Invitation Traditions You Can Totally Break

Last week, we broke down the anatomy of a wedding invitation to better understand all the important parts! Now that you understand all the pieces that bring a wedding invitation together, we wanted to dive in and explore different designs you can incorporate. Whether it’s writing the invitation with a modern twist or going all out in embellishments versus a simple look, we’ll cover the invitations traditions you can totally break!

Having an Inner Envelope

The inner envelope holds the pieces of your wedding invitation and is enclosed in the outer envelope (the one you mail it in). Often, this is traditional to do, however, it may seem unnecessary to some. That’s okay! It’s totally fine to put your invite and other components directly into your mailing envelope. Just make sure to be clear as to who is invited. The inner envelope would typically write out all of the invitees, so make sure to be clear so your guests understand!

Formal Wording

Yes, your wedding day is typically a formal event! However, that doesn’t mean the wording of your invitation has to be too. For example, formal wording in the request line of an invite would be written as so:

Edward and Mary Smith
request the pleasure of your company
at the marriage of their daughter
Emily Anne
to
William James
son of
Ronald and Nancy Sanders

However, you can tweak it as much or as little as you like if you feel it doesn’t fit who you are! A relaxed example would be:

Emily Anne Smith
and
William James Sanders
together with their parents
request the pleasure of your company
at their marriage

It’s simple and to the point, but you can change it around to fit your style. If you do decide on a formal invitation, make sure the date is written out (“seven” not “7” and “two thousand and eighteen” not “2018”). Formal wording may still be popular, but if it’s not something you like, you don’t have to follow it!

No Frills

Some people may choose to add lavish embellishments on their invites, but you may feel it’s a bit too much. The fact you can line your invite with lace, ribbons, and pearls may make you cringe! This isn’t for everyone, which is why it’s okay to keep it simple and without the frills. You can keep invites simple yet still have them look beautiful with simple designs, a pop of color here and there, and fonts that won’t be too over-the-top.  

Rectangle Designs

Who said invites had to be the basic rectangle shape? Just because the standard invite looks like this, does not mean you should stick with it! There are so many cool invite shapes out there nowadays such as laser-cut trims, round invites, geometric figures, and more that make your invite stand out. You can even customize them if you already have an idea of what you want! A creative take on this would be to layer your invitation pieces so that they are staggered in both shape and size.

We suggest letting your imagination take a part in your invitation design! Be creative in your wedding invites and break from traditional shapes, colors, and designs. You’ll love them even more than something you settle for just because it’s “customary.”