Top wedding trends

TOP WEDDING TRENDS

Your invitation is your guest’s introduction to your wedding, 

so it should set the mood for the big day and create a sense of anticipation. Spend some time looking for a wedding invitation that really reflects the wedding you are planning, and suits your theme or wedding style. If you are stuck for inspiration, here are ten of the latest trends in wedding invite design to give you some ideas:

1. Mixing patterns 

1. Bold patterns such as stripes, polka dots, oriental flower prints and paisley have been big news in wedding invitations for some time, but the latest trend is to mix two or three of these patterns, in the same colour scheme, for a really eye catching invite.

1. 3D texture 

1. Adding texture to your invites with fabrics, pressed flowers, twisted wire, or layered card is a fashionable way to create a unique design that will stand out from traditional flat printed cards.

1. Injecting personality 

1. Handmade cards are increasing in popularity, and couples are using family photos, caricatures, and images of places they have visited to create bespoke designs. As well as cutting costs, handmade cards are more personal and can be tailored slightly for each guest.

1. Sparkle 

1. Crystals and gemstones are finding their way into every element of wedding design, and wedding invites are no different. A couple of small stick on crystals can lift the design on any printed card, and a popular option is to have a clean and simple white card with an added ribbon belt and rhinestone buckle.

1. Relaxed wording 

1. Modern couples are moving away from traditional invitation wording, and creating less formal invitations. While it used to be customary for invitations to be issued by the couple’s parents, many couples are choosing to send the invites directly from themselves. Formal phrases such as ‘we request the honour of your presence’ are also being replaced with simpler sentences such as ‘we’d love you to come and celebrate with us’.

1. Modern monograms 

1. A monogram of the bride’s initials has been a wedding invite staple for many years, but a new trend for sleek logo style monograms, incorporating both sets of initials or even the couple’s names, has created invitations that are cheeky but still formal.

1. Going green 

1. Eco friendly invitations are gathering popularity as going green becomes the theme for many weddings. Recycled and handmade paper make beautiful bases for invitations, and natural materials such as leaves, twigs and pressed flowers can add colour and texture. You can even e-mail your invites to save paper.

1. Bold colours 

1. Traditional white may still be used for very formal weddings, but many couples are opting for bold shades to suit their wedding theme or season. Select up to three complementary colours from your wedding palette to make your invite stand out from the crowd. While hot pink and aqua were popular invitation colours until recently, this season sees a shift towards muted shades such as plum or deep red.

1. Pocket it 

1. The standard envelope has had its day with wedding invitations; these days as much thought goes into the design of the invitation’s wrapping as the card itself. From fabric pouches to coloured clear plastic pockets, these are designed to hold the invitation, a reply card, directions and accommodation details, and gift list information.

1. E-invites 

1. Tech Savvy couples might prefer to issue a multi-media electronic invite complete with soundtrack, animation, and video, rather than a traditional printed card delivered by post. Others are using social networks to spread the word about their wedding, and provide links to their wedding website.

Trends in wedding invite design

You will probably want to tie in the design of your wedding invitations with the overall scheme of your wedding, and many couples choose coordinating invitations, place names, and thank you cards. Traditional wedding invitations are often being pushed aside to make way for contemporary designs, and here are a few of the latest trends in wedding invitations: 

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• A single flower is proving a popular wedding invitation motif, and this can often inspire the whole theme of the wedding, providing a consistent design element throughout the stationery and decorations.
• Pocket style invitations, or seal and send invitations are becoming very popular. With this type of invitation the envelope forms a part of the invitation itself, and wraps around other elements of the invitation such as directions, wedding list details, and reply card.

Many couples are rejecting traditional white invitations and using a whole range of other colours. Here are a few of the latest colours, depending on the season of your wedding:

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• Winter wedding invitations often use a strong colour such as onyx black, forest green or plum, combined with silver and white.
  Spring wedding invitations tend to incorporate paler hues such as sky blue, leaf green, or magnolia pink.
• Summer wedding invitations are available in vivid shades of apple green, aqua blue, bright yellow, and sunset orange.
• Autumn wedding invitations are more muted using rusted orange, deep scarlet and chocolate brown.

If you are choosing traditional white the type of white can make all the difference. Bright white is exactly what it says and is very fresh contemporary look. Ecru is a warmer tone, giving a more traditional and elegant feel to your invitation. White, which is actually usually more of a vanilla colour, is the most popular choice and provides a tasteful middle ground.