ENTICING INVITATIONS

Selecting stationery for your wedding is one of the first steps you’ll take when planning your special day. With ever-changing trends and endless design possibilities, it can be a daunting process. Emma Phillips chats to Belinda Collins, the owner of Collins Craft, about up-and-coming stationery trends and how to incorporate them into your wedding day.

The stationery you choose for your wedding can help set the tone for your big event. It’s a great idea to sit down with an industry professional to discuss how you can create elegant and refined stationery that complements your weddings style and embraces modern trends.

CONTEMPORAY CRAFTING

Over recent years, we’ve seen wedding stationery pushed to the edge of creativity. Engaged couples are always on the lookout for unique and tailored invitations that will make their event stand out from the rest. We’re seeing a departure from typical invitations and envelopes and experiencing a shift towards adventurous and bold designs. 

With so many different invitation styles available, it can be difficult to know which one is right for you. However, it can be a great idea to try new trends to ensure your wedding day is like no other. “Our favourite stationery trend is natural bohemian,” Collins explains. “When hand-crafted, it creates a beautiful and relaxed feel.”

If you want to create a special experience for your guests, origami invitations are also an ideal choice. With a range of shapes and colours available to complement your wedding theme, the design options are endless.

HAND-CRAFTED QUALITY

The quality of paper used for your wedding stationery will impact how your invitations look and feel. A luxurious invitation will utilise high-quality paper and printing processes.

There is a clear distinction between hand-crafted paper and its manufactured counterpart. Couples often forget that their wedding stationery is the first point of contact with their guests, so it’s important to select invitations that will create a beautiful introduction to your wedding.

RETRO REVIVAL

It has become commonplace for dated stationery trends to be revamped and recreated to suit modern couples. For example, debossing cards using gold and silver foils is a trend that has become popular once again, and when applied correctly, can create a stunning visual effect.

It’s important to enlist an experienced professional to produce your project, especially when designing feature headings into your invitations. This will ensure you achieve a high-quality finish that will leave your guests eagerly anticipating the big event. “Your invitation is your guest’s first impression of your wedding,” Collins says. “Selecting the design should be as important as choosing your venue.”

LETTERS TO IMPRESS

Crisp and precise letterpress stationery will have a stunning and timeless effect on wedding invitations and cards. A traditional form of printing, it can convey elegance that is unachievable with other methods. While the technique is straight forward, it does require a lot of skill to successfully execute it. When done right, letterpress stationery will create a statement about the quality and tone of your wedding.

STARGAZING

From starlight lovers to bohemian-style couples, celestial-inspired weddings are on the rise. Successfully incorporating a trend into your wedding stationery can be a difficult balancing act, but with the use of subtle elements, such as gold and silver foils, you can create beautifully themed invitations.

You need to ensure you’re complementing your theme with classic stationery elements, which will help to refine your style and make the finer details speak for themselves.

PRESSING DOWN

Metallic tones are becoming increasingly popular in the wedding industry, and it’s not hard to see why. Collins says the subtle use of gold or silver tones can create an exquisite effect. “I love rose gold at the moment,” she says. “Its sheer elegance is [perfect for wedding stationery].” While foil-pressed calligraphy does look beautiful, the font can sometimes become lost in the invitation. If you want to showcase calligraphy on your invitation, we recommend using ink as opposed to foil.

REFINED ELEGANCE

Many couples are now taking a minimalist approach to their wedding stationery – they’re stripping back the over-embellished styles and going back to basics. This design style forces a direct focus on the quality of your invitations, ensuring every detail is perfect. This is where high-quality paper choices and a sophisticated stylistic approach come into action. When done correctly, minimalist designs have a striking effect.

TROPICAL TRIMMINGS

If you’re planning a beachfront wedding, then tropical-themed invitations will perfectly capture the essence of your big day. However, it can be easy to get carried away with this theme and over-accessorise. It’s important that you avoid overly complex designs and stick to a refined style. Subtly incorporating the theme into your invitations is the ideal way to maintain an elegant and contemporary design. Opt for simple font and type choices, as well as high-quality paper with refined flower, leaf or wood textures, to create a beautiful and simple invitation.

Collins says it’s essential to create wedding stationery that reflects your personality and sets the scene for your special day. “Invitations are extremely personal,” she says. “They can be as individual and unique as the couple.” It’s always a great idea to sit down with an experienced stationery provider and discuss what key elements you’d like to incorporate into your design. Collins also believes it’s not vital for couples to match their stationery to their wedding theme, but it can create a beautiful touch to your special day.

Whether you create wedding stationery that’s contemporary and on trend, or decide to embrace a classic and elegant theme, it’s important to select a style that is perfectly suited to you and your partner.