Your wedding invitations and save the date cards are your very first chance to give your guests a glimpse of your wedding. In addition to giving your guests all of the information, they set the tone for the whole event. Here are some details you can include to make sure your invitations are perfectly tailored to you and your big day:
1. Your Story
One way to make your invitations totally unique is to incorporate your personal love story. Sure, your friends and close family members probably already know how you met, but your Great-Aunt Bertha will appreciate the extra information. Either write it out in narrative form (perhaps on the back if it will take up room) or make a fun timeline that shares the important dates. The cuter you can get, the better, and don't be afraid to include tongue-in-cheek events like, "October 5-10, 2013: Took first trip together. He ignored her sunscreen warnings. October 11, 2013: First bought aloe vera together."
2. Coloring Page
If you're inviting a lot of families with kids, consider making your initiations colorable. Simply using bubbled font or black-and-white illustrations can make your invitations perfect for anyone looking to practice staying inside the lines. Include a note that the cards are colorable, and even request that guests send colored-in invites back to add to your guest book or other wedding keepsakes. Another benefit? Black-and-white invitations might save you some printing costs.
3. Personal Art
Do you or does your spouse-to-be have an artistic streak? If so, consider decorating your invitations with your own art or illustrations. For example, if one of you does watercolor, you could get your invitations printed in black-and-white and use watercolors to give them that extra touch. Or, if you've been slowly one-upping each other at Pictionary for years, you can use your illustration skills to add cute, personalized doodles of yourselves, or something that symbolizes your relationship. Since it's your own art, it's the ultimate personal touch.
4. Pet Pics
This is a super cute idea for couples with a sense of humor who are well-known for being pet parents. Use a photo invite template, but instead of using engagement photos, use professional-style pictures of your pets. If you have pets that will tolerate it, you can even dress them up in wedding-type outfits. This won't set the right tone if you're planning a formal wedding, but it will be perfect for a couple having a laid-back affair. If you'd rather keep your invites more formal, you can use a pet pic for your save the dates using this adorable Etsy sign.
5. Scratch-Off
If you want to add a little bit of interactivity to your invites or save the dates, add a scratch-off element like the date or location. Scratch-offs are super simple to DIY, so you can add them to any invitation. To make them, you'll need clear packing tape, dish soap, silver acrylic paint, and a paint brush. Make the scratch-off solution by mixing one part dish soap to two parts paint. Cut the tape in the shape you want, and place it over whatever you want revealed, and then paint the scratch-off solution onto the tape: You'll need about four layers total. Let it dry thoroughly between each layer, and once it's impossible to see through, you're all done!