Design Paper and Printing

So you’ve booked your venue and you’re ready to invite everyone, but you’re struggling to decide what stationery is right for you, or don’t know the style you want to go for ..? Well I’m here to help! In this blog post I will explain the different design options to help you understand each technique and decide if it is right for you. 

I also have a post running through all the stationery items and embellishments you might need for your wedding here. 

Budget

Your budget and guest numbers will set the mark for what kind of stationery you can have and the items you might need. Here is a rough outline of the ranges: 

£ - Digital Invitations 

If you want to keep your budget tight on stationery then digital is the way to go.  You can send a beautiful email or image to your guests and have them rsvp by email or text. This is also a great option for elopements or short engagements.

££ - Custom Designs

Using a pre-designed suite is the most cost effective way of having a custom design. You choose the paper, ink and envelope colours to match your theme, but the layout and text style is pre-set. To keep it at the lower end of the scale you can address the envelopes yourself and have guests rsvp by email. 

£££ - Custom Designs

If your budget reaches the higher end of the pre-designed suites you can have calligraphy or printed envelopes, information cards, rsvp and invite menus etc. You can add extra embellishments such as ribbon, wax seal, bellybands or vellum wraps etc. Your invitations could also be done in letterpress. 

££££ - Bespoke Design

Deciding to do a bespoke design is not always more expensive than a custom suite. For example a digitally printed bespoke invitation suite will be less than a letterpress custom suite. 

The entry level to a bespoke design may include elements such as venue illustrations, personalised monograms, custom fonts, hand embossed paper etc. This is your chance to really bring your vision to life and invite your guests in the most exquisite way.  

£££££ - Bespoke

A top level bespoke suite means there are no limitations to your designs or ideas. You might want every element from save the date to invitation to be letterpress. A full wedding website, venue map, custom dyed silk, hand painted signs or calligraphy embellished favours. Anything can be developed and produced just for you. A once in a lifetime moment means you can have a styled event that will be talked and dreamed of for years to come. 

Custom or Bespoke?

What does custom design mean? 

A custom design has a pre-designed layout and text style. You can change the colour of the ink, paper and envelopes. You can also add extra details such as ribbon, envelope liners, bellybands or wax seals etc.

What does bespoke design mean? 

A bespoke design is made just for you. It starts with a moodboard and a discussion about your wedding and your style as a couple. You can choose whatever you want with bespoke design, there are no limits or rules. 

Printing Methods

Digital 

This method prints flat ink colour - I don’t digitally print white or ‘metallic’ colours. It is the fastest and most affordable option, and best on cardstock up to 350gsm - normal A4 paper you would have at home is around 60-80gsm. 

Letterpress 

Is a luxury printing technique that leaves an indented mark into your paper. You can print in any colour, including white or a ‘blind finish’ which is without ink. Is it more expensive and slower to produce, but completely worth it. This technique is best for paper 540gsm+ 

Foiling 

Foiling can be done both digitally and by letterpress. Digital foiling starts with smooth white card and prints any colour onto it, then prints the foil. This means you can’t match your invite to an exact colour of envelope or have textured paper. However it is much cheaper than letterpress foiling. Letterpress foiling is the ultimate in wedding stationery, you can print on any paper colour or texture, which means you can have unlimited options and complimenting stationery. There is a wide range of foils to choose from.

Other Printing Techniques

Emboss or Deboss

Similar to letterpress these techniques push into or push up your paper. They may be used to add inkless shapes or illustrations to your design. They are also often used in traditional designs for intricate monograms or crests. Everything from invites, to menus to envelopes can be embossed or debossed. Simple designs such as lines can be debossed by hand. 

Duplexing

Duplexing is where two pieces of paper are stuck together and trimmed to look like one piece of paper. For example we might use this to make the front of your invite pink and the back red.

Gilded Edge

A gilded edge is a metallic or colour finished paper edge. If thick paper is used ( 540gsm+ ) the edge of the paper is wide enough to add colour. 

Beveled Edge 

Again if thick paper is used ( 700gsm+ ) the edge of the paper can be cut at an angle. So the last 5mm or so finishes at a 45 degree angle. A gilded beveled edge is a very traditional and romantic finish.  

Finishing Techniques

Gold Leaf

Gold leaf can be added by hand to any design, which means it can be used for both digitally printed and letterpress items. It can also be added to wax seals and other decorative items. 

Vellum Overlay

Vellum can be used in many different ways; as a digitally printed overlay onto thick card ( 700gsm+ ), as a bellyband, a full invitation wrap, an interior envelope, a confetti bag or a menu etc. 

Calligraphy

Calligraphy can be used to address envelopes, add guest names to invitations, placecards, favours or venue signs etc. Because this technique is done by hand it is very versatile and I can write or paint onto almost anything. 

Watercolour / Ink

To make each and every item completely individual they can be hand finished with watercolour inks or metallic inks. The styles could vary from speckled splashes to ombre washes. 

Deckled Edge

A deckled edge is a hand torn edge, this technique is very popular with hand-made paper and can give a gorgeous rustic aesthetic. 

Folded / Concertina

Both digital and letterpress items can be folded / tri-folded / concertina, but only up to a maximum paper weight of 540gsm.

Paper

Paper colours and textures are my favorite part of stationery. The colour palette you use can really set the mood and tone of your wedding. 

Colour Range

I use a handful of the best paper mills in the world to curate the perfect colour range. The custom design suites have a wide, but pre-set range of colours to choose from. However if you chose to go bespoke the world is your oyster. 

Printed Colour

There is also the option to print colour onto white paper, creating a sheet of paper the exact shade you like. However, I prefer to use coloured paper as it means you can get the matching envelope colour etc. 

Weight ( Thickness)

The envelopes I use range from 135 - 180gsm depending on the paper. All the digitally printed items I design are printed on 350 - 400gsm. The letterpress items are printed on 540gsm / 700gsm +. 

Textured

Depending on the colour you chose, the texture options vary. But most of the range is available in a wide variety of finishes such as quilted, woven, ribbed, dotted, leather and speckled. 

Special Papers

Finally there are speciality papers such as metallic, hand made and heat reactive. Though you can’t digitally print onto metallic papers they can be used as complimenting design elements such as bellybands or mounting paper. Hand made papers are great for letterpress and foiling and have a beautiful organic texture. Heat reactive paper is used with letterpress to make the indented text or design semi-opaque.

Hopefully that has given you clarity and some new ideas! Now you can head over to the next blog which runs through all the items you might need for your wedding stationery. 

As always if you want more details on anything I mentioned feel free to send me an email!