As a wedding stationery designer, I love dressing up wedding envelopes. Think about it: Your wedding envelopes are the first thing your guest sees when your invitations arrive. So why not make it unforgettable? A beautiful, personalized wedding envelope sets the tone for your wedding and builds excitement for what’s to come (aka, your incredible wedding!). If you want your wedding invitations to stand out, here are five creative ways to dress up your wedding envelope and make a lasting impression!
Add Timeless Elegance with Wax Seals
Wax seals are timeless, charming, and elegant. If you opt for a plain envelope, a wax seal is an easy way to elevate it! They add a touch of romance and mystery that gets your guests excited to open it and see what’s inside.
And the best part? You can customize your wax seal! Consider using monograms, family crests, or symbols that tell your story as a couple.
You can find a beautiful variety of pre-made wax seal stickers or go the old-fashioned route with a block of wax, some heat, and a stamp. Your wax seal can seal your envelope flap or secure any ribbon or twine wrapped around your envelope. However you choose to use it, a wax seal is a small but significant detail that will immediately dress up your wedding envelopes. When you order semi-custom or custom wedding invitations through Turnage & Watts, you can add-on wax seals to any order. We offer sixteen colors to match any wedding palette. See more of the options on our details page!
Elevate Your Wedding Envelopes with Calligraphy
There’s something undeniably luxurious about hand-lettered calligraphy. Whether modern and whimsical or traditional and refined, calligraphy adds a personal and artistic touch to your envelopes. I highly recommend working with a professional calligrapher, but I cannot sing enough praises to the incredibly talented Caitlin at Caitlin Jane Calligraphy. Caitlin has five different styles that can fit any invitation suite, and they are all stunning.
Including calligraphy on your wedding envelopes makes your guests feel special and sets a sophisticated tone for your wedding celebration!
Incorporate Vintage Stamps
Vintage stamps are a creative (and unique!) way to dress up your wedding envelopes. They add character, embrace nostalgia, and can even tell your story or reflect your wedding theme!
You can find stamps that match your wedding’s color palette or include meaningful images, like floral designs, travel-inspired drawings, or historical landmarks!
However, there are a few things to keep in mind when using vintage stamps:
- Make sure they have never been used before
- Check the value of the stamp. While vintage stamps are still valid in the U.S., many are for a lower value than our modern stamps. You may need to use multiple vintage stamps to cover the cost.
- Be sure to calculate the total postage required for your invitations and ensure your budget covers it!
Consider Including Creative Envelope Liners
Envelope liners are often overlooked, but they can transform a simple envelope into a statement piece. Liners are placed inside the envelope, revealing a surprise color, pattern, or design on the inside flap when opened.
Get creative with your envelope liners! From watercolor designs and vintage paintings to meaningful illustrations tied to your wedding theme, the possibilities are endless. Coordinate your liner with your wedding colors or theme to create a seamless and polished look.
We offer sixteen envelope liners for our semi-custom collection, so you can select one that compliments your suite perfectly. Or, if you go the fully-custom wedding invitation route, we can create the invitation liner of your dreams! See how we created a custom library illustration for Caitlin and George’s wedding at the George Peabody Library.
Use Design Elements from Your Suite to Decorate the Outer Envelope
One of the best (and easiest!) ways to personalize your wedding envelopes is by incorporating design elements from your invitation suites on the outer envelope. Think about what design elements make your invitations so special and beautiful. Maybe they have floral motifs or elegant borders. You can use these same designs to decorate your envelopes!
The most popular way to do this is by digitally printing custom stamps. This way, the design on your envelopes is precise and easy to apply. This detail personalizes your envelopes and creates a cohesive design that wows guests from the moment they receive your invitation!
Your wedding stationery is your first impression. So let’s make it a good one! When you work with Turnage and Watt’s, we spare no detail when customizing and personalizing your stationery. Explore our designs on Zazzle or work with me to create a semi-custom or fully custom invitation suite. Because when it comes to your wedding stationery, no detail is too small! Reach out to start designing wedding invitations that will make your guests feel truly special.
