DIY Wedding Invitations: How to Create Beautiful, Custom Designs

Weddings are gorgeous affairs with beauty infused into even the smallest details. Leading up to the big day, brides and grooms find themselves immersed in a world of choices, including invitations and wedding stationery. With elegant options ranging from custom hand-painted designs to letter-pressed invites and laser-cut wooden albums, wedding invitations can quickly become pricey. Most couples spend between $400 and $650 on wedding invites alone.

That doesn’t mean you have to blow your entire wedding budget if you want stunning invites. You can still have a gorgeous design by making your own wedding invitations. Here, you’ll find everything you need to know about designing DIY wedding invitations, including paper and online invitation options. Plus, you’ll find some of our favorite wedding invitations that you can customize online to help you get inspired.

How to Design DIY Wedding Invitations

There are two ways you can create custom DIY wedding invites: making your own from scratch or using a digital tool that allows customization. Both options let you customize your wedding invites while saving money, but choosing the best method depends on how much time and effort you can invest. Here’s a quick breakdown of the different ways of creating DIY wedding invitations.

Printable Invitations and Paper Invites

Printable invitations involve creating your own designs or using a printable template online. To find templates, you can do a quick Google search or use sites like Etsy where sellers offer handmade options to make the DIY process easier. You can also order a custom rubber stamp with all of the wedding information printed in your chosen fonts. Then, you simply stamp your cardstock to complete your invitations.

Making invitations from scratch typically takes more time than creating digital invitations. To start, you’ll have to draw any artwork by hand and may need to adjust the wedding invitation template to get it to print properly. For less tech-savvy couples, this can take quite a while.

You’ll also need to put each printable wedding invitation in an envelope, buy postage stamps, and mail out the invitations. And don’t forget you’ll need to keep track of RSVP cards and monitor the responses on your own.

Keep in mind that while you may save money going the DIY paper route, you might not necessarily save time. You also want to consider your level of crafting talent before embarking on a completely DIY approach. For example, calligraphy skills are useful if you’re hand-lettering your invitations and stationery.

Digital Invitations

One of the easiest ways to create your own wedding invitations is to work with an online platform like Greenvelope. You’ll have access to hundreds of digital invitations that you can customize to suit your wedding theme. With a variety of colors, fonts, and themes, you can create a DIY invitation without the sky-high price tag. There’s also a wide range of invitation suites including digital envelopes, envelope liners, RSVP cards, save the date cards, and thank you notes that you can fully customize.

Sending digital DIY wedding invitations is far easier compared to paper options. Digital wedding invites on Greenvelope include access to a feature-rich panel that enables you to add music or integrate files. You can also include Google Maps links to the wedding location as well as other details such as hotel information and gift registries. Once you’ve created the design of your dreams, just add your guest list and hit send.

Sending DIY digital invitations saves you time and money when it comes to postage and shipping, plus it’s good for the environment. Less paper means more trees, and Greenvelope donates a portion of all sales to Mountains to Sound, a nonprofit dedicated to a greener future.

Tips for Designing Wedding Invites

With DIY wedding invitation designs, you can have your cake and eat it too. By taking a little time to personalize a template or digital design, you can craft special invites that are just as elegant as the fanciest paper versions. Here are a few things to keep in mind.

Layouts

Wedding invites aren’t just about showcasing a beautiful design, but they’re also about offering essential information for attendees. Make sure your invitation is well organized. Avoid using complicated layouts or overwhelming graphics, which can be distracting. Keep your information centered and use artwork to frame in the details or add a touch of artistry. You can make your own art elements or use a site like Canva to get images and graphics for your DIY wedding invite.

Don’t forget to include pertinent details such as the date, time, and location of the big day. Always have someone proofread your work to ensure everything is as perfect as your union. If you need help figuring out what to say, we’ve got you covered with this guide to wedding invitation wording.

