ads, some of which are free.
• Paperless Post: Customers need to purchase "coins" from the site to pay for their purchases. Coins are sold in packages, starting at 25 coins for $12.
• Bliss & Bone: Invites are priced per recipient and start at 90 cents a head.
• Etsy: Prices vary per seller, but downloads for as low as $2 have been seen.
• Riley & Grey: Prices begin at $35 per month for site hosting, which will include a digital invitation design, and go up to $240 for an entire year of hosting.

If you have web design experience, you can also create your own HTML emails. Here are some tips for doing this:

• Create the graphics in Photoshop, slicing the image into smaller images using the Slice Tool, Image Ready, or Fireworks.
• Create a grid-type HTML structure to pop the slices into. Use the most basic, table-based HTML.
• Don't use CSS, as not all browsers or email clients will be able to understand it.
• Use "alt" and "title" tags for images so that text will be displayed for browsers or email clients that suppress images.
• Include a "can't see images? view here" link to a page on your website that hosts the images.

Finally, don't forget that even if you send digital invites, you can always print a few hard copies for those who aren't tech-savvy or as a keepsake.

Frequently asked questions