Wedding Series 2: Invitations

Next up in our Wedding Series we are featuring the main Wedding invitations and these definitely are the star of the show!

Once I had created my Save The Dates, I had set the scene for a seaside/beach wedding theme and I started brainstorming ideas. As a crafter, creating my own wedding invitations was a must and it has been something that I have been looking forward to my whole crafting life. However with the challenge set out in front of me, it became quite a daunting task and I knew I wanted to impress - therefore adding extra pressure.

I had thought up quite a few ideas, but nothing seemed to be ticking all the boxes. Until one day I was searching on eBay and the perfect die cut appeared and I knew there and then that this was exactly what I was looking for. Now I never ever buy my metal dies from China (through eBay sellers) - however I had searched all other die cutting brands and companies and nobody had what I was looking for. As you may be able to see from the design below, the edging die I used to create the fold over flaps was the perfect design to incorporate the shells and the starfish that I needed for my seaside/beach theme. 

Once I had the edging die cut, I was able to create the main insert for the invitations. I designed this on the computer using a combination of fonts to create the desired look that I wanted.

I also created a band for the main part of the invitation to keep it altogether. For this, I used a piece of gold card (the same card I used to die cut the edges) and then I added a die cut shell. This is from the Tim Holtz  Seashells Bigz Die with Texture Fades. I edged the shell using a dauber sponge and a gold metallic watercolour paint.

If you have previously read my post about designing invitations during a pandemic, you will know the dilemmas I faced when it came to including all the necessary information for our guests. We decided to include a introductory letter to our guests that addressed the issue of Coronavirus and how we would stay in contact with them as the situation changed. We also included a brief outline of what the menu would entail, as well as accommodation information and a little poem about what we would like as a wedding gift. All that was left was to include an RSVP that our guests could fill out and return in the post.

To decorate these pieces of wedding stationery, I used the same starfish and sand dollar stamps that I used for the Save the Dates and also the same technique of embossing the designs with gold embossing powder.

I am so chuffed with the end result, which perfectly captures the design I wanted to create - a beach themed invitation with a touch of elegance! I am hoping to include this design in my Etsy store in the future, so watch this space...