How to Make Your Own Wedding Invitations & Print at Home

Professionally printed custom wedding invitations tend to consume a large portion of the wedding budget. Yet, they don't have to. It's simple to create and print your own wedding invitations at home. If you take a little extra time, it will save you money. Use the following steps as a guide through the process of printing your own unique wedding invitations.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Invitations
• Response Cards
• Envelopes
• Computer
• Printer
• Extra Ink Cartridge
• Microsoft Word
• Stamps
• Tissue Sheets

1. DESIGN
   First, think about invitations to weddings you have received. What did you like about them? What did you not like about them? Then, consider the different elements of your own wedding. What colors are you using? Is it formal or casual? Is there a theme? Make a sketch of how you would like your invitation to look. Do you want it to be square or rectangle? White or ecru? It does not have to be perfect. Just come up with an idea.

2. PURCHASE BLANK INVITATIONS
   Search for blank, printable invitations online or at a local craft store. LCI Paper is a great online retailer with many options for printable wedding invitations at a reasonable cost (see reference section below). Michael's, JoAnne Fabrics, and Walmart carry printable cards as well. Compare prices and designs. Which of the designs will best fit your vision? Most websites will send you a sample so you know exactly what you will be ordering. When you find that perfect blank invitation, make your purchase. You will need invitations, envelopes, response cards, and response envelopes. Formal invitations include an inner and outer envelope. If you buy an invitation kit, it should come with everything you need.

3. FORMAT YOUR WORD PROCESSING PROGRAM
   Open a new blank document in Microsoft Word. Then select 'Page Setup' under the 'File' menu. A dialogue box will appear with more options. First, choose if your invitation is Landscape (horizontal) or Portrait (vertical). Then, look at the 'Paper Size' menu. If the size of your invitation is there, select it, and you are ready to move to the next step. If your paper size is not there, then go to the 'Settings' menu and choose 'Custom Paper Size.' Another dialogue box will appear to allow you to type in the exact size of your invitation. Check 'Use Custom Paper Size,' fill in the dimensions of your invitation, and click 'OK.' Your document will now be the size of your invitation.

4. TYPE UP YOUR INVITATION
   Center justify the document. Then, choose a font from the 'Font' menu. The font should set the mood for your wedding. Don't worry if you don't like the font after you see it in print, you can always change it!Now you are ready to type. The wording of your invitation depends upon your personal situation and taste. Check the reference section below for websites to guide you in writing your invitation. Don't forget to 'Save' frequently.

5. PRACTICE PRINT
   Check the manual for your printer to determine how to feed a non-standard sized piece of paper into it. You can use a laser or inkjet printer to print your invitations. Now, take some ordinary printer paper and cut it down to the size of your invitation. This is easily done on a paper cutter, but you can use a pencil and trace your invitation by lining it up in one corner and drawing the two other sides. Then, remove the invitation and cut on the pencil lines. Once you have some practice paper to work with. Put an 'X' in pencil on one side of the paper. Then, print your mock invitation. Use the 'X' to help you determine if you should feed the invitation face up or face down. It can also help you determine top and bottom too. Hold your mock invitation in front of your actual invitation. Does it line up the way you would like it to? If not, you may have to adjust the margin settings. Once your mock invites are lining up correctly, you are ready to print.

6. 
    
   This is a self-printed wedding invitation.

   FINAL PRINT
   Print only one of your final invitations first. Make sure it is the way you want it to look. When you are ready for the final print, print the invitations out in groups of 5 or 10 so that your printer will not get backed up. It is best to have extra printer ink on hand just in case. The tedious part is that you will have to catch each invitation as it comes out. If you are using an inkjet printer, it is best to put them aside and let them dry completely.

7. 
    
   Print response information on the front of the card.

   RESPONSE CARDS
   Go back to 'Step 3' and use the same process to format, type, and print your response cards. Most response cards are folded, so you will have to send them through the printer flat. The page size will be of the entire card. It is customary to leave the inside of the card blank for guests to write a congratulatory note. To print the address on the envelopes, go into the 'Project Gallery' in the File menu. Then, select 'Letters-Envelopes,' and then 'Envelope Wizard.' The 'Envelope Wizard' will step you through printing your address on the front of the response card envelopes. Be sure you go into 'Page Setup' again and choose the envelope size or create a 'Custom Size' as you have done before.

8. 
    
   Don't forget the stamps!

   ADDRESS, STUFF, AND SEND
   Finally, you are ready to address your envelopes. Put your invitation, response card, and envelope into the inner envelope if you are using one. It is customary to put a sheet of tissue paper over the ink of the invitation before placing it in the envelope. Don't forget to put stamps on the response card envelopes! Put the names of the people who are invited on the outside of the inner envelope. Then, put the inner envelope into the outer envelope. The outer envelope should have the return address printed on the back flap. This is easily done starting at 'Step 3' and running your envelopes through the printer. 'Envelope Wizard' does not have this option, so just format your document for the size of the envelope, center justify, and type your address toward the top. It is also acceptable to address your envelopes by running them through the printer, but it is much more personal to receive a hand written addressed envelope. Use a calligraphy pen and your best handwriting and it will look just fine.

Tips & Warnings

• Purchase more blank invitations and envelopes than you need, so you can give yourself room for mistakes and mishaps.
• It is recommended to choose a single font for all of the writing.
• Allow ink from an inkjet printer to completely dry before putting invitations into envelopes (about 24 hours).
• Any word processing application will work, you will just have to configure the paper size in that application.
• Take a sample of your entire invitation to the post office when you are finished, and have them tell you how much postage you will need per invitation.
• Square invitations do cost more to send. This is something to consider if you are on a tight budget.

Resources

• LCI Paper
• Microsoft Word Instructions
• Paper and More
• Wedding Invitation Wording #1
• Wedding Invitation Wording #2
• Wedding Invitation Wording #3
• Wedding Invitation Wording #4
• Response Cards #1
• Response Cards #2
• Invitation & Response Card Templates
• The Knot

[apalmer]

on 3/18/2009 Thanks for the great information. I'll use this in the future! 5*

[kittikat1119]

on 3/4/2009 Very good instructions! I wish I would have had this when I did mine a few years back. They turned out good but this would have made it so much easier. 5*

[NightowlMama]

on 3/2/2009 I did this and do this will birthday invites too. Great article thanks

[NightowlMama]

on 3/2/2009 I did this and do this will birthday invites too. Great article thanks

[calgrandma]

on 3/2/2009 Great instructions, good way to get what you want and save lots of money!