Choosing The Perfect Font For Your Wedding Invitations

Choosing the right font for your wedding invitations is an important part of the wedding planning process. The font you select will set the tone for your event, giving your guests an idea of what to expect, how formal the event will be, and how they should dress. There are thousands of fonts available for personal or commercial use, so it can be a daunting task to find the perfect one. When selecting a font, it's important to consider its legibility, whether it adds to or takes away from your wedding theme, and if it will be used for other wedding stationery. Serif fonts, with their traditional tails on letters, are a popular choice for a formal style, while sans-serif fonts, without the tails, tend to be more contemporary and less formal. Script and calligraphy fonts are also popular choices for wedding invitations as they are both stylish and romantic.

Script and calligraphy fonts

Script fonts have a formal feeling and are rooted in traditional styling. Many have flourishes—the swooshes and extras around each letterform—which add to the ornate styling. They are often slanted and make use of basic letterforms, like the traditional 'r'. An example of a traditional calligraphy font is Coneria Script by Måns Grebäck, which has letters in two styles: regular and slanted. It is a popular font for wedding invites because it is easily legible and beautiful, giving a more formal look.

Contemporary calligraphy lends a more fun and whimsical mood to your design elements. This type of calligraphy is more popular because it allows more room for creativity, breaking the rules and changing proportions to better suit the artist's style. The text is usually upright and makes use of more modern letterforms, like a loopy 'r'. Madina Script is an example of a contemporary calligraphy font that combines elegance and whimsy with its dynamic lettering. Bouncy loops in the r's and g's give the font a more casual feel.

Hello Honey is another chic and casual script that leans more towards contemporary calligraphy. This is a popular wedding font choice because the font set features beginning and ending swashes and a connecting heart to give your invitations a romantic feel.

Blackstone is another script font that makes use of contemporary calligraphy to give it a casual-chic flair. This handwritten font can be used when you want to add a personal touch to your wedding cards or invitations.

Combining wedding script fonts with other sans serif fonts is a good way to design a wedding invitation that is highly stylish and memorable.

Serif fonts

If you're looking for a modern-style serif font, you might consider Bodoni, which is a contemporary font with a high contrast between thick and thin strokes and completely flat serifs. Another option is Playfair Display, which has subtle transitions between thick and thin lines. For a bolder look, try Hammersmith One, which has the right weight to be paired with other bold fonts without being overpowered or competing for hierarchy.

If you prefer the traditional style, Times New Roman is the most recognisable option. For a bolder take on the traditional style, try Rusilla Serif by dealitastudio. If you're looking for a serif font that isn't too stuffy, Alex Brush is a sophisticated free wedding font that is both classy and playful, with slightly italicised and joined-up lettering that evokes the atmosphere of handwriting.

Sans-serif fonts

One popular sans-serif font is 'Montserrat', which is often used as a supporting font to a more decorative or complex font. It has uniform, straight lines and a bold physique that can balance out more intricate fonts. 'Montserrat' pairs well with 'Great Vibes', a cursive font with a subtle slant, for a classic wedding invitation combination. 'Montserrat' can also be paired with 'Playfair Display', a serif font with subtle transitions between thick and thin lines, for a timeless appeal.

'Josefin Sans' is another versatile sans-serif font that can be used in a variety of combinations. It is a geometric, vintage-inspired font that pairs well with the modern font 'Bodoni'. 'Josefin Sans' can also be combined with 'Josefina', a sans-serif font with sharply angled forms, to create a harmonious hierarchy.

For a chic, minimalist wedding theme, a minimal and modern sans-serif font is a good choice. These fonts lend a clean and contemporary touch to invitations and can be easily read. Similarly, a sleek and refined serif font, such as 'Belinda Avenue', can add a touch of modern flair to invitations while still maintaining a sense of classic sophistication.

For a bold and loud wedding invitation, consider using 'Lemon Milk', a free sans-serif font that is trendy and current.

