Designing Wedding Invitations With Canva: A Step-By-Step Guide

Planning a wedding can be an expensive and stressful time, but Canva offers a range of free and printable wedding invitation templates to help keep costs down and add a personal touch. With hundreds of editable designs, you can create stylish and diverse invitations that are unique to your special day. Whether you're looking for rustic, vintage, floral, or minimalist, you can customise your template by uploading photos, choosing colour schemes, and playing with shapes and lines. You can also choose from a variety of paper types and finishes, including eco-friendly recycled paper, and have your invitations delivered straight to your door.

Choosing a template

To get started, launch Canva and search for "Wedding Invitation" to explore the hundreds of options available. You can filter your search by colour, layout, or style to find a template that aligns with your vision. For example, if you're planning a rustic wedding, you might opt for a simple template printed on recycled brown paper. Or, if you're going for a modern vibe, you could choose one of the minimalist designs.

Canva also offers templates for different types of weddings, such as destination weddings, beach weddings, and winter weddings. Additionally, you can select from various invitation formats, including portrait, square, and postcard sizes.

Once you've found a template that catches your eye, you can make it your own by customising the fonts, colours, images, and layout. You can even upload your own photos to add a truly personal touch.

With so many options to choose from, you're sure to find the perfect template to set the tone for your special day.

Customising fonts, colours and images

Fonts

When selecting a font for your wedding invitations, consider the overall style or theme of your wedding. For a romantic and elegant look, handwritten script fonts or calligraphy fonts are a popular choice. If you prefer a timeless and classic aesthetic, serif fonts like Playfair Display or Libre Baskerville are a good option. Sans serif fonts, such as Montserrat or Josefin Sans, offer a clean and modern feel. You can also mix and match fonts to create visual interest and sophistication. For example, pair a script font with a sans-serif font or combine a bold serif font with a thinner sans-serif option. Play around with different fonts, sizes, spacing and formatting to find the perfect combination.

Colours

The colour scheme of your wedding invitations should complement the overall design and set the tone for your wedding. If you have a specific wedding motif, match your colours accordingly. You can also use colours to create balance and emphasis. Leaving some white space can help prevent your invitations from looking too cluttered. Additionally, consider using a colour palette generator to create a cohesive colour scheme.

Images

Canva offers a vast library of over 1 million premium images, graphics and illustrations, many of which are free to use. You can also upload your own images for a more personal touch. When selecting images, consider the theme of your wedding and choose visuals that reflect it. For example, if you're having a beach wedding, you might opt for images of seashells or tropical flowers. Play around with different images, graphics and lines to find the perfect combination that represents your special day.

With Canva's user-friendly platform, you can easily customise your wedding invitations to make them unique and memorable. Experiment with different fonts, colours and images to create invitations that truly reflect your style and celebrate your love story.

Ordering prints

Once you've personalised your wedding invitations, you can send them to print directly within Canva. You can choose from premium to fancy paper and finish options, and get the invitations and envelopes delivered to your doorstep within days.

Canva has partnered with leading printers to bring your designs to life with the best colour quality on premium, sustainable paper. You can choose between a Silk finish for a smooth, low-sheen texture or a Gloss finish for a more reflective, magazine-like appearance. There's even a paper crafted from 100% post-consumer waste material if you prefer a more eco-friendly option.

Canva also offers a 100% Happiness Guarantee, so you can feel empowered with their easy-to-use design tool.

If you live in Canada, Canva has a partnership with Staples, so you can design your invitations and have them printed at your local store, usually available for next-day pickup.

Canva also offers a deluxe paper upgrade, charging $69 for 100 prints, including envelopes.

Finalising the design

Review and Proofread:

Before finalising your design, take the time to carefully review and proofread your invitation. Check for any typos, grammatical errors, or inaccuracies in dates, times, and locations. It's always a good idea to have a fresh pair of eyes look over the design to catch any mistakes you may have missed.

Customise Fonts and Colours:

Play around with different font styles and colours to create a cohesive and visually appealing design. Consider choosing a romantic and elegant font style, such as a cursive or calligraphy font, for the couple's names. Then, pair it with a complementary font for the rest of the text. You can also incorporate your wedding colours or a colour scheme that matches your theme.

Add Personal Touches:

Incorporate personal touches that reflect your personality as a couple. Consider including a photo of yourselves or adding design elements that represent your shared hobbies, interests, or the story of how you met. These personal touches will make your invitations unique and memorable.

Include All Essential Information:

Ensure that your wedding invitations include all the necessary details. This includes a request for attendance, the names of the couple, the date, time, and location of the wedding, RSVP instructions, and any additional information such as the wedding website address, gift list details, dress code, or catering information.

Finalise Layout and Dimensions:

Decide on the final layout and dimensions of your invitation. The classic wedding invitation size is 5 x 7 inches, but you can also explore other options such as a more petite 4.25" x 6" version or a long, thin 4 x 9.5" card. Choose a layout that showcases all the essential information clearly and attractively.

Order Prints or Share Electronically:

Once you're happy with your design, it's time to decide on the delivery method. You can choose to order high-quality prints of your invitations through Canva Print, which offers various paper and finish options. Alternatively, you can share your invitations electronically via email or social media.

Remember, the key to finalising the design is to ensure that your invitations accurately represent your style and provide your guests with all the information they need to celebrate your special day with you.

Sharing your invitations

Once you've created your wedding invitations using Canva, it's time to share them with your friends and family. There are several ways to do this, depending on your preference and budget.

If you want to hold a physical copy of your wedding invitation, you can use Canva Print to have your invitations delivered to your doorstep. This option allows you to choose from various paper and finish options, from premium to fancy, and have the invitations and envelopes delivered within days. The cost of printing with Canva starts at $4.60 per invitation, with additional costs for fancier paper and finishes.

For those who prefer a more cost-effective and environmentally friendly option, you can share your invitations electronically via email or social media. Simply click the "Share" button in Canva and select your preferred method of sharing. This way, you can send your invitations directly to your guests' inboxes or post them on your social media accounts.

Another option is to download your designs from Canva and then use a third-party printing service. For example, you can upload your designs to a blank portrait invitation template on a site like Walmart or Staples and order prints from there. This may be more affordable, especially if you live in Canada, where Canva has a partnership with Staples.

Finally, consider the format of your invitation. Postcards, for instance, are cheaper to print and have lower postage costs. They may not be suitable for invitations with a lot of information, but they work well for save-the-date notices.

Frequently asked questions