Font

Nothing is quite as breathtaking as a beautiful script on an invite. The font can set the mood and tone for the event while also conveying important information. DIY brides and grooms can use modern or geometric typeface for artistic flair or scrawling calligraphy to impart a sophisticated air. You can use fonts in word processor tools such as Microsoft Word or Google Docs to create your invite or download special fonts using a site like DaFont.

To maintain a cohesive look, don’t use more than three font styles. This applies to the entire invitation suite including save the date cards and envelopes with your return address. Consider your color scheme when choosing print types and colors. It’s also a good idea to look at line spacing to make sure everything is formatted properly. You can also customize borders and text alignment to create the look you want.

Paper

When it comes to wedding invitations, you’re not going to use any old sheets of paper you have around the house. Invitations work best on cardstock — typically at least 65-pound, although 110-pound varieties are ideal. The thicker the cardstock, the less likely the ink will bleed. Plus, cardstock won’t bend as easily as thinner paper sources when sent out in the mail. Look for cardstock that’s the right size for your invitation. Otherwise, you’ll need to use a paper cutter to cut larger sheets to the proper dimensions.

You’ll also want to think about paper finish for your invitation design. Cotton and linen finishes add a touch of elegance to DIY wedding invitations while recycled cardstock is a great choice for eco-conscious couples or those hosting a rustic-themed wedding. Pocketfold invitations are fantastic if you want a seamless look since the invitation, RSVP card, and envelope are all integrated into one unit.

Embellishments

With DIY wedding invites, feel free to get creative with embellishments. Add a monogram wax seal to your wedding envelope for a regal look or incorporate lace, buttons, and twine for a rustic aesthetic. You can hire a calligrapher to hand-address the envelopes, though this costs more than simply using a delicate font. Embellishments may rack up the price of your wedding invitations, but you can use any leftover materials for wedding decor.

5 DIY Wedding Invitations for Inspiration

At Greenvelope, we think wedding planning should be fun. After all, you’ve already found your match and now it’s time to celebrate with loved ones. Whether you’re hosting a sparkling white wedding sprinkled with snow or a tropical getaway on a sandy beach, wedding invites are a great way to announce your theme and upcoming nuptials. Here are some of our favorite wedding invites that you can fully customize to suit your fancy.

1. First Class Invitation

Design: Clementine Creative

This worldly invite is perfect for couples who are always exploring new territories and fresh ways to fall in love across the world. The design mimics the look of a plane ticket, with modern text adding a laid-back yet formal note to the event.

2. Bauhaus Shapes Invitation

Design: Morgan Kendall

This timeless invite uses elegant curves and delicate gold foil accents to create a modern and sophisticated wedding theme. You can customize the card text and background along with the envelope to create a DIY wedding invite that is sure to awe.

3. Terrazzo Invitation

Design: Jackie Crawford

Terrazzo stone contains a beautiful blend of granite, quartz, marble, and glass to create a singular look. It’s a reflection of how the beauty of individuals comes together to create a powerful union — just like your marriage. This terrazzo invitation features hand-painted details along with a classic script for a contemporary and stylish look that can be customized in various colors.

4. Night Sky Invitation

Design: Banter & Charm

Invite guests to a glittering evening with this shimmering invitation. It’s the perfect wedding invite for couples who are having a wedding under the stars, in the mountains, or during the holidays. Make it your own by changing up the background color and font to match your wedding theme.

5. Ethereal Mist Invitation

Design: Kaydi Bishop

This alcohol-ink invitation gives the illusion of a sophisticated watercolor design. The hand-painted designs feature a delicate line of gold foil for a hint of sparkle. Modern and elegant, it’s perfectly suited for a couple who’s hosting a whimsical wedding at an art gallery or other unexpected locale.

Customize Wedding Invites With Greenvelope

At Greenvelope, our high-quality wedding invite templates are hand-selected by an in-house team of designers. The invitation kits are made by stationers, illustrators, calligraphers, and artists who craft stunning designs for all occasions. Be sure to browse through our ever-growing selection of invitations for your big day. And don’t forget our other can’t-miss designs for the bridal shower, bachelorette party, and rehearsal dinner.