Formal vs casual fonts

When it comes to wedding invitations, the font you choose can set the tone for the entire event. Formal and casual fonts each have their own unique characteristics and can be used to convey different moods and themes.

Formal Fonts

Script fonts, with their swooshes and flourishes, are a popular choice for formal wedding invitations. These fonts have a traditional and elegant appearance, often resembling calligraphy. Some examples of script fonts include Yaquote Script, Adelio Darmanto, and Exmouth. Another option for a formal look is to use serif fonts, which have small lines or "feet" at the end of each stroke. Serif fonts can range from traditional styles that look like they belong in old history books to more modern interpretations that are still grounded in tradition. Examples of serif fonts include Playfair Display, Cormorant Garamond, and Abril Fatface.

Casual Fonts

For a more casual or whimsical wedding invitation, there are several font options to consider. A handwritten or calligraphy-style font can add a unique and personal touch, making guests feel like they are receiving a handwritten note. Examples of these include Daydream, Emitha, and Playlist Script. Additionally, sans serif fonts are a good choice for a clean and modern look. Sans serif fonts are easy to read and very versatile, working well for both formal and informal weddings. Examples of sans serif fonts include Josefin Sans, Lovelo, and Montserrat.

Other Considerations

When selecting a font for your wedding invitations, it is important to consider not only the formality of the event but also the overall theme and style. The font should align with the wedding's accessories, day-of paper goods, thank-you cards, and other details. Additionally, it is crucial to choose a legible font. While some highly scripted or thin fonts may look attractive, they can sometimes be difficult for guests to read. Finally, consider using accent fonts to highlight important information, such as the couple's names or the wedding date.

Font combinations

There are a plethora of font combinations that can be used for wedding invitations, with the most popular being script and calligraphy fonts. These are both stylish and romantic and can be used to highlight the names of the couple, names of the guests, and headers.

When choosing a font combination, it is important to consider the wedding theme, font legibility, and the use of accent fonts. The font should complement the wedding theme and be easy to read, with some fonts being more suitable for formal or casual events.

• Great Vibes (cursive) + Montserrat (sans serif): Great Vibes is a highly legible cursive font with a subtle slant and even x-height, while Montserrat balances it with uniform, straight lines.
• Playfair Display (serif) + Montserrat Light (sans serif): Playfair Display is a classic-type serif font with subtle transitions between thick and thin lines, and Montserrat Light accentuates it with its even linearity.
• Josefina (sans serif) + Times New Roman (serif): This combination works because Josefina's line weight doesn't lose out to Times New Roman, creating a harmonious hierarchy. The sleek and geometric look of Josefina also contrasts nicely with the free-flowing illustrations in the border.
• Hammersmith One (serif) + Montserrat (sans serif): Both fonts have bold physiques and work well together, with Montserrat taking on a supporting role.
• Bodoni (serif) + Josefin Sans (sans serif): Bodoni is a modern font with high contrast between thick and thin strokes, while Josefin Sans is a geometric vintage-inspired font. Together, they create a vintage-contemporary pair.
• Playfair Display (serif) + Montserrat (sans serif): Playfair Display is in sentence case and bold format, emphasizing its beautiful letterforms, while Montserrat provides the wedding details in a stylish and functional subheadline form.
• Pinyon Script (script) + Forum (serif): Pinyon Script is a classic font often used at royal weddings, and when paired with a serif type like Forum and a bit of gold, it creates a traditional and elegant invitation.
• Champagne and Limousines (sans serif) + Libre Baskerville (serif): Champagne and Limousines is a delicate and flexible sans serif font designed by Lauren Thompson, offering a variety of weights (regular, italic, bold, and bold italic) and is free for personal use.
• Amberlight and Futura: This combination is featured on Pinterest, a great source of wedding font inspiration.
• Santorini and Corbel: Another font pairing idea from Pinterest.
• Great Vibes and Calibri: A Pinterest-approved combination.
• Zapfino and Century Gothic: A Pinterest-approved combination.

Frequently asked questions