Custom DIY Wedding Invites: A Step-by-Step Guide

A Step-by-Step Guide 

In this post I show you how to create your own custom wedding-invites and monogram. Creating your own invitations is a time consuming process, but in the end they look like high-end invites for 1/2 the cost. I began several months out so that I would not feel rushed. I was able to do one or two pieces a week and not feel overwhelmed by the task. My amazing fiance also helped with several aspects of the process (mostly the grunt work). :-) 

Materials

• A quality printer
• Microsoft Publisher (Word or Powerpoint could also be used)
• Cardstock & Pocketfolds (see "What to Order" below)
• Ribbon

Tools

• Scissors
• Paper Cutter
• Glue ( I used a self-adhesive tape applied with a roll on dispenser)

What to Order

I had done some research and found that I did not like how any of the DIY pocket folds looked. (They all looked a little cheap to me.) I found a website called CardsandPockets.com that offered pre-made pocketfolds for invites at a very good price. I ordered:

• 60 Rectangolo Style Pocketfolds in Aquamarine
• 60 A7 Size Envelopes with European Flap (for mailing)
• 60 RSVP Envelopes with European Flap
• 60 Invitation Mats in Brown
• 150 Monogram Squares in Brown
• 75 Pre-Cut Blank Invitations
• 200 Pre-Cut Enclosures
• 100 Belly Bands in Brown

The Process

• I began by creating my monogram in publisher. I found it easiest to create the monogram in Microsoft Publisher because I could easily manipulate the sizes and colors. Once I got the monogram the way I wanted it, I used ALT + PRNT SCRN to make a copy of the page. I then pasted this page into paint and cropped the image so that I had a .jpeg of my monogram that could easily be copied and pasted throughout my invites, programs, etc. I sized the monograms to be exactly 2-inch squares and printed 150 on the cardstock (12 per page). I then cropped each monogram (very carefully) and mounted them to the brown monogram squares. Because I was being very OCD throughout the entire process, this step took me a few days.

• Next, I chose to focus on creating the invitation center in Microsoft Publisher. I was not very familiar with Publisher, so this took a few days of editing to get it perfect. Once I got my center invite the way I wanted it, I printed it to ensure that my accent ribbon and monogram would fit. After printing 60 invites on the pre-cut blank invites, I mounted them to the brown invitation mat using the roll-on tape. I then cut strips of ribbon and glued them to the invites and attached a monogram on top. 

• After I completed the center portion of the invite, I mounted each of these to the center of the pocket fold. I then began the tedious task of creating the inserts. It took me several days to create them and edit them to be the exact sizes that I wanted. Eventually I had to call-in reinforcements (my wonderful fiance) to help me edit and print them. I created all 3 inserts in a 6 3/4 x 3 1/4 template and then cropped them to my specifications. 
• Insert 1: 6 3/4 x 3 3/4
• Insert 2: 6 3/4 x 3 1/4
• Insert 3: 6 3/4 x 2 3/4
• Since our wedding is an out-of-town wedding, I wanted to include a lot of information for our guests. One insert listed driving directions to the ceremony and reception site. The middle insert listed accommodations ($-$$$) for our guests along with booking information. The final insert listed our website for guests to find addition about registries, attire, etc. My wonderful fiance then cropped each of these and placed them in the pocket of the invitation. 
• I then worked on the RSVP cards. We chose to keep them simple and printed them on the pre-cut enclosures we purchased. I then placed them with pre-addressed RSVP envelopes and tucked them on top of the inserts. 

• Finally, I attached the brown belly band and a final monogram to add a final touch to my invites. 

• I then addressed each of them and got them ready for mailing. It cost 66 cents for each domestic-mailed invite and $1.10 for each invite mailed to Canada. 

Overall, making the invitations took me about 4 weeks start-to-finish working on them 2-3 nights per week. During that time our dining room table was covered with paper, glue, etc. Although it was tedious at times, I found it fun to create my own invitations. I think this is definitely an option for couples looking to have custom invites that provide a lot of information without paying the high-price for printed invites. I would be happy to share my templates and answer any questions you may have about the process. Feel free to contact me at the e-mail listed in the contact info. 

Best of luck creating your custom invites!

***The original idea for these custom DIY wedding invites from "nicksknack" blog on Project Wedding. She has some awesome step-by-step how-to's on her Project Wedding Blog at:  http://www.projectwedding.com/wedding-ideas/diy-wedding-challenge-semi-diy-pocket-fold-invitations.