Crafty and creative wedding invitations

Wedding invitation design choices range from formal to artistic and everything in between. Invitations will give your guests the initial impression of what you have in store for them and while some brides prefer to keep it simple, many brides are grabbing hold of some creative reins and sending out invitations with extra pizazz.

A wedding invite with the turn of a page

These invites were created for a wedding with a 1920s London ambiance and after stumbling across this wedding project, we're never judging a book by its cover again. The vintage-inspired invites designed by a one woman show out of Los Angeles truly are one of a kind. Kari Dyas runs her own design studio, Two Upon Ten Letterpress, where she has made a living out of designing and customizing stationery like this. We think her blood, sweat and tears show through on these. They're the perfect blend of modern and vintage, not to mention one of the most creative wedding invitations we've ever seen. Jessica Claire goes over all the details of these impeccably designed invitations here.

A hanky for your plus one

Though there are many ways to get creative with paper, it's hard to top a wedding invite imprinted on a handkerchief. Plus, these creative wedding invitations are a stylish example of how a little color can go a long way. If your wedding doesn't have a country-inspired theme like this, they are easily customized with a change in the hanky fabric pattern and unique stamp selection. Inspire your inner do-it-yourself diva with more ideas from this Texas wedding via The Wedding Chicks.

A word on whimsical wedding invitations

A crafty lady and blog junkie named Christine spilled the details about her wedding save the dates and invitations on Elizabeth Anne Designs' wedding blog. She made them all by hand, getting down and dirty with every last inked, sewn and stamped detail. She used vintage wallpaper as the backdrop for the vellum invite and after all the other paper essentials were stuffed into a classic brown envelope, these wedding invitations were more like a miniature package welcoming their guests to a wedding vacation.

Publish your love story for all to read

Here is another take on wedding invitations in book form. As a designer, the bride herself had a hand in this modern wedding idea and final product. It's a personable way to invite guests if your love story is particularly unique. We especially love this design because the bride and groom designed it with some help from a few friends in the business. The groom's friend created the illustrations and another friend put their story into words. See more pictures here>>

Invitations inspired by simple touches

If you're looking to create a unique wedding invitation but aren't looking to take on a huge project, there are ways to spice up simple paper goods and impress your guests. 100 Layer Cake demonstrates how to turn a simple envelope into a simply gorgeous casing for your invitation. We love the calligraphy used for the address and the stamp collage for extra vintage appeal. Learn more about this project and how to do it yourself on 100 Layer Cake's blog post.

Up Next: 5 Bonus tips for DIY wedding stationery goods>>

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5 ideas for do-it-yourself wedding invitations

Out of shape

Long gone are the days of the standard rectangular invite. Invitations can be round, square, folded, tri-fold, oblong, oversized -- any shape you can imagine. Gaining in popularity these days are the tea length cards, which are rectangular in shape and the regal squares . Bottom line, don't be afraid to experiment with geometric shapes, mixing and matching the contours of circles and squares.

Go paper-less

If the thought of a paper invitation -- no matter the shape -- still doesn't tickle your fancy, go for an invite created out of another material. You can have your invitation etched into an acrylic block , embroidered onto a piece of fabric that can be mailed as a scroll and even carved into a piece of wood. Select a material that matches the theme of your wedding and go for it!

Make a fashion statement

Belts, bows, bands, buttons and buckles aren't just for clothing anymore. Add any of these embellishments, plus some, to invitations and change the look completely. Simple styles are transformed when paired with these accessories. The key is think outside of the box and keep your wedding theme in mind. Don't feel limited to paper and ink.

Seal the deal

A pochette is a square envelope that covers the invitation by folding over from all four sides making for a dramatic presentation to guests. As an alternative, you could have the details of your event imprinted directly on the pochette for simplicity with a luxe look.

For a formal affair, put invitations into jackets or purses. You can find them in silk dupioni, peau de soie, satin or organza. Not to be outdone by the invites, guests just might flock to their favorite boutique in preparation for your fete.

Bursts of color

Color options are no longer limited to white or ecru. Color palettes for stationery are mimicking those on the fashion runways. Vibrant reds, rich cocoa blends and sparkling metallics are exciting tones on the wedding invite color wheel. However, the possibilities are endless.

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