There's never been a better time to make your own inexpensive wedding invitations. A little creativity, some extra time, and you can create a wedding invitation your friends and family will cherish for years to come. Depending on what you include and how much you do yourself, it's even possible to create your invitations for as little as fifteen to thirty cents a piece.



So how do we get started?

First, keep in mind that you'll want your invitations to reflect the theme of your wedding. For example, a very formal wedding should include formal invitations. This generally translates to engraved black, silver, or gold text against a cream or white paper. No graphics. The text is confined to the right, inside fold of the invitation. A touch of elegance can be added with a simple sheet of blotter tissue.

For a more casual wedding, your invitations should be casual, a little more creative and personal. Graphics are fine, for example. Calligraphy can be used in place of formal typesetting. Personal touches, such as paper flowers or poems or photographs can be included. If your wedding is a theme wedding, say perhaps a Victorian theme, then your invitations might include a sheet of lace or a photograph from the era.

This is your chance to be really creative. Inexpensive wedding invitations do not need to appear cheap, nor do they need to restrict the vision you have for your wedding.

Okay, let's begin by creating a traditional wedding invitation on your own and saving on the cost of sending the job out to a professional. First, you have to decide what you want to include. There's the invitation, of course. It's sent in an envelope. There's the RSVP card, which generally includes its own return envelope. There's a reception card if the reception will be at a different location than the wedding ceremony. And finally, there's a card with directions detailing how to get to the wedding.

Of course, not all of these are necessary for each and every traditional wedding. You'll have to decide which ones are right for your situation and which ones you can live without.

Now, for a traditional wedding, you don't want to get too craftsy with the invitations. They should be clean, subtly elegant, and pleasant to read. In the past, your only option would have been to send them out. Today, fortunately, you have another option ... wedding invitation kits.

These come in many choices, from computer-printable invitation sheets ($3.95 for 50) to blank, rich and luxurious card stock ($8.00 for 50), from complete seal and send invitations to cotton handmade papers. Complete the design on your computer, run the invitations through your printer (or take them to Kinkos), and viola! you've got your traditional wedding invitations for a fraction of the normal price.

These kits can be found online using a simple search. You can also find them locally, often at office supply stores or general retail stores (think Target). To spruce them up, add tissue paper sheets from your local arts and crafts store as blotter paper.

The good news is ... for the less formal wedding invitation ... just about anything goes. For instance, a handcrafted card on heavy, cream-colored paper with a sheet of tissue paper is more than sufficient. If you'd like to make it even more personal and unique, you might add a photograph, or have a friend with calligraphy talent write each card by hand. Paper flowers can also be a nice touch. Poems, too.

Try your local craft store for other ideas. They should have a variety of wax seals, embossed seals, fine vellum papers, and multi-colored ribbons you can use to make each invitation even more unique and personal. The key is that you're trading your time for the cost of printed wedding invitations. It's not only a great way to stay within your budget, but it's also a great way to create truly unique invitations that friends and family members will cherish for years to come.

An inexpensive wedding invitation doesn't mean an ugly or embarrassing invitation. In fact, with a little creativity and some smart shopping, you can save hundreds of dollars and still create a wedding invitation to die for.