Archive for the Trend Report Category

One of the most glamorous trends in wedding invitation is foil stamping. This technique creates a shimmering accent or even an entire invitation design that is metallic. This is a perfect way to incorporate on-trend colours like gold and rose gold, and a great way to make a wedding invitation more sophisticated.

Foil stamping can be done in practically any colour. I’ve found that most of my clients choose to stick with silver, black, or gold but I have also done blue, purple, and rose gold. Foil stamping can be done right here in Edmonton!

Here are a few ways to incorporate foil stamping and make an impression with your wedding invitations:

• Monochrome
  Choosing a foil stamp in the same colour as the paper gives a contemporary and classy look. This look is achieved by choosing a matte paper, and using foil stamping in the same colour for the lettering.
• Dots
  Clusters of dots on the edges of an invitation is great for couples who want to get their guests in the mood to celebrate – it’s just like confetti!
• Script
  To achieve the glamour of foil stamping when you’re working with a timeless and romantic theme, use the metallic effect on delicate script text.
• Drama
  Gold, silver or rose gold stamped on a deep colour, like burgundy or eggplant, creates an impressive and dramatic look.
• Monogram
  Have your invitation designer create a custom monogram for you, and have it foil stamped throughout your wedding stationery. Who says you that custom monogram is only for your wedding day – once you’re married you can continue to use the design for custom stationery!
• Drop Shadow
  By using the same plate with two different foil colours, you can create a shadowed effect.

What you need to know:

Foil stamping can be mixed with digital printing if you’d like more than one colour on your invitation. However, if your design is very delicate and precise you will have to use offset printing rather than digital, because foil and digital designs need to line up exactly. Offset printing is the original printing method, which is more expensive but much more precise in terms of alignment and colour.

Generally, a foil stamp is based per plate – and each unique design needs its own plate. This means you need at least one plate per card that you want foil stamped. It is common for couples to stamp the invitation and digitally print the additional cards in the stationery suite, which will save a little bit of the expense.

Another way to get more value out of your wedding invitation budget is to work with your designer to design a foil stamp plate that can be used on all of your cards – like a simple border design. Another option is to use the same plate with multiple colours to create a layered look or to incorporate every element of your wedding colour palette.

Hand lettering is a trend that has truly swept the wedding industry over the past few years – you practically can’t scroll through Pinterest without spotting sweet hand-lettered swirls on a piece of wedding stationery. No longer limited to rigid, traditional calligraphy, couples can use hand lettering to fit any style of wedding design, whether it’s elegant and romantic or bold and playful. Although you can still find traditional calligraphy in some wedding designs, it’s more common to find a romantic style with plenty of flourishes or a modern and minimal look, created by shorter brush strokes.

If you’re thinking of including hand lettering on your wedding stationery, there are lots of ways to do so, including options for all budget sizes. Generally, hand lettering is priced per design. For those hoping to get the on-trend look of hand lettering while sticking to a smaller budget, you could have a custom monogram, quote or small design created and use that throughout your wedding stationery and signage. Those with a larger stationery budget will find that you can add hand-lettered touches almost anywhere on your wedding day, down to hand lettering the destination address on each wedding invitation’s envelope.

You might be reading this and getting excited at the prospect of learning a few techniques and trying your hand at calligraphy… either that, or you’re thinking that there’s no way you’d have the time or skill to create something you’re proud to include in your wedding. Don’t worry! There are so many talented artists available to create custom hand-lettered wedding designs, and they can be found online or right here in Edmonton. One amazing local artist that I love working with is Justine Ma . If you are interested in doing your own calligraphy there are online tutorials, or workshops you can take in person – Justine hosts workshops in Edmonton and Banff.

For those of you who decide to jump in and hand letter your own wedding invitation envelopes, make sure you’re prepared with a few extras in case you make mistakes. It’s also a good idea to test your pen and ink on your envelope to make sure it adheres properly before starting. Lastly, have patience! Calligraphy is an art form, not a weekend project. Designers take years to hone their skills, so be prepared to put in some practise before you’re happy with the finished product.

A final note to those who are planning to use hand lettering: it certainly looks great on Pinterest, but Canada Post is not always a fan of the unique lettering style! Consider doing an inner envelope with hand lettering and an outer envelope with a simple mailing label. This ensures correct delivery and keeps your inner envelope safe and clean.

What most couples don’t realize about their wedding invitations is that its not the colours or the fonts that are important. It really is all about the wording. Your wedding invitation wording sets the tone for your guests. Having a casual wedding? Your invitation probably shouldn’t start with ‘The honour of your presence is requested…’ And a formal invitation should not show the wedding date as ‘September 26, 2014′. These are just small cues that let your guest know what to expect, even how to dress for the occasion.

Your wording should always include details like the date and time of the ceremony. Make sure you include the location information as well as whether it will be an indoor or outdoor event (this can be listed on a separate information card or on your wedding website). Will dinner be included in the reception or are you just serving hor d’oeuvres? Be sure to cover the Who, What, Where, and When.

After you have inserted those details, try to make the wording personal to you and your fiance. Don’t be afraid to have some fun with it if your wedding is going to be more casual. Even if you are having a formal wedding, insert some fun lines on your response card. Your guests will appreciate the extra effort.

I have a mega crush on Cotton Paperie , a custom letterpress shop in Texas. They do everything from foil stamping to diecutting but what I’m going to talk about today is edge painting. The ultimate in cool printing techniques. If you have a thicker wedding invitation, you are going to want a painted edge after seeing these beauties .

If you want to save some cash and you are feeling crafty, check out this awesome edge painting tutorial . Steph says this about her process:

The way to go if you want to edge paint your cards is simply with acrylic paint and a foam brush. Stack up your cards in a neat pile and weigh them down with something. Then paint on the edges of the cards. Make sure to cover the top of the pile with a scrap of paper or you’ll be sacrificing the top card from each pile. Paint will inevitably get on that card.

Have fun!