You will soon learn that getting engaged is the easy part of preparing for marriage. There are countless planning decisions to make and details to determine before you ever walk down the aisle. One of the largest decisions will be choosing your wedding invitations. Will you choose modern or traditional invitations? Read on for some tips on determining which style is best for you.

Modern Wedding Invitations

If you love vibrant color schemes or bold patterns, you might want to choose a modern wedding invitation. The main difference between modern and traditional invitations is how relaxed each one is regarding color, paper, shape, lettering, and degree of formality. You can relax while choosing a modern design because you can easily accommodate a black tie event or a simple backyard ceremony with flair. You can choose from a variety of paper types, from linen and parchment to recycled paper and materials like acrylic or wood. You can embellish, use shapes, layer paper with fabric; truly, the possibilities are endless.

Modern wedding invitations still give you that clean, fresh look, no matter how colorful or monochromatic a look you choose. You also have the opportunity to layer patterns, even extending one to the liner of your envelopes. For example, you could choose a deep blue paper with silver or white lettering, especially if this wedding invitation ties in with a nautical theme; perhaps your ceremony will take place on a yacht or cruise ship at night, and your envelope liner could be silver.

Traditional Wedding Invitations

If you don't want to choose between hundreds of colors and patterns and want your wedding invitations to be simple and elegant, you might want to choose a traditional invitation style. Traditional doesn't mean boring; it just means that the elements of your invitation fall within certain parameters. For instance, your lettering will probably be in script and the wording choices are more formal. Etiquette rules are especially important with traditional invitations, and this includes how you word your wedding invitation. Also, your paper choice will be limited to white or ivory with black lettering. The invitation itself will most likely be a single pane square or rectangle.

You aren't so limited that you can't introduce a small amount of color or pattern, however. A traditional style still permits a thin border, an embossed monogram, or even a flower. You can add interest to your traditional wedding invitation by embossing a decorative element, such as your border, or even add a satin or chiffon ribbon to the top. Your envelope liners could be silver or gold, or even a muted pastel if you incorporated this color into your invitation, perhaps through a flower motif.

Choosing a Wedding Invitation Style

Although deciding which style to choose can be difficult, browsing online through various styles can give you an idea as to which type of wedding invitation style you naturally gravitate towards. Keep in mind that your invitation will last forever and most often gets framed for you, so choose something that you will always enjoy looking at as a memento of your special day.