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Evening Standard
Evening Standard
Lifestyle
Saskia Kemsley

Best wedding invitations for a unique and elegant touch

Stress-inducing yet incredibly exciting, the wedding planning process can muster up a whirlwind of emotions. Choosing between colour palettes, attacking the table planning process and eating more miniature pieces of cake than you thought humanly possible – gearing up for your special day is a process, to say the least.

First and foremost, one must design the invitations. Depending on how big your wedding party is set to be, value-for-money options can range from hand-painted watercolour pieces to simple, delicate and functional designs. Some wedding party-planners have been known to go a little more outlandish with their invitations – Super Sweet 16 style. We’re talking puzzle pieces, live butterflies and exact replicas of the Marauder’s Map from Harry Potter.

Though, as you’d expect, these ostentatious invitations can be inaccessible to most brides and grooms to be. Save your precious pennies for enhancing the ambiance and stick to bright and bohemian designs, botanical prints and delicately printed foil lettering styles. Some invitation designs even come with dried flowers attached to the envelope via a personalised wax seal, for a little extra drama without going over the top.

Nevertheless, for the eco-conscious, the 21st century has seen paperless e-invitations become increasingly popular. Not only do these animated invitations allow you to design intricate moving graphics, but they also take out the significant added cost associated with illustrators, calligraphers and postage. Allowing for a more hands-on approach to invitation design, many budding nuptials prefer paperless invitations that they can work on together. The only downside is that the “your invitation must have got lost in the post” excuse won’t exactly work on those estranged family members and ex-friends.

Whether you’re a paperless post kind of person, are sticking to a very specific theme or prefer a more minimal design, we’ve rounded up a selection of the best wedding invitations for you to order online.

Country Summer Wedding Invitation

For a hand-painted, watercolour vibe without the added cost of hiring an illustrator, Papier has produced the most stunning country summer wedding-inspired invitation set. The backside of the invitation features an array of beautiful botanicals which encircle a heart-shaped wreath containing the budding nuptials’ initials. The front has a more minimal look with a scalloped wreath border and two precious love hearts.

You can also include an information card, RSVP card and envelope, which feature matching rose-covered borders. These invitations are printed on textured Mohawk paper which measures 125mm x 177.8mm. If you truly love this design as much as we do, why not purchase the menu, table plan and guest book in the same style?

Prices start from £32 per 10 invitations.

Buy now £32.00, Papier

Scallop Border Wedding

Another funky design from Papier with the same customisable options, this two-toned scalloped-border wedding-invitation is for the 70s-inspired brides and grooms to be. Featured in two colourways, these invitations have more of a mid-century modern feel, and would work wonderfully for a chic, vintage style wedding. We’re thinking dried floral arrangements, DIY amber glassware and terracotta table scaping.

Price for 10.

Buy now £32.00, Papier

Minimal Leaf | Terracotta Wedding All In One Invitation

Priced per invitation, this all-in-one design is as stunning as it is practical. We love the trifold nature of this design, which makes the invitee feel as though they’re opening up a hand-written, Victorian-style letter from an estranged lover. It’s the kind of letter that requires opening in front of a large window, Kiera Knightly-style.

Historical dramatics aside, the contrastingly modern invitation features a perforated RSVP postcard for the utmost ease. Though this minimal leaf design would suit a Boho wedding fabulously, you can browse Zazzle for other versions of these handy seal-and-send invites. Choose between a matte, 17.5pt paper or a pearlescent 16pt finish.

Buy now £2.22, Zazzle

Monogram Floral Crest - Luxe Tri Fold Wedding Invitation & RSVP

For a simpler, monogram-style invitation, Dotty About Paper has the design for you. Choose between an array of subtle feature colours including dusty pink, navy blue and eucalyptus green. You can either match the accompanying chiffon ribbon to your theme colour or go for a simple cream-coloured piece.

The tri-fold design measures 148mm x 393 mm and is printed onto Conqueror 300g ivory textured card. Thick ivory envelopes are also included within the price per invitation.

Buy now £3.95, Dotty About Paper

Summer Wedfest - Tri Fold Wedding Invitation & RSVP

Met your long-time lover at Glasto? Then this is the wedding invitation for you. Another option from Dotty About Paper, this rustic festival-themed invitation is a pastel-toned delight. Easy to personalise, this bohemian design also comes in a tri-fold style with a perforated RSVP.

Buy now £3.30, Dotty About Paper

Sage Green and Gold Gypsophila Floral Invitation

A sage green botanical dream, this handmade invitation features an understated design which is elevated by the delicately wrapped, wax seal finish. Featuring dried Gysophilia, otherwise known as baby’s-breath due to its whimsical and delicate nature, the blooms are made even more secure by a twine wrap.

The invitations and accompanying RSVP cards are printed on 280gsm cardstock and include A5 envelopes.

Buy now £3.25, Etsy

Cotton Bird Giorgia

Same same, but different. This invitation from Cotton Bird features a similar dried flower feature but can be made extra personal with the accompanying photobooth-style strip of photographs. What’s more, you can choose to print your invitations on standard, matte paper or the more eco-conscious recycled paper.

Buy now £1.42

Destination wedding invitations

Paperless Post Main Squeeze Invitation

Hosting a destination wedding and would rather save money and time on paper invitations? Paperless Post has got you covered with this limoncello-themed design, perfect for an Italian wedding. You can customise your card’s text, style, envelope, stamp, backdrop and more. Import your guest list onto the Paperless Post site or create one while designing your invitation and send to all with the click of a button.

Tracking your RSVPs has also never been so easy – with e-invites you can instantly open responses, communicate with invitees and use the Paperless Post app to check-in your guests on the special day.

Simply create an account, purchase your online credits and you’re good to go. Prices start from £17.69 for 100 coins.

Buy now £17.69, Paperless Post

Custom Wedding Invitation with Watercolour Venue Painting

Work with a professional illustrator to design your very own watercolour painting of your wedding venue to adorn your unique and elegant invitations. Once you’re happy with the final piece, you can choose to purchase the painting as a digital file for your own personal printing, or have the seller print your invitations on in either a singular, bi-fold or tri-fold style.

Envelopes are not included in the price of the invitations, but can be added via the seller’s separate listing.

£124.02 for 50 invitations.

Buy now £124.02, Etsy

Passport Wedding Invitation

What better way to celebrate a destination wedding than with a gorgeous passport wedding invitation, complete with a boarding pass-style RSVP? We were awestruck from the second we saw the intricate rose gold foil detailling and delicate ribbon accessories. If the photographed colourway isn’t particularly your cup of tea, simply click through to the Cartalia shopfront on Etsy to view more options.

You can also choose between gold, silver, rose gold and copper foiling - and you’ve got a further choice between a variety of foiled crest options depending on your destination.

From £5.75 per invitation.

Buy now £5.75, Etsy

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