The Top Trending Invitation Styles for 2019

You’ve got the girl (or guy), you’ve got the rings, you’ve got the date, and you know what level of grandeur your ceremony is going to be. Now it’s time to share the news with the people closest to you — and your invitation sets the tone for the occasion. There are so many different creative options beyond the traditional plain white rectangle that add a personal flourish unique to you. Take a look at many of the popular styles that are trending right now in the wedding stationery game.

• A Wash of Color

Multihued design is all the rage — ombre and watercolor have exploded in popularity in nail art and home decor. The graduated color scheme has found its way into invitation design. Ombre or watercolor design can range in style from abstract splashes of color to a specially commissioned design, and in color tone from muted pastels to vibrant brights.

• Map It Out

Especially effective for destination weddings, maps enclosed with the invitation can be stylized with wedding-specific icons and sentimental details. Or you can go all in and use that map as your invitation design. Landscapes are also quickly gaining favor — a sketch or painting of the wedding location or one of the couple’s favorite spots can add meaningful detail as well as a unique design.

• Initial Reaction

It’s all about the name game — monograms are wildly fashionable in wedding design. Lots of couples have specially made monograms for the occasion, and have so much variety. Single letter monograms of the couple’s last name, Interlocking letters featuring the last name and each individual’s first initial, and even initials fashioned into a crest are a few monogram variations that can figure prominently on your invitations.

• Precious Metals

The easiest way to make something eye-catching? Make it shiny! Foiled, gilded and metallic details have been around in the typeface for a long time, but these elements are now becoming a key component in the design as graphic backgrounds and border trim. It’s not just gold and silver anymore, either; platinum and copper tones are coming into play, and even mixing different metal tones is coming into vogue.

• Envelope Linings Playbook

Even if you decide to stay with a simple design for your invitation, the opportunity to add a little extra flair comes in the envelope. An item that’s usually ignored, adding a lining to the envelope that packs a visual punch is an excellent way to introduce a striking feature in a more understated way. Beyond the usual metallics, you can select bold prints, geometrics, botanicals — even a Spanish tile motif.

• Pushing (Away) The Envelope

With the envelope viewed as secondary to its contents, some dispose of it altogether and find other ways to seal up their invites. Tied bundles using ribbon, twine or raffia make a quaint, dainty package. Also making a comeback, especially in wedding stationery, is the wax seal. Wax seals can also be used to enclose envelopes, but they can also seal folded invitations. With printed stamps available, you can also incorporate the monogram concept on your wax seal.

• Don’t Be Afraid of the Dark

Who says you can’t use dark colors for a wedding? Well, a lot of experts have said that — but if you want a bold, out of the norm look, dark colors used intelligently can be vibrant and classy. Whether it’s just a design accent color or a full color base inscribed with white or metallic ink, a darker colored invitation will certainly stand out. (Navy, in particular, is trending into next year.)

• In Your Own Hand

There is a resurging preference of loopy, flowing lettering over typeface in invitations. The precise hand lettering of calligraphy never fully went out of style, but is again becoming a preferred text for the invitation itself. Some are going beyond that and including elements of the bride and groom’s actual script incorporated into the text. In an age where handwritten messages are rare, including pencraft gives a nod to nostalgia.

• Shape Up

Going beyond the rectangle doesn’t just mean square. Geometric shapes are making their way into the design ON the invitation as well as the design OF the invitation. It’s becoming more common to receive circular, hexagonal and other polygonal shaped missives for wedding invitations.

• Laser Focused

Precise, intricate designs are very popular in cards today, and today’s laser cut designs add a fancy air of luxury to a paper invitation. From die-cut lettering to simulated vintage lace, style and pattern possibilities with laser cut are endless.

• Going Natural

The script is not the only thing going flowery with invitations. Nature motifs are making their way into all of the design elements used. Garland borders, floral envelope lining, leaf motifs in the seals — even the invitation itself can go green with special papers imbued with seeds that can be planted afterwards.

• Online Connections

The online invitation, or e-vite, is almost the norm for events nowadays. For a wedding, many argue about whether or not this flouts traditional etiquette. But one way you can bridge the distance between technology and tradition is to design your online invitation to match the printed one you intend to mail. This reconciles the traditional customs with the modern convenience of being able to track your confirmed guests.

With the invitation serving as an extension of your own personal style, it’s not just an event request anymore. These trends show a great number of choices at your disposal to create a beautiful and memorable announcement.

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Author: Carolyn Anderson from Northwood Rings

Northwood Rings provides handcrafted wooden rings from a variety of types of timber for people who want to have nature incorporated into their stories. They’ve since expanded to precious metals, and gemstones, to give even more options to the brides and grooms (and guests) who want something a little different.