Choosing The Perfect Font For Your Wedding Invitation

Choosing the right font for your wedding invitations is an important part of setting the tone for your big day. The font you choose can give your guests an idea of what to expect from your wedding, from the formality of the event to the appropriate dress code. There are thousands of fonts available for personal or commercial use, so it can be a daunting task to choose the right one. When selecting a font for your wedding invitations, it's important to consider legibility, whether the font choice complements your wedding theme, and if you want to use accent fonts to highlight certain information. Common font types for wedding invitations include serif fonts, sans serif fonts, script fonts, handwritten fonts, and calligraphy fonts. Serif fonts have small projections finishing off the strokes of a letter and can give your invitations a vintage or formal touch. Sans serif fonts are more modern and minimalist, perfect for chic and sophisticated invitations. Script fonts are elegant and playful, often used for the couple's names. Handwritten fonts are casual and effortless, while calligraphy fonts are elegant and sophisticated, usually created by professional calligraphers.

Script fonts

There are many script fonts to choose from for your wedding invitations, each with its own unique style and features. For example, the Melanie Script font is girly and feminine, with beautiful contrast between the hairlines and downstrokes. It feels bouncy without looking messy or too casual. Another option is the Madina Modern Calligraphy Script, which comes in two styles: a brush calligraphy font with rougher edges, and a more structured font. For a thinner calligraphy script, consider Farmhouse Script, which has a softer and less feminine feel.

If you're looking for a font with a whimsical look, Canyonlands is a great choice. It's aptly named, as it fits well with a desert or Southwestern-style wedding invitation. For a more organic, natural, and loose style, try La Bohemia. This font makes a bold statement and is best used for larger text, as it can be tough to read at small sizes.

When choosing a script font for your wedding invitations, consider the capital letters, the number of options available (such as swashes and glyphs), legibility, and whether it includes numbers. You'll also want to ensure that the font pairs well with the other printed goods for your wedding, such as the day-of paper goods, thank-you cards, and gifts.

Serif fonts

When choosing a serif font for your wedding invitations, it is important to consider your wedding style and select a font that reflects it. Serif fonts tend to suit more classy and elegant weddings. You should also keep in mind the legibility of the font—while there are many cool and unusual fonts available, it is important that your invitation remains functional and provides your guests with clear information.

There are many beautiful serif fonts available for wedding invitations, including:

• Playfair Display, a classic-type serif font with subtle transitions between thick and thin lines.
• Times New Roman, the most recognisable serif font.
• Rusilla Serif, an elegant font by dealitastudio.
• Begova, by Lettercorner Studio.
• Paradose, by Wasabib Studio.
• Alex Brush, a stylish and playful serif typeface that is ideal for invitations as it is classy and slightly italicized.

When using serif fonts, it is also important to ensure they pair well with the other design elements of your invitation.

Sans serif fonts

There are many sans serif fonts to choose from, such as the bold and trendy Lemon Milk, or the delicate and flexible Champagne and Limousines, which comes in a variety of weights (regular, italic, bold, and bold italic). If you're looking for a font with a unique twist, Minna Drop by Vanessa Bisky and Romy Fey is a classy serif with teardrop letter endings. For a simple and polished look, Simplifica by KAIWA is a good choice, and for a bold statement, try Elsie, which is extremely easy to read and makes a huge impression.

If you want to create a stylish contrast with a serif font, you could try pairing it with a classic serif like Forum, or a vintage-inspired font like Josefin Sans. For a traditional wedding, a serif font like Times New Roman can be used as the supporting role, while a sans serif font like Josefina takes centre stage.

Formal vs casual fonts

When it comes to wedding invitations, the font you choose can set the tone for the entire event. The font can give guests an idea of how formal the event will be, what to wear, and the kind of atmosphere they can expect.

Formal Fonts

Calligraphy, script and serif fonts are all considered more formal options for wedding invitations. Script fonts, with their swooshes and flourishes, have a traditional and ornate feel. They are often associated with elegance and sophistication. Traditional calligraphy, with its consistent lines, angles, and spacing, is a popular choice for formal designs. Fonts like Coneria Script offer an easily legible, beautiful typeface with an elegant, formal look.

Serif fonts, with their extra "feet", are also a good choice for formal invitations as they improve legibility. There are two types: traditional, which feel like they belong in old history books, and modern, which is more contemporary but still grounded in tradition.

Casual Fonts

For a more casual feel, contemporary calligraphy is a good option. This style breaks the rules and changes proportions, often including more modern letterforms like a looped 'r'. Fonts like Madina Script have a dynamic, bouncy lettering that gives a casual feel.

Sans serif fonts are the cleanest option, with no extra flourishes or feet. They are the most legible and work well for digital invitations. Fonts like Lemon Milk offer a trendy, current feel.

Font combinations

There are several font combinations that work well for wedding invitations. Here are some ideas to consider:

• Great Vibes + Montserrat: This classic combination pairs a cursive font with a sans serif. Great Vibes is a highly legible choice for a cursive font, with its subtle slant and medium weight. Montserrat, a sans serif font, balances the design with its uniform, straight lines.
• Playfair Display + Montserrat Light: This pairing exudes timeless elegance. Playfair Display is a classic serif font with subtle transitions between thick and thin lines. Montserrat Light accentuates the design with its even linearity, complementing the upright structure of Playfair without overwhelming it.
• Josefina + Times New Roman: This combination flips the traditional order, with Josefina, a sans serif font, serving as the headline and Times New Roman, a serif font, in a supporting role. The line weight of Josefina holds its own against Times New Roman, creating a harmonious hierarchy.
• Montserrat + Hammersmith One: Montserrat takes the lead in this pairing, showcasing its versatility. Hammersmith One is a bold font that pairs well with Montserrat, as they both have the right weight to avoid either font being overpowered or competing for dominance.
• Bodoni + Josefin Sans: This duo presents a vintage-meets-contemporary aesthetic. Bodoni is a modern font with high contrast between thick and thin strokes and completely flat serifs. Josefin Sans is a geometric, vintage-inspired font. Together, they create a beautiful contrast that works perfectly with simple designs.
• Playfair Display + Montserrat: This variation on the previous combination showcases Playfair Display in sentence case, emphasising its beautiful letterforms. Montserrat, in its usual stylish and functional form, provides the wedding details.

When choosing font combinations for your wedding invitations, it's important to consider legibility and how well the fonts align with your wedding theme. You can also use accent fonts to highlight important information, such as names or the wedding date.

Frequently asked questions