How to Create a Printable Party Invitation

Creating and printing your own invitations adds a special touch and can also be a frugal option for those giving a party on a budget. There are several options with regard to size, style and design to be considered as well as decisions related to the informational details that must be included to properly invite guests to your party.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Paper or cardstock

1. Select a party theme that you would like to present with your invitation. Is it a birthday, a shower, an anniversary, a seasonal holiday party or some other special occasion? Whatever the reason or season, you can create a one-of-a-kind appropriate invitation.

2. Make a paper and envelope selection. Your choice of paper should be made based on several factors. Be sure that you choose a size and weight that your printer will be able to handle. Cardstock won't work with some smaller printers. Envelopes can be purchased in various sizes to accommodate your card design.

3. Open your word processing program and proceed according to your paper choice and the style of card you wish to create. If you are proceeding without a template, you have several easy choices. The easiest format you can choose is a one-page invitation in either portrait or landscape format. Another fairly easy format is the trifold. Printed on only one side of the paper in the landscape format when folded accordion style on heavier cardstock or paper it can stand up and has the look and feel of a purchased invitation or card. This can be accomplished by setting your right and left margins to the smallest setting your printer will accept and setting up a three-column format. Both of these options fit into a number 10 business size envelope. Most commercially purchased invitations are a smaller size. You also can print and fold a standard size single sheet of paper that measures 8 1/2 inches by 11 inches, into a small card that is 4.25 inches by 5.5 inches.

4. Design an invitation to fit the format that you decided to use. Choose your artwork and font for the details of the event.
   The artwork can be easily done by searching through available free clipart options from within your word processing program or online and making an appropriate selection. Also, choose from personal picture files on your computer that might be appropriate. Use the insert function of your program to import the files.

5. Finish the invitation, proof the card for spelling and print out the appropriate amount.

References

• Paper Direct
• Staples