Are you trying to decide between classic wedding invitations and a more modern style? These days, the lines have blurred, but there are still some distinct differences between the traditional classic style wedding invitations and modern wedding invitations. Here’s a quick breakdown to help you decide whether your wedding invitation tastes run to the traditional, or whether your wedding invitation choices are setting the tone for a thoroughly modern wedding.
Paper Choices
The classic wedding invitation is printed on heavy ecru or white paper. That paper is used for all parts of the classic wedding invitation with the exception of a tissue paper liner that is placed over the invitation itself.
Modern wedding invitations may be printed on any high-quality paper, and the colors vary widely. As late as the 1980s, even such simple and subtle color choices as a touch of gold leaf in the invitation border lifted an invitation from the traditional into the modern – and somehow irreverent – category. While traditional wedding invitations are still very popular, modern wedding invitations sparked with color and patterns are quite acceptable.
One very classic invitation style that still has a modern feel is the Pearl Border on Ecru Wedding Invitations from Rytex Weddings’ The Wedding Collection. The ecru card panel is bordered with a pearlized ecru border that is understated and elegant. Make it modern by choosing ink in the color of your choice.
The Inviting Company’s Wedding Collection also adds whimsy to a very traditional ecru panel wedding invitation. The collection of modern wedding invitations that nod to the past include the Chapel Vellum Panel wedding invitation, printed on a heavy white vellum panel and bordered in soft silver. The charming line drawing of a little chapel makes this wedding invitation simple, sweet and romantic.
Color Choices in Classic and Modern Wedding Invitations
Traditional classic wedding invitations are white or ecru, with touches of silver, pearl or gold on the borders or to accent embossed elements of the card. Despite the limited colors, there are still many choices of classic wedding invitations that will appeal to both the traditional and the modern bride.
While the most traditional wedding invitations feature no decoration other than the wording of the invitation itself, which is invariably engraved in black on ecru or white – many modern invitations capture the classic, traditional feel with embossed borders. To retain a truly classic feel, choose a wedding invitation that has even borders on all four sides with a wedding-inspired pattern.
You will also find many modern wedding invitations styles that have a very classic feel to them. One of the most innovative and unusual wedding invitations styles is a 5 x 7 V-Flap Folio Pocket wedding invitation. The clean lines and presentation are essentially classic, but the folio envelope and the wide range of colors pack a thoroughly modern punch. The modern bride can dare to be different without being cutesy, with mix and match color choices that include chocolate, turquoise, pink and apple green.
Embellishments in Modern Wedding Invitations
Traditional wedding invitations carried very few embellishments. The formal presentation of classic wedding invitations is part of their appeal and charm. Modern wedding invitations recognize very few limitations in decoration and embellishments. Designers like Vera Wang and Anna Griffin bring their unmistakable styles to wedding invitations, adding flourishes and bold, splashy prints to both the wedding invitation itself and to the other elements of the invitations package.
Anna Griffin’s line of Platinum Swirls wedding invitations invokes the classic and traditional with heavy ecru backing paper and slim, stylish silver borders. The use of white and silver is a clear nod to the traditional, and a platinum ribbon layered between the backing and the wording panel is the ultimate in modern elegance. This Anna Griffin design and others make it clear that modern and elegant are definitely not mutually exclusive.
The Vera Wang Wedding Invitation Collection features bold, modern graphics in striking styles and colors. There’s nothing shrinking violet about these stunning invitations. The Empress Jewel wedding invitation from the Vera Wang Letterpress line of wedding invitations is an example of Wang’s bold style. The horizontal orientation is a departure from the classic vertical card, and the colored top and bottom beaded borders are beautifully asymmetrical. Asymmetry is a mark of Wang’s modern wedding invitations, elegantly handled to create a striking border for the most important words of your life.
The Text
The wording on invitations is yet another place where the classic differs from the modern wedding invitation. Wedding etiquette decrees specific phrases and tenor for the wedding invitation, but many modern couples are eschewing the traditional to make their wedding invitations a statement of their personal feelings and beliefs.
The wording differs in another way between modern and classic wedding invitations. Tradition calls for black, raised engraving in a formal font. Modern invitations are much freer and more open. Most invitations today are thermal printed rather than engraved, and the thermal printing process produces the same raised lettering that engraving does. Modern invitations may also be printed in any color chosen by the wedding couple without raising eyebrows. The Mix ‘n’ Match Custom Wedding Invitation Collection allows couples to choose colors that mix, match, coordinate and contrast for bold, modern invitations that make a clear, memorable statement about your wedding.
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Differences Between Modern and Classic Wedding Invitations
Friday, November 19th, 2010Can?t Miss Wedding Invitations Styles
Thursday, November 18th, 2010This year the hottest wedding invitations styles take their cue from the world around us. Colors both bold and subtle, patterns that make an immediate impression and styles that combine tradition and innovation in a unique, contemporary look are all great styles. Your wedding invitations will set the tone for the wedding of your dreams when you choose from a variety of can’t miss wedding invitation styles taken from today’s hottest designers. Take a look at what the top designers are offering for your 2009 wedding invitation needs.
Vera Wang
Bold prints and delicate, subtle patterns combine in designer Vera Wang’s wedding invitation lines. Wang mixes contemporary and traditional in a style that is unabashedly joyful, un-self-consciously playful and inimitably modern. In the Vera Wang Retro Verso line, Wang turns tradition on its head to print on both sides of the invitation, pairing bold prints with delicate patterns to create wedding invitations that are memorable and unique.
