How to: Wedding Invitations That Look Like Clutch Purses

Opt to send clutch purse wedding invitations rather than traditional invitations.

If you want to show off your creative talents and send memorable wedding invitations that your guests will love, making clutch purse invitations is the perfect project for you. In addition to being creative, making your own wedding invitations is cost effective. The first couple of invitations may take longer to make than expected, but you will get faster and better as you produce more purse-shaped invitations.

Things You'll Need

• Cardstock, 8 1/2 x 11 inches
• Acrylic paint, optional
• Paintbrushes, optional
• Stamps, optional
• Ruler
• Scissors
• Plastic jewels, silk flowers or seashells, optional
• Tacky glue
• Calligraphy pen, optional
• 2 12 x 12 pieces of thick paper, any color
• Double-sided tape

Instructions

Making the Invitation

1. Decide which side of the card stock will be the outside of the invitation. The outside should be more bold in design and color, and because the inside will have the wedding information, it should be more subdued. Paint the outside with acrylic paints or decorate it with stamps, keeping in mind that you want the design to match well with your overall wedding theme. Allow the paint or stamps to dry completely before moving to the next step.

2. Place the card stock on a flat surface with the inside design facing up. Fold the bottom of the paper up 4 inches, measuring with the ruler to ensure the measurement is exact. Draw an outline of the purse on the folded portion of the card stock, and the handle on the single sheet portion. Cut out the purse. Only cut the top of the arc under the handle of the purse; this will be what closes the invitation so it must stay attached to the body of the purse.

3. Glue plastic jewels or other decorative items such as tiny silk flowers or seashells to the handle of the purse, if desired. Use tacky glue to adhere the objects and allow the glue to dry completely.Note that adding embellishments will significantly increase the weight of the invitations, which will therefore increase the cost of postage.

4. Write the wedding details on the inside of the purse with a calligraphy pen. If your penmanship is less than perfect, find a friend to help you. As an alternative, you can cut a traditional invitation to size and glue it on the inside of the purse invitation.

Making the Envelope

1. Lay the piece of 12 x 12 paper on the working surface and place the finished clutch invitation on top of it. Use the ruler to measure 1 1/2 inches around the two sides and bottom of the invitation, drawing lines to help you cut. Measure between 2 and 3 inches for the top of the invitation. Cut the paper.

2. Fold the paper around the invitation, leaving room for the card to slide in and out of the envelope without tearing. Unfold the paper and cut each of the corners out of the paper. This will help you fold the envelope and get cleaner, crisper folds. Fold in the side and bottom pieces.

3. Put another piece of paper on top of the envelope and trace around it. This will form one side of the envelope. Cut the piece out. Use double-sided tape to secure the newly-cut piece to the folded signs of the envelope.

4. Address the envelope legibly and add any embellishments to the envelope, such as stickers. Check the United States Postal Service's website if you have any questions about preparing the envelopes. Place the invitation inside the envelope. Seal the envelope with double-sided tape.

References

• Family Fun: Purse Greeting Card
• Party Ideas Galore: Easy Homemade Envelope Instructions

Resources

• United States Postal Service: Addressing Tips and Tools