Modern Wedding Invitations = Big + Bold + Bright

For my first wedding invitations (nearly 20 years ago) I had only a handful of things to consider. Which paper stock, black ink or blue, embossed or not, and which font style were my biggest issues. When planning for my second wedding a few years ago, I set about finding the perfect invitations. My biggest problem was that I'm a designer and not just anything would do. My second biggest problem was that I typically wanted something outside the limits of what was readily available. My wedding theme was coffee, with brown as my main color, complemented by robin's egg blue. For my wedding invites, I wanted something that would make a strong, modern statement when opened. After taking home lots of sample invitations, I found what I liked and worked with the printer to modify it to suit my design ideas, all at an extra cost (see photo).

Today, the variety of choices is plentiful and wedding invitations are brighter, more fun, and more readily available. The top trends in wedding invites for spring 2011 bring together multiple colors, bold graphics, and a wedding's theme in combinations that can range from very simple to very elegant.

Some Ideas on Wedding Invitations

Color plays the biggest part in the new look of wedding invitations. Whether bright colors or more subtle tones are used, invitations should act as a preview of the wedding. Choosing a design that encompasses at least two colors from the wedding's palette is common. According to Lisa Barr, NY Fashion Bridal Examiner for Examiner.com, natural palettes and hot colors were the top trends for 2011 at this year's National Stationery Show . "A Wedding Sketchbook" has a great display showing the range of bright colors coming for spring 2011.

Graphic design is being strongly incorporated, be it through monograms, silhouettes, photographs, patterns or other meaningful images - all incorporated right on the front of the invitation.

As for themes, vintage or retro designs are HUGE! One of the top ideas in wedding plans is a "Mad Men" wedding. This trickles down to the invitations. Reflective of the TV show, darker and earthier colors (see Part 2 of A Wedding Sketchbook's display) are used along with bold and sleek designs and large but minimalistic copy. Think of slick magazine advertising from the '60s and you've got a perfect invitation that will evoke the feel of this theme.

Whatever combination, today's modern wedding invitation can be fun or formal - yet personalized enough to offer a glimpse into the spirit of the soon-to-be newlyweds.