coloured ribbons used in handmade wedding stationery

5 tips for including wedding colours on your invitations

Do you have to include your wedding colours on your invitations? It’s probably one of the questions I get asked most when couples come to me to design their handmade wedding invites and stationery. Do they have to match or even include the colour theme they have chosen for their wedding on their invites and stationery? The short answer is; absolutely not, but definitely yes if you want them to!

modern calligraphy style wedding invitation with rose gold foil

1. Why you SHOULD include your wedding colours on your invitations

Wedding invitations are are the first opportunity to give your guests a glimpse of the celebration that is to come. Including your wedding colours in your invitations, will give your guests a little hint of what they can expect to see on your big day. Here’s an example. An invitation that includes a riot of tropical colours and prints would suggest a very different celebration to one with a classic, elegant black and white colour scheme. Do you see what I mean? Of course, colour will form only part of the message. The style wording and formality of the invitations will also contribute to the overall impression.

If you’re set on the colour scheme for your big day and you want to include it on your invitations, go ahead. It’s your wedding and your stationery, let it reflect you as a couple.

2. But it’s OK you DON’T HAVE TO give your theme away if you don’t want to

Invitations, and increasingly save the date cards, are now sent many months ahead of the big day. Perhaps you haven’t even finalised your colour scheme before you want to send your invites. Or maybe you just want to keep it under wraps until the day comes. This is fine too. In fact, invitations and stationery in neutral colours like white or ivory are uber elegant and sophisticated. If you don’t want to include your wedding colours on your invitations you don’t have to.

coloured wedding envelope liner

3. So HOW can you include your wedding colours on your invitations?

If you have decided to go with colour then there are lots of ways to include it. You can go all out and use coloured paper or card. Have coloured text highlights throughout the print. Use pretty, floral prints in your colour scheme. Include coloured embellishments like ribbons or wax seals. Add a touch of colour in your envelopes or liners. Some couples stick to just a hint of colour, others choose to go all out. Again – it’s completely up to you.

pretty blush pink colour wedding invitations with white lace laser cut detail

4. What’s the best way to match the colours on your invitations?

The best way to get your wedding invitations coloured coordinated with your wedding theme is to visit a designer and match your swatches with the materials they’ll be using to make your stationery. When I invite couples to my studio I always encourage them to bring along their fabric swatches, bridesmaid dresses, inspiration and Pinterest boards. This helps to give me a really good idea of the overall look of the day they have planned. I can then suggest and show them colour combinations and mock-ups for their stationery while they are with me. Often, they’ll take away little snippets of card, paper or ribbon to help with coordinating other elements of the day such as table centres and cake decor.

5. Most importantly don’t get hung up with matching shades exactly

Probably the biggest piece of advice I can give you about colour matching your stationery (and any other part of your wedding decors for that matter) is don’t get too hung up on matching shades exactly. There is no definitive shade for ‘navy blue’ or for ‘blush pink’ or for ‘sage green’, it’s all subjective. A piece of card that is called sage green will almost never match a ribbon with the same name, nor a table cloth or a bridesmaid dress. I always encourage my couples to have an open mind about selecting colours, to think of it more like creating a palette of coordinating tones and shades rather than exact matching. And remember, at the end of the day, nobody is going to take their invitation and put it next to the bridesmaids’ dresses, the napkins or the groom’s cravat to check it’s the right colour! It’s about creating an overall coordinated look more than anything.

navy colour wedding invitations with a printed floral bellyband

That’s it, my top 5 tips on including your wedding colours on your invitations. If you want to do it go ahead, but if you don’t that’s OK too, it’s your wedding do it your way. If you do want to go for colour there are lots of ways to do it from card, paper and print through to embellishments and coloured envelopes. To get the best match for colours, it’s always best to do it in person with the actual materials, remember colours can often look very different on a screen. And finally, arguable most importantly, don’t stress yourself out about having everything matching perfectly.

I hope you’ve enjoyed reading this blog. If you’re looking around for invitations and you’re not sure what you need yet, then you might enjoy this one too.

What style of invitation is best for you

And if you’re just starting out on your wedding stationery journey, my comprehensive guide and checklist will be invaluable.

Get it here

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