Archives for: October 2008

Many brides-to-be opt to design their own invitations and their reasons for doing so are as varied as they are. Some are trying to maintain a tight budget, others like the thought of having 100% creative control over their final product.

Whatever your reason, following the do-it-yourself route can be rewarding and fun. If you're interested in learning what other DIY brides have been doing, read on. The following list contains current, popular trends in do-it-yourself invitation design.

Bold Colors

Bold, vibrant colors have been a popular choice over the past few years and the trend doesn't seem to be faltering. So if you've been admiring that bright orange cardstock from afar, don't be shy! Many couples have incorporated their strong invitation colors into their wedding and reception decorations, such as flowers or bridesmaid dresses.

Gmund Colors Card Stock

Pockets

Pocket invitations have been increasing in popularity. Their design neatly organizes all the components of an invitation and keeps everything in place, minimizing the chance of loose pieces falling out when an invitee opens it. And the compartments for accessory cards keep them tucked away so you can showcase your invitation. LCI offers a wide variety of pocket invitation styles.

See all DIY Pocket Fold Invitation Styles

Coordinating Pieces

Many couples have chosen to present a "complete look", incorporating the design of their invitations into all of their wedding stationery such as Save the Dates, menus, and wedding programs, as well as place cards and thank you notes. This consistency displays the thought a couple put into planning their event, and guests take notice.

Crystals and Embellishments

Eye catching embellishments and crystals are showing up more and more on wedding invitations. What better way to add bling and personal style than some Swarovski crystals or a rhinestone-encrusted embellishment? Dressing up your invites with brads, ribbons, bows, or bands can help you create a totally customized look. Be sure to check our recent blog post on Wedding Invitation Embellishments for some great ideas.

See Decorative Paper Clips, Brads & Invitation Embellishments

Monograms and Logos

Why not "brand" yourself as a couple? Create a custom monogram of your initials or a logo of your wedding date. Lots of couples design their own and include it not only on invitations, but on wedding cakes and aisle runners. Nothing could be more original and exclusive than your very own monogram or logo.

These are just a few of the more popular trends currently seen in DIY wedding invitation design. Get creative and maybe your own original idea will catch on too!

A Hindu wedding is steeped in tradition and rituals. Typically, it lasts for a few days and consists of pre and post celebrations. Hindu weddings are often described as exotic and full of symbolic meaning.

One ritual is the Barat, which is the festive arrival of the groom at the ceremony. Almost parade-like, the groom is accompanied by a band and dancing relatives and friends. Upon arrival at the ceremony, the groom is welcomed either by the officiant, the bride, or even the bride’s mother, who blesses him.

Similar to American weddings, the Kanya Dan is the ceremonial escorting of the bride to the altar or Mandap, by her father or male relatives. At the Mandap burns the sacred fire, which is the focal point involving other rituals, such as the Pratigna-Karan, or exchange of vows. Read this article, Love And Marriage - Hindu Style to learn more.

For a brief and easy-to-understand explanation of a Hindu wedding celebration, visit the following site, Hindu weddings | Indian Weddings | Ideas | Planning.

And if you’re in the midst of planning a Hindu wedding, you’ll want to check out this Web site: Indian Wedding Site – Indian Wedding Vendors, Clothes, Invitations, and Pictures. It is comprehensive and contains a broad spectrum of everything you’d want to know about Hindu wedding planning from the engagement through the honeymoon. It also discusses how to combine modern practices with traditional ones and addresses multi-cultural celebrations as well.

One of the nice things about designing your own wedding invitations is that you can decide how you’d like to embellish them. Adding embellishments is a way for you to truly personalize your invitations, making them unique and exceptional. But exactly what is an embellishment?

According to the dictionary, an embellishment is an adornment, ornament, or decoration. Okay, so it’s something you add to your invitation to pretty it up. That’s easy enough, but for a bride in the midst of planning a wedding, coming up with creative embellishment ideas just might be the straw that breaks the camel’s back.

Never fear, that’s why LCI is here! Our job is to make your job easier. We supply you with ideas and resources to help you craft the perfect invitation. And often, the perfect finishing touch to an invitation is an embellishment. So, what embellishment options can we provide you? Take a look at the following list.

• Brads. Brads are small, thin nails which you can use to fasten pieces of an invitation together, such as an overlay to cardstock, or simply add interest or decoration. LCI offers several different decorative metal brads from silver sand dollars to silver daisies. Our brads attach by an included punch-through fastener or hot glue. Make your wedding invitations sparkle like your diamond!

  

• Bows and ribbons. Bows and ribbons are another way to dress up your invitations. Punch holes in your overlay and cardstock, thread some satin ribbon through, and tie up both ends in a pretty bow. Or attach a delicate, pre-tied chiffon bow to the cardstock. You could also tie ribbon around the contents of your invitation ensemble to keep them together. Take a look at LCI’s assortment of bows and ribbons.

  

• Clips. Clips are fancy and functional invitation fasteners. They’ll keep your invitation pieces neatly together and look smart while doing it. Their sturdy design easily holds several pieces of specialty paper and cardstock together. Choose from our heart-shaped or spiral clips to complete your invitations’ look.

  

• Bands. Invitation bands are great for keeping your invitation ensemble intact. They’re also wonderful used with certain invitation styles such as pocket folds or Pochettes. Depending on your taste, choose slim or wide band styles in solid colors or our popular Chiyogami patterns. Our invitation bands will finish your ensemble with a flourish.

  

So there you have it. Some sweet ideas for gussying up your wedding invitations. Hopefully, our suggestions gave you some inspiration to create an invitation that will be as memorable as your wedding day.

We are offering a special A7 Lined Envelope promotion. Receive a 15% discount on orders for any of our A7 Lined Envelopes. Promotion starts now through October 31, 2008.

Enter promo coupon code HALLINE into the coupon box during checkout

Special A7 Lined Envelope Details:
1. 1 Coupon per customer
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5. We are UNABLE to edit orders previously placed without coupon code
6. Expires on 10/31/08

Order A7 Lined Envelopes Here

That's a question we hear over and over. I've ordered my invitations and now need to find out exactly what should be written on it. Any suggestions? The internet has a plethora of sources for all types of wedding verses, wedding poems, phrases and ideas. I know, but none of these fit your fancy.

What we can suggest is to take time, look through the sites and read the wording suggestions offered. At the very least you will pick up pointers on proper invitation wording etiquette. But in the end its all up to you.

Take a look at your event, is it formal or casual? Outdoors or indoors? At the beach or in the mountains? Doing a pirate theme or wine country extravaganza? I'm sure many hours of discussion and heated debate went into choosing your invitation colors and invitation style. Should you have expected less? Now finish it off with the proper wording that works for you.

Besides informing your guests on why, what, where and when you can be as creative as you like.

What to write on a wedding invitation? You tell me!