Working with a new couple on their wedding invitations always starts with the question, “Do you have any ideas about what you want for your invitations? Have you seen anything you like?” And what we most often hear is that you want something traditional and classic, but you want to personalize it – to make it your invitation and not a generic invitation.
Envelope linings are a perfect place to customize your invitations and couples are taking full advantage of that space. You can take the same classic invitation and give it a whole different personality with your choice of linings.
- Add a pop of color from the wedding’s color palette.
- Add a street map, a nautical map, a drawing of the venue, or the city skyline to emphasize the location.
- Add your monogram, a pattern, or a floral design that complements the wedding décor.
- Add a marbled paper for a library wedding; add a gingham paper for a country wedding; add a wood grain paper for a barn wedding; or add the sparkliest glittered paper you can find for a glam look.
You are not limited to the standard choices of linings offered by the printer of your invitations. If you don’t see something you like, you can order the invitation envelopes unlined, find a paper or have a custom lining printed. We can design, print, assemble custom linings or you could install the linings in the envelopes yourself. Making a template and cutting the linings is not hard, only time-consuming, so allow a few extra days before your mailing date. The only thing you have to be extremely careful about is that the paper or printing method you choose for custom linings is colorfast and the color does not rub off on your invitations. If in doubt, use tissue over the invitation to protect against color rubbing off.
You want your guests to see the lining and not rip the envelope open and destroy the effect, so we recommend that you do one of the following:
- Order double envelopes and line the inner envelope.
- Use washi tape, which peels off without tearing, for a contemporary look in sealing the envelopes.
- Seal only the point and an inch or so on each side of the point so the envelope pops open without tearing the lining.
The invitation shown in this post is a very classic wedding invitation with an embossed beaded border from Crane’s William Arthur line. Some of the linings shown are from Crane and William Arthur; others have been designed and printed at TPOYC.