Anna Griffin
The Retro Verso and Letterpress wedding invitation lines from Vera Wang are absolute can’t miss wedding invitation choices for today’s modern bride. Designer Anna Griffin focuses on the traditional, playing with touches of ribbon, satin embossing and layered panels to create a feeling of opulence and timeless elegance.
Custom Mix ‘n’ Match Wedding Invitations
Are you looking for wedding invitations that are completely and totally your own? Custom Mix ‘n’ Match Wedding Invitations fit the bill. You can choose your print colors, choose the color of your envelope linings and even choose the style of your enclosures. In fact, there are so many custom options that your wedding invitations are bound to be completely one of a kind.
Custom Mix ‘n’ Match 7 x 7 Pocket Fold Invitations
Classic elegance and contemporary styling combine in this unusual wedding invitation style. You have a choice of 90 different color papers, including a range of metallic colors from pearl white to lapis blue. Customizations available for the Mix ‘n’ Match wedding invitations include the color of the liner paper, color of the backing paper and color of the invitation panel. The pocket fold is contemporary and sleekly elegant, ideal for today’s bride with a sense of timeless style.
Reagan 3-Layer Wedding Invitations
Who said the only thing that comes in layers is the wedding cake? The Reagan 3-Layer Wedding invitation is part of the Custom Mix ‘n’ Match wedding invitation collection. The three layer panel invitation can be customized in literally hundreds of ink and paper colors, making your wedding invitations truly one-of-a kind creations. Choose two different backing colors, one panel color and ink color, customize with your chosen type style and pick out an envelope to accent or contrast with your invitations.
Your wedding is your day, a day when your personal style should hold sway. Invite your guests to your wedding in style, your own personal style, with a wedding invitation that catches the attention of your guests from the start.
Top Ten Styles of Wedding Invitations
Thursday, November 11th, 2010There are many different ideas when it comes to wedding invitations, so it is important to look at the style that fits best, before you decide which invitations to send out. Wedding invitations are an important part of the wedding planning process because it provides your guests with valuable information about the ceremony. These ten commonly used invitation styles can help you find the best choice for your wedding.TraditionalThe traditional themed wedding invitation is making a comeback because of its simplicity, which many couples like to have. The traditional wedding invitation is a rectangular shape made from one sheet. This style generally has printing on the front of the invitation in a scripted font without any other decorations or designs. Although it is very simple and plain to look at, the couples who choose it do so for its simplicity. This is also a style typically used with formal weddings. ContemporaryThe contemporary wedding invitation is something that is drastically different from the traditional style. It is a wedding invitation that can be in any shape and in any size, and the couples usually choose it because they can customize it to their own needs and wants. This style is perfect for destination weddings. The couple may also choose to incorporate a picture on the invitation. There are many excellent choices available when choosing a modern themed wedding invitation.One FoldInvitations that fold in half are also very common today. On the front of the invite, there is usually a quote or lyrics from a song, or even a picture. When the invite is unfolded, the information important information about the wedding can be found. These can be opened sideways, like a traditional greeting card, or it can be opened top to bottom. Either way, many couples are choosing to use them.Two FoldTwo fold wedding invitations were not used in the past because they take up a lot of room and can be heavy and expensive to buy. However, many couples have started to use them, especially if they can print the invitations all by themselves. These are designs that have a lot more information than the traditional invitations, because the have more room. The first fold usually has information about the couple, and the middle fold usually has information about the wedding itself. ReligiousFor very religious weddings, designs like crosses and religious symbols are becoming very important to use on wedding invitations. You can find many different design elements that include religious items or symbols, and if this is something that is very important to you and your spouse-to-be, it is important to use a wedding invitation that matches your needs. CulturalMany people are putting cultural ideas or decorations onto their wedding invitations because they want to celebrate the mixture of two different cultures in their wedding. These can include using Celtic knots as decoration, or even using traditional colors and designs of the Native Americans. Either way, using cultural designs on wedding invitations is becoming quite popular. Theme OrientedA big idea when it comes to wedding invitations is to incorporate the theme into the actual invitation itself. This can mean fall leaves on an invitation, or invitations in the shape of snowflakes for a winter wedding. It can also mean a beach scene on the wedding invitation to indicate that the wedding takes place on the beach. TransparentA newer addition to wedding invitations are invitations that have transparent sheets added to them. A wedding invite might have a photograph underneath a semi-transparent sheet of film over the top of it. This adds depth to the wedding invitation and makes it much more fancy and interesting to look at. It can be an idea for a formal or informal wedding. IllustratedAnother idea that is hitting the market when it comes to wedding invitations is the illustrated invitations. These have either a picture of the couple on the invitation, or a drawing of them or something else on the invite. Because illustrations were not normally used for wedding invitations, the illustrations on these types of invitations can be very interesting and can make for a completely different theme when it comes to wedding invites in general. Non-ConventionalThere are several different non-conventional wedding invitations that are out there on the market today, and couples who seek to be completely different usually do these. Often, they are used for destination weddings, as they often incorporate the overall theme. They can be airline tickets that fit into a pocket, messages in a bottle, or even cloth and paper leaves with the wedding information written on them. Non-conventional wedding invitations are usually done by hand or they are purchased one at a time, so they can be quite expensive.