Weddings are expensive — just about everyone knows that. So why blow all your money before you even tie the knot? A great way to cut down on the cost of your wedding is to create wedding invitations on your computer. It doesn’t take a graphic artist to accomplish this and you don’t need any expensive software programs. In fact, I created my friend’s wedding invitation using only free stock graphics and Microsoft Word.
Collect Wedding Pictures
Obviously, you’ll want your wedding invitation to contain more than just words. For that, you will need to use graphics and photographs that you find on the Internet. You can either use free photography websites like SXC.hu, iStockPhoto.com and FreeStockPhotos.com, or you can pay for membership to a paid database. If you’re looking for graphics, you might try the clipart directory for Microsoft Office or you can use websites like FreeGraphics.com. If you would prefer to use your own photographs, you can take them with your digital camera and then upload them onto your computer. Some wedding invitations use pictures of the bride and groom.
Determine a Color Scheme
To make your wedding invitations look professional, choose a color scheme and stick with it. Blue and yellow is a popular combination as is different shades of red or green. Make sure that you choose colors that will work with the graphics and photographs you’ve already collected.
Write the Text
Ideally, you’ll use a page size of 5X6-inches or something close so that they will fit in a standard card envelope. Before you even start creating your wedding invitations on your computer, set the page size to the correct dimensions. Once you’ve done that, center a text box in the middle of the page and write the text you want to appear on the invitation. You can use an elegant font like French Script or Edwardian Script or you can choose something a little less fancy.
Choose a Background
Unless you want to use a white background, you can create a colored one using a gradient pattern or a texture. Just make sure you are able to print the background and that it doesn’t detract from the words. If you’re going to use a dark background for your wedding invitations, consider making the text a lighter color, such as white or light gray.
Insert Graphics
The next step in creating your wedding invitations on your computer is to insert the graphics that you selected. They can be as simple as a thin border around the edges or as elaborate as a collage of pictures — there really aren’t any guidelines as long as you can appreciate your creation. You might want to put a picture of two wedding bands linked or a photograph of a wedding cake. Just make sure that it blends well with the background and centers well with the text.
Choose the Paper
You’ll need to print your wedding invitations on good-quality paper. You can buy just about any type of paper at your local office supply store or you can search the Internet for possibilities. You can even purchase textured paper that will lend an elegant appeal to the invitations, so shop according to both price and aesthetic appeal.
