Are you designing your own wedding invitation? Looking for the right invitation colors for a special anniversary or birthday? Whatever event you're planning for, choosing colors is one of the most important steps. Stationery makes its statement first and foremost through color. Even before you see the invitation up close to feel the texture of the ensemble or examine its packaging, color is the first thing you see. Colors are powerful in the way they communicate emotion. They are imbued with the sensations associated with the objects or places they mimic, and a unique shade can even bring back a long-lost memory. Because every color imparts certain feelings, it is only natural to choose the most appropriate colors for your invitation; colors that will tell your guests something meaningful and unique about you and your event. Following are three popular color combinations for the fall and winter season with specific suggestions for invitation papers (click on the thumbnail images to view details about each paper). Featured palettes include brown and pink, orange and cream, and blue and white.
If you find yourself drawn to the ever-popular combination of chocolate brown and pink, there are some incredibly stylish papers available for mixing and matching. The brown-and-pink color pairing continues to be a hot trend for weddings due to its appealing contrast and nature-based shades. Brown is a grounded, neutral color that is accentuated nicely by lighthearted shades of pink.
Chocolate Brown...
For a dark brown, consider smooth Coco Carnival card stock. This card stock makes an excellent backing card for a layered wedding invitation. Another option for heavyweight backing cards is the exotic Japanese Chocolate Linen card stock featuring a delightful groove pattern. This exotic and durable card stock evokes the colors and sensations of the outdoors (also available in Moss, Pumpkin, Pewter, Avocado and more).
If the earthiness of dark brown intrigues you, look no further than Arpa Chocolate Handmade Paper. This soft, fibrous paper is made from 100% cotton using traditional paper-making methods in Spain, and has a natural deckle edge. This paper will afford your invitation a sophisticated look that is well worth the slightly higher price.
For a decorative layering paper, we offer a beautiful Japanese Chiyogami Yuzen in a floral brown pattern. Hand silk screened in traditional Japanese style, this beautiful, lightweight paper has a dark brown background overlaid with small red, pink and light blue flower blossoms, all accented in metallic gold paint. The brown shade of this paper is a perfect match for Carnival Coco card stock. Alternatively, take a look at Japanese Ino Leaves Brown tissue. This sheer tissue has a large pattern of brown oak leaves, the perfect overlay to enrich an otherwise simple invitation.
...And Pink
It's not hard to find a light pink paper that will complement a dark brown you've already decided on. Most any shade of pink and brown will work together, but the higher the degree of contrast, the better. If you've chosen a darker brown, then just about any light pastel pink will work to make an eye-catching combo. For card stock choices, consider the shimmering, heavyweight Petallics Mountain Rose. This metallic card stock is a beautiful pink hue that works perfectly with dark brown or chocolate card stock. Another option is Echizen Pink card stock, a Japanese paper with a smooth, printable surface decorated with silver rayon fibers. You might also choose a textured, luxurious stock such as Gmund's Vice Versa Rosa. This heavyweight 111# cover stock is a natural shade of pastel pink, subtly embossed with a linen-like pattern and soft to the touch. Rosa will match any of the brown card stocks mentioned above, but for the perfect complement, opt for the Vice Versa shade of Humus (a dark chocolate brown).
For decorative pink papers, consider Floral Sukashi Pink vellum with a translucent flower pattern, or Japanese Mum Pink tissue as an overlay. Both of these papers work great as layers or wraps, and will certainly add some spice to your invitation with their attractive patterns and delicate texture.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Orange & Cream
Orange is the perfect "punch" color to combine with neutral shades of ecru and cream. You might think of cream as a modest and earthy color, while orange is bold and adventurous. If you're looking for this combination, there is no shortage of exciting papers on the market to choose from.
For oranges, consider the grooved Japanese Linen Pumpkin. For an even wilder shade of orange, look at Gmund's Vibe Wave Orange Girl with an iridescent wave pattern. Both of these card stocks make great backing cards (printing on them can be a delicate process due to their heavy weight and unusual texture). Another thick card stock that will get your attention is Petallics Copper Ore, a striking hue of reddish-orange. If you are thinking of printing or decorating with vellum, take a look at 8 1/2 x 11 sheets of Orange Vellum that you might use for a wrap or overlay.
For a complementary cream color, there is Japanese Linen Ivory or Gmund's Vice Versa shade called Linteum. Both of these are very light in color, and should match your orange paper perfectly. For a texture-rich combination, combine Linen Pumpkin card stock with a printable layer of Arpa's Soft White Handmade Paper. For an interesting wrap, you might use Cream Sukashi Floral Vellum around an orange-and-ecru flat invitation.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Blue & White
Natural shades of blue are the up-and-coming choices for this fall. Pale sky blues or deep watery blues are perfect, as well as any other nature-inspired blue that you can think of. These blues from the environment communicate feelings of serenity, harmony and peace. A blue-and-silver pairing, or blue matched with pure white, is a fresh and popular choice.
One card stock that combines blue and silver is Echizen Blue, a Japanese paper with an ultra-smooth surface that is emphasized visually by silky rayon fibers. Another great choice is Carnival Serene Blue card stock, a unique shade of sky blue. For a lighter shade, consider Gmund Colors Light Blue card stock. For a decorative floral paper, there are chiyogami patterns Floral Petal Blue and Floral Pattern Sky Blue. An exotic choice for printable paper would be Japanese Tairei Light Blue. This lightweight paper is a soothing, pale blue subtly accented with silvery-white fibers on one side. For an ocean-inspired overlay, look at Japanese Wave Blue Tissue.
Pure whites and silvery whites can be found in a variety of heavyweight card stock and lighter weight printable papers. For the textured, torn-edge look of handmade paper, there is Arpa's Bright White Handmade Sheets. For a daring pattern in silvery white, look at Gmund's Vibe Wave Shining White with an iridescent wave pattern. Or, if you are seeking something more relaxed and neutral, you might sample Petallics Beargrass card stock, a shimmering white with a hint of champagne, or Gmund's Vice Versa Albus.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
There are many other popular color combos waiting to be discovered, and you can do this by simply browsing paper retailers online. You will be surprised at the fascinating array of colors available for all types of textured and patterned papers, so make sure to explore the possibilities before making your choice. Creativity is the key! Samples are almost always available, so take the opportunity to make your own original combination. Whatever route you finally decide upon, the striking color combinations mentioned here will be sure to get the attention of your invitees from the moment they spot the envelope.
Click here to browse LCI's entire selection of fine specialty paper. To fully experience these exquisite papers in terms of color, pattern and texture, visit the Paper Samples page to order sample packages by brand.
Tags: color trends, colored paper, invitation papers, wedding colors, hot colors
Comment feed for this post
