So you’ve decided to go the route of making your own shower invitations. This says several things: that you want them to be unique, you want them to be memorable, and you want them to say something about you and your betrothed that perhaps can’t be said any other way. Well, here are a few tips on creating bridal shower invitations that will help you achieve all of the above and more. Read on to find out more. …

Ribbons & Lace

Nothing says “romance” like ribbons and lace on your shower invitations. To get the look you want, buy several yards of a variety of both ribbon and lace, a hot-glue gun, and…experiment! Be sure to keep in mind that you will be incorporating your ribbons and lace with the lettering and any artwork you may be adding. In fact, sketching these major elements in first and then working the ribbons/lace around that would be the smartest way to approach the project. Give yourself plenty of time. This could take a while!

Lettering

Doing the lettering on your own shower invitations turns them into much more than the average invitation! They then become a cherished keepsake that can be handed down to generations. And just think how impressive they will be to your friends and family! Learning the art of calligraphy takes time, patience, and practice, practice, practice. Don’t expect to pick it up over a weekend.

If you intend to use calligraphy for lettering your invitations, look for a class held at your local community college or from an individual offering them. One thing’s for sure – to pay a professional to hand-letter your invitations, you will be looking at mucho dinero, so it’s well worth the effort to learn this graceful art of beautiful handwriting yourself. And besides, you may be able to use it many more times in the future for other types of projects like Christmas cards, certificates, posters – you name it.

Proofreading Your Handiwork

Whether you hand-letter your do-it-yourself shower invitations or print them off on your computer, always, always proofread them! There’s little more embarrassing than sending out 50 invitations and then realizing you’ve left off the address. Or the time. Or the date. So take the time to look once, then twice to make sure you’ve not left any important information off them or that you haven’t misspelled something.

Add the Correct Postage

Once you’ve gotten all your shower invitations perfect and ready to go, for heaven’s sake make sure you put the correct amount of postage on them! It’s easy to misjudge when you have the extra weight of decorations added to the cards, so don’t judge by size of the envelopes alone. The best way to make sure you’ve got appropriate postage on them is to take them to the post office and have them weighed, and then send them from there. That way you’re sure to not have any surprise returned mail in your box along with the expense of having to re-do another envelope to be sent out.

These are just a few things to think about when deciding on doing your own shower invitations. For a good way to come up with even more ideas, brainstorm with friends and family, go online and check out a few bridal shower forums, and visit your local library. By doing your homework, giving yourself plenty of time, and exchanging thoughts on the subject with other people as interested as you are, you’re sure to come up with some terrific ideas!

Visit Aragia.com for more tips on bridal shower invitations.