Wedding invites

One great way to cut back on costs without compromising is on wedding stationery – for roughly 100 handcrafted invites, you can save around £125. Rather than opting for pre-made invitations, we take a look at creating your own personalised invites at a fraction of the cost.

There are many services available which can guide you through the process. The Wedding Crafter, established in 2004, specialises in craft supplies for DIY wedding stationery. It's an on-line shop, that provides step-by-step instructions, tips and techniques advice and has free templates to download. Alternatively, John Lewis has a personalised stationery team headed by Danny Brennan. The team provides a free one hour appointment and will guide you through creating your own design, offering advice on font, layout and etiquette.

To start making your invitations, first decide your paper and consider things such as size, weight, finish and envelopes. John Lewis has noted a big demand for 135g weight, AQ size writing paper and invitations in a 300g weight card. Popular options are usually a silken ‘wove’ finish or a textured ‘laid’ finish. Once you have decided on the material, colour is a large consideration. If you have already got a colour theme, it is recommended that the invites follow it.

One of the most difficult decisions is choosing your signature typeface. Traditional styles are back in fashion. Styles such as Edwardian and Shelley stand out on the page. For a fresher look, try the younger Banjoman or Trajan. Above all, choose the one that you feel fits you. Fashionistas looking to splash out should consider die stamping their stationery. This age-old technique is deemed to be the best quality, creating a subtle raised look. Flat or raised printing are also options to make your invites stand out from the crowd.

The final flourish comes with the layout of your stationery. Whether you want just your address or your email address and mobile number in addition, feel free to customise the arrangement of your details. Additional options include adding borders, artwork, motif or a family crest.

Making your own invitations is a great way for the bride and groom to express personality and show off their creativity. Annabell Prior from North London decided to make her own invitations for her wedding in October 2009. “We are both creative minded people and love to design things ourselves where possible. We don’t buy other peoples photography if we feel we can get the same style image. Plus, once you have equipment to make things you only need the time and patience to put them together and be within a budget.” Annabell also drafted in her bridesmaids to help: “I have pre-warned my bridesmaids that I wish to hold a night in with them to help me finish them! A good excuse to get together I think!” We don’t think she is far wrong - a bottle of wine and some sticky back plastic can be just the ingredients for a fun night in!

Deborah Lee is the driving force behind the Stylish Group and launched a bespoke stationery company and online wedding store. She recently set up a consultancy service for brides to be offering advice on designs, cost, tools and professional shortcuts. “There are specific dos and don'ts when it comes to making your own stationery. I would definitely recommend involving a friend that has a knowledge of paper crafts. They can help you source the right materials as embarking on a project like this with no knowledge is a bad idea,” she says.

There are so many choices available, but if you are stuck, you could follow the top trends for 2009. White and ivory with gold and silver will always be classic colours for wedding stationery, but as our options grow, so do our styles and imaginations when it comes to weddings. Francesca Moore from Hitched.co.uk, online retailer of wedding arts and crafts says: “Invitations with floral detail, butterflies or anything pretty and dainty are always a popular choice, as are the heavier designs like damask and other beautiful patterns.”

Cheque book style invitations are also becoming increasingly popular such as Envelopments. With all the information that needs to be included in a wedding invitation these days - maps, accommodation, menu choices - its great to have a design where everything can be included in one stylish package. The cheque book style invitation lets you add as many inserts as you need and they are really simple to make.

For a simple invite, try folding textured handmade paper into a card, then just add an insert and tie with ribbon for a stunningly simple invitation. You will find it easy to pick up a range of bold colours or embedded paper for a classic look with minimal effort. These are so quick and easy to make and there are no special skills required so no excuses!

Coming into fashion are monochrome colours. Combine black card with pure white ribbon or white card with black ribbon and finish with diamantés for a super sophisticated look. We predict that this style with its hint of Hollywood glamour will be hot for 2009 (whereas 2008 saw lots of vintage touches with lace and pearls). In addition to monochrome colours, chocolate brown cards have been really popular in 2008 and are definitely set to continue into 2009.

Stationery depends on the style of wedding you are having and what time of day your event is taking place. Receiving an invitation to a wedding is always exciting and sending an invitation gives your guests the first glimpse of what your wedding might be like. So sending a fantastic invitation is important and will get everyone ready and excited for your big day.