Hand Writing Wedding Invitations

Handwritten invitation

For a small, intimate wedding, handwritten invitations will make the event very special. Large invitations on quality paper, mounted on complementary paper will enhance the presentation. They will be appreciated by the recipients in recognition of the time and effort by a member of the wedding party or a professional calligrapher that went into creating them.

Materials

A calligraphy pen is essential to creating beautiful writing. One with a metal nib works best for sharp edges and creates lovely handwritten invitations when the pen is held properly. An example would be a Sheaffer style metal pen with varying nib sizes (narrow to wide) and interchangeable ink cartridges, available at office-supply and craft shops such as Office Depot and Michaels Crafts in kit form (which come with instructions and practice paper). Purchase quality 8 1/2-inch by 11-inch paper (cream, colored or white as desired) which can be cut to size on a paper cutter to fit large envelopes. A light box is also handy when writing over a grid as a guide. Some of the best calligraphy supplies can be purchased at John Neal Books.

Techniques

Place a blank sheet of paper over wide-ruled paper to help write the wedding invitation in even lines (This is where the light box is useful --- the lines can be seen behind the blank paper.). Write the wording for the invitation in pencil, then go over them with a calligraphy pen. When satisfied with the layout, use this as the template to write other invitations by placing blank paper over the template on the light box and trace the wording. Another technique is to write each invitation with blank paper and wide-ruled paper as a guide. Experiment with the different techniques to determine which one works best for the person who will be writing the invitations.

A Few Tips

Choose quality paper carefully. Depending on the calligraphy pen used, the ink may run --- purchase the pen first, then the paper to practice on to check results. Also, envelopes with a shiny finish can be difficult to write on (the pen may skid, and the ink won't stick). If possible, attend a calligraphy workshop to learn the technique of writing with a calligraphy pen and holding the pen properly for best results. Research books on calligraphy and creative lettering are available at libraries and bookstores.

Resources

• Calligraphy supplies
• Michaels Crafts
• Office Depot