Making Your Own Simple Wedding Invitations With the Experts at Bliss & Bone
If you and your partner identify with the phrase “less is more” and love the idea of a modern affair, there is nothing better than a simple wedding invitation. With a focus on the font and details, simple wedding invitations give you more freedom to make future design and decor designs. Plus, they convey a chic, sleek style that will alway be on-trend.
There are few “rules” when it comes to creating simple wedding invitations, which is what makes them so fun and unique. In this guide, we will explain how to make simple wedding invitations, and break down everything you need to know before the design process begins. Plus, we will also outline the costs associated with your stationery suite and explain how to get started on making your own.
What Are Simple Wedding Invitations?
As we discuss how to make simple wedding invitations, it is important to first define these pieces of stationery. Simple wedding invitation cards are either digital or printed invites that inform guests about your upcoming celebration. These will include all of the details they need to know about your wedding and its related events, and it is necessary to make simple wedding invitations with RSVP functionality. While your simple Save the Dates will just feature the venue (or the city where your event will be held) and date or dates when your guests need to travel there, the formal invitation is a bit more involved.
You can build digital or printed simple wedding invitation cards after reviewing a variety of templates. Simple wedding invitation templates commonly feature bold fonts and thoughtful placements of other necessary information. It is all about embracing this sophisticated aesthetic, without overcomplicating the design elements. You do not need to go over-the-top with your simple wedding invitation, and the templates at Bliss & Bone are easy to follow and provide you with steps to include all of the key details in a direct, seamless way. For even more simple wedding invitation designs, wedding couples also find themselves gravitating toward modern-minimalist templates.
Everything You Need to Do Before Making Your Simple Wedding Invitations
You are probably excited and feeling ready to start designing, but you need to do a few things before creating those simple wedding invitations. In this section, we will outline everything you need to do before you start researching the best simple wedding template for your special day.
-
Determine your desired budget. Before you start the wedding planning process, in general, you need to figure out exactly how much you plan to spend on your wedding. It is crucial that you meet with your partner and any other friends or family members who have offered to help pay for your celebration. When this is determined, you can more easily set out on hiring every necessary vendor, picking out your outfits and more.
-
Hire a professional wedding planner. It is beyond understandable that the planning process is overwhelming. Hiring a professional who is experienced and well-connected in the wedding industry can reduce your stress and provide you with a trusted confidant throughout this journey. There are so many choices to make—big and small—and your planner can help you navigate it all. In fact, your planner might even be able to weigh in on decisions related to your simple wedding invitation ideas too.
-
Finalize your guest list. Before you decide on where and when you are getting married, it is recommended that you figure out who is going to receive your simple wedding invitations. This way, you can research venues that can accommodate your party size, without worrying about going over capacity. Think about the friends and family members you want to attend your special day, and then set a tentative guest count to share with prospective venue coordinators.
-
Book your venue and set your date. The “where” and “when” are perhaps the most important part of your planning process. You can choose to have your wedding close to home or in a faraway destination. Once you have made a decision on the general area, you can start researching dreamy locales where you can say, “I do.” You can schedule tours and walk around the properties with your partner and wedding planner, and then you can talk about scheduling. If a venue you love has a date that works for you, book your venue. With a rise in the number of weddings held per year, you want to make sure everything is in place with your venue.
-
Design your wedding website. Your simple wedding website will work as your information hub, full of all of the extra details that might not make it into your Save the Date or invite. Plus, you can use your website to collect responses for simple wedding invitations with RSVP cards. Managing your RSVPs online is a more recent tool, and one that has helped many wedding couples stay organized and constantly in the loop of “yes” and “no” responses for their celebration.
-
Create your own simple Save the Dates. By this point in your timeline (usually six to 12 months before your wedding), you need to design and send out simple Save the Dates. These should include the essentials: your wedding venue or the city where you are getting married and the date. If you are planning a destination wedding, you should send out your simple Save the Dates as early as possible and give guests enough time to make travel arrangements. And if you have several events before or after your wedding, you should include the dates guests will need to be there.
With these steps checked off, you can efficiently handle your wedding timeline. Keep this list in mind as you make your way through the planning process. This is also a list that presents only a few key items you need to complete, but there are many other details and decisions involved. From wedding outfits to the decor at the reception, there are several more considerations to have throughout this standard timeline.
When to Send Your Simple Wedding Invitations to Your Friends and Family
About six to eight weeks before your wedding, you should send out your simple wedding invitations to your family and friends. This will give you enough time to ask guests to RSVP, which will allow you to finalize and manage your guest list. You will need to account for the amount of time it will take to design your simple wedding invitations too. Printed wedding invitations will take a few weeks to design, approve and receive (roughly three weeks), but online invites are ready to send the day you create them. If you are running short on time, this might be the best option for you and your partner’s upcoming festivities.
For your RSVPs, make sure your invitation includes details about responding at least two to three weeks before your wedding date. Simple wedding invitations with RSVP functionality allows your guests to quickly and easily submit their responses online. This will also reduce your carbon footprint and overall costs, as you will need fewer paper products in your order.
As an alternative, you can also design printed simple wedding invitations and add reply cards to your order. This is the more formal option for wedding couples, and it does rely on the regular mail service. Consider all of your options before committing to one style over another in the leadup to your wedding.
