Every couple wants a unique wedding—after all, isn’t that the point? Weddings are a special day to celebrate exactly how you want in whatever way matches your love story and personalities. But your ceremony and reception aren’t the only chances you have to plan a custom wedding. Before your guests arrive at the venue, send them a unique wedding invitation to set the tone for your special celebration.
In general, you want your wedding invitations to match the wedding decor. This creates a unified look across the entire event, from start to finish. And, yes, most weddings are unique on their own simply because no two couples are exactly alike. But you can take the custom wedding feel up a level (or five!) with unique wedding invitations.
We’re not just talking about fun colors—although we have some of those in here, too! Instead, we’re talking about fun shapes and materials to really stand out. Of course, if you’re choosing unique wedding invitations, you’ll have to carry that theme through to your wedding day. So don’t just pick invitations that you think are cool. Instead, make sure they match your vision for the entire event.
1) Color Blocking
Design Tip: You don’t have to use both (or all!) of your color-blocked colors in your wedding theme. Simply pick one to focus on and use the rest in supporting, accent roles.
Color blocking is a design technique that pairs panels (or blocks) of opposing colors. The technique is thought to originate from Piet Mondrian’s art, first incorporated into fashion by Yves St. Laurent in the 1940s. It’s still a popular design and fashion trend today, too, although the colors aren’t always opposite on the color wheel like they were in Mondrian’s artwork. Still, it’s a bold and colorful way to send unique wedding invitations.
2) Single Solid Color
Design Tip: Use tints or shades of a single color for each component, or choose complementary colors for each piece.
Maybe you want color wedding invitations, but prefer a look that’s more subdued than bold color blocking. Well, solid-color invitations are perfect for you! You’ll still get the unique, colorful invites of your dreams, but you can create a more simple design—perfect for modern or minimalist weddings. And as you can see from the image above, using single, solid colors are stunning for any size card in any orientation.
3) Leather (or Any Non-Paper Material)
Design Tip: The invitations can be in a non-paper material, or you can use a non-paper material to wrap or envelop them.
How many paper wedding invitations have you received? The answer is most likely somewhere between a lot of them and all of them. And there’s a good reason for that—paper is inexpensive and versatile, so you can make it look however you want on a reasonable budget. But paper isn’t a unique wedding invitation. Instead, look to materials like leather or linen for a luxury wedding invitation that’s sure to impress your guests!
4) Acrylic
Design Tip: Give a transparent look to your engagement photo with this faux vellum card option.
A transparent wedding invitation will surely stand out in the mail. It perfectly introduces your modern wedding while adding an elegant flair, too. Because certain colors are hard to read against vellum and acrylic, we recommend ordering a sample before fully committing—just to be sure they’re exactly what you want. And pair that clear card with a bold colored envelope, too. Otherwise, the whole package will feel washed out and dull.
5) Cut-Outs
Design Tip: Go bold! Don’t just cut out a small portion—really give into the possibilities of laser cutting.
Instead of focusing on what your card is made out of—focus on what’s missing! Harness the power of laser cutting for an artistic spin on your wedding invitations. You can create soft palettes with cut-out cream and blush cardstock. Or you can use dark, bold colors for a sharp contrast. Either way, don’t forget to incorporate your shapes into the wedding day decorations.
6) Non-Square
Design Tip: Think outside the box (or square)! Look at circles, geometric shapes, or hearts for a unique wedding invitation.
Traditional wedding invitations are just so…square! Don’t feel like you have to send a typical 4.25” by 6.25” card—especially if you don’t want to. You can send them in any shape, like circles or geometric shapes, and you can even use sentimental shapes—like the shape of the state you’re getting married in. Much like die cut cards, the possibilities are endless with non-square ideas.
7) Illustrated
Design Tip: Use an engagement photo as inspiration.
What’s a more unique wedding invitation than a custom illustration? Not many ideas, that’s for sure! You can stick to the regular content, like names, dates, and locations. Or you can create a custom scene from your engagement photos or your future wedding. Paint a literal picture of your life together for friends and family to look at while they count down the weeks from home.
Conclusion
There are so many unique wedding invitation ideas, but there’s only one you! If you’re having a hard time choosing the right invite, take a step back and think about the bigger picture. What do you picture for your special day? For example, is it bold and colorful or sentimental and subdued? Are you planning a rustic affair or a chic, modern celebration? Start with your wedding and work backwards to pick out the perfect unique wedding invitation to match.
Which of these unique wedding invitation ideas is your favorite? Share your thoughts with us below!
