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Incorporating destination-inspired elements into your wedding stationery is a great way to set the tone for your destination celebration. Whether you’re exchanging your vows on a beach, in a vineyard, or overseas, there are many ways to use custom illustrations and location-inspired motifs to tie your invitations into your overall theme.
In this article, we’ll discuss how to design destination wedding invitations, ideas for custom beach wedding stationery, how to upgrade your invites for a classy beach wedding, and more.
How to Design Destination Wedding Invitations
Your wedding stationery will set the tone for your wedding, and different styles can complement different locations. As you’re creating your destination wedding invitation, start by considering the overall vibe of the location, as well as the feelings you want to invoke.
You can use your wedding’s location to inspire the invitation’s colors. For example, if your wedding is taking place at a beach, use blues and greens to mimic the colors of the ocean. Earthy tones are popular for rustic countryside weddings and vibrant hues work well for tropical destinations such as weddings in Mexico or celebrations in the Caribbean.
Some couples choose to design their destination wedding cards with illustrations from the local area. Consider whether there are any landmarks or icons associated with your wedding location like palm trees, mountains, or famous buildings. Similarly, it’s become popular for couples to commission custom maps by artists to showcase the locations that are relevant to their wedding day, such as the ceremony venue, the reception venue, or nearby attractions. Maps like these can either be included directly on the invitation or as a separate insert.
In addition to icons, consider adding illustrations of local flowers or wildlife that are characteristic of your wedding’s destination. You can also take advantage of invitation trends to make your stationery pop, like using fonts that evoke the spirit of your wedding. For example, elegant scripts work well for European-inspired weddings, while playful fonts can be used for destinations in beachy areas.
Finally, use travel inspired wording in your invitation that reflects the charm of the location. You could say things like, “Join us for a beachside celebration,” or “Escape to the mountains for our special day.”
Ideas for Custom Beach Wedding Invitations
There are many benefits to having a destination beach wedding, especially if you choose an all-inclusive destination wedding package. Many couples want to customize their invitations to match their theme, and we’ve got plenty of ideas to get you started.
As you’re designing your custom beach wedding cards, begin by choosing your favorite ocean-inspired color palette. For example, colors like aqua, turquoise, sandy beige, and coral can be used to mimic the colors of the ocean.
Watercolors are popular in beach-themed wedding stationery because they reflect the way the ocean, sand and sky blend together. Consider incorporating watercolor techniques in your invitations to create a beach-inspired background with soft gradients.
When designing your invitation, you can also incorporate beach-themed motifs of sea life such as starfish, sand dollars, or seashells. If you’re aiming for a more coastal vibe, you can instead choose nautical elements like anchors or sailboats.
If you want to include a photo on your invitation, many couples plan to have their engagement pictures taken on a beach, which they can then use on their wedding invitations. Similarly, you can feature photographs of coastal landscapes in the background of your invitation to fit the theme.
Finally, choose textured paper for an added tactile element. Smooth paper is more formal, while textured paper evokes thoughts of the seaside.
Ideas for Classy Beach Wedding Invitations
While many people associate beach weddings with a casual atmosphere, many elegant weddings take place on beaches as well. If you want to scale up your wedding, you can design classy beach wedding invitations to set your guest’s expectations.
Start by choosing a font for your invitation’s text. Cursive or calligraphy fonts tend to have a classier feel than bold or playful fonts, and they can be used to elevate the style of your invitations. You can also have the invitations hand-lettered for an even more luxurious feel.
As with casual invitations, classy beach wedding invitations can include custom illustrations of beach landscapes, seashells, or tropical foliage. However, rather than using bold colors, stick to ivory, champagne, navy, or soft pastels with hints of beach-inspired hues. This will give your invitations a more sophisticated look.
Once you’ve chosen your fonts and colors, consider including additional upscale details like gold foil accents, pearlescent paper, or intricate laser cut edges. You can also create a custom monogram seal featuring the couple’s initials, layer the invitation with a vellum overlay, or use embossed textures of sand, waves, or seashells to add elegance to the invitation.
Finally, when designing your invitations, don’t forget the envelope. Some couples choose envelope liner details or custom wax seals to create an additional touch of elegance.
When to Send Destination Beach Wedding Invitations
Since you’ll be asking your guests to travel for your destination wedding, you’ll want to send your invitations a few extra weeks earlier than is standard. This will give your guests plenty of time to request off work, RSVP, and make all necessary travel arrangements.
Typically, it’s best to send save-the-date cards at least eight to 12 months before your wedding and to send out your formal wedding invitations approximately three to four months before your wedding.
Set an RSVP deadline of around six to eight weeks before your wedding date. This gives you enough time to finalize headcounts, which is important for seating arrangements and other logistical details.
At Destify, our all-inclusive wedding service comes with a wedding website and app to track your guests’ info and RSVPs, making planning simple.
Learn More About Destination Weddings with Destify
At Destify, we create meaningful memories. Our experts specialize in destination weddings at prime travel spots, handling all the logistics to create a seamless experience for everyone.
Ready to turn your dream wedding into reality? Contact Destify today to get started.