Key Pieces of Advice for Simple Wedding Invitations Wording
Your simple wedding invitations wording does not have to be complicated. There are several must-have pieces of information to provide in your formal invitation, and it usually includes more details and context than the simple Save the Dates. Here are some considerations related to simple wedding invitations wording:
-
Start by naming the hosts. Simple wedding invitation cards generally begin with the names of the people hosting (or in other words, paying for) the ceremony and reception. Traditionally, the bride’s parents pay for the wedding. So, the right simple wedding invitations wording would be something like, “Mr. and Mrs. Smith invite you to attend the wedding of…” If both families are helping pay for the celebration, you can write “Together with their families…invite you to their wedding” or “The Smith and Jones families invite you to the wedding of their children…” And if you do not want to name the hosts of the event, or if you and your partner are hosting the wedding yourselves, you do not need to have this introductory line.
-
Make the couple’s names the most prominent feature. After you write down who is inviting guests to the wedding, you should include the names of the wedding couple. More traditional, simple wedding invitations will have each person’s first, middle and last name. But for a more modern approach to your simple wedding invitation cards, you can just include the couple’s first names.
-
Add in the wedding date and time. Include the month, day and year of the wedding ceremony. Because many couples are planning their special days a year or more in advance, you need to be as specific as possible with the date. You also need to detail exactly what time guests should arrive. For many people, it is preferred to write the time as 30 minutes to an hour before the event actually starts. That way, even late arrivals will make it for the big ceremony.
-
Name the wedding ceremony venue and provide an address. Simple wedding invitations should at least include the venue name and city. For even more help for your guests, you should also include a specific address.
-
Name the wedding reception venue and any necessary details. The most simple wedding invitations wording here can be, “Reception to follow.” If you want to have a bit more fun with it, you can also say, “Dinner and dancing to follow.”
-
Don’t forget to include a line about the requested wedding attire. While you might have discussed what your guests should wear to your wedding, you need to make it clear in your simple wedding invitation. A few of the options include cocktail, semi-formal, formal and black tie attire. If you want to provide guests with even more details about the attire, you can also add information about it on your wedding website.
-
Remind your guests to RSVP by a specific time. Whether you are designing online or printed simple wedding invitation cards, you need to provide clear instructions on how and when to RSVP. Simple wedding invitations with RSVP are the easiest way to manage and confirm your guest list. If you have decided on one of the printed simple wedding invitation ideas, you can include an RSVP card that directs guests to your website.
When you put these pieces together, you have the ideal wording for simple wedding invitations. But you may be interested in seeing how it all comes together. To share some examples, here are some simple wedding invitation ideas for the text:
Simple Wedding Invitation Template #1:
Please Join Us in Celebrating
The Marriage of
Jane & Charles
25 February 2023 at 3 PM
The Plaza Hotel
New York, New York
Black Tie
Simple Wedding Invitation Template #2:
Mr. and Mrs. John Smith
request the pleasure of your company
at the marriage of their daughter
Jane Elizabeth Smith
to
Charles Cameron Jones
Saturday, February 25th, 2023
3 p.m. at The Plaza Hotel
New York, New York
Black Tie
Reception to follow
Simple Wedding Invitation Template #3:
Mr. and Mrs. John Smith
along with Mr. and Mrs. Charles Jones
request the pleasure of your company at
the wedding of their children
Jane Elizabeth Smith
and
Charles Cameron Jones
Saturday, February 25th, 2023
3 p.m. at The Plaza Hotel
New York, New York
Black Tie
Reception to follow
Simple Wedding Invitation Template #4:
Together With Their Families
Jane and Charles
Invite You to Join Them
As They Tie the Knot
February 25, 2023
3 in the Afternoon
The Plaza Hotel
New York, New York
Formal Attire
Dinner and dancing to follow
Simple Wedding Invitation Template #5:
Jane Smith and Charles Jones
joyfully invite you to celebrate their wedding
Saturday, February 25, 2023
Three o’clock in the afternoon
The Plaza Hotel in New York, New York
Semi-Formal Attire
Dinner and dancing to follow
For simple wedding invitations, these are a few of the wording styles that will work for your upcoming event. You can get as creative as you want, but these are the basics you need to include. Many simple wedding invitation templates will also have wording programmed into them, and you can adjust it according to your preferences and personal details.
The Cost of Simple Wedding Invitations
To explain just how much simple wedding invitations will cost, we need to explore the difference between online and printed invites. The average cost of paper styles is $5,000 to $8,000 for simple wedding invitations, according to Brides.com. In addition to that, you can expect to pay even more for insert cards as well. For example, your simple wedding invitations with RSVP will require a reply card. And if you are interested in embossing, foil stamping, wax seals and more, prices only go up.
If you want to cut costs and help the environment, more and more couples are opting to make their own simple wedding invitations. These typically cost $100 or less, and you have the opportunity to build and send out your simple wedding invitations on the same day.
At Bliss & Bone, printed simple wedding invitations start at $257.50 for 25, A7 (5 x 7), one-ply cards. Prices go up for premium selections like letterpress printing and metallic foil, among others. And for online wedding invites, you can expect to pay $0.90 each for 10 or more. These are on-par, if not more affordable than many simple wedding invitations on the market today.
Who Usually Pays for a Couple’s Simple Wedding Invitations?
If you are interested in learning more about wedding traditions and how they relate to the total cost of your event, we often turn to the legendary experts at EmilyPost.com. According to the etiquette site, simple wedding invitations are covered by the bride and her family. Here are some other payments the bride and her family are traditionally responsible for:
-
The wedding planner or consultant
-
The photographer and videographer
-
The bride’s gown and accessories
-
The DJ or band for the ceremony and reception
-
Flowers for the ceremony, reception and bouquets for the bridesmaids
-
Transportation for the bridal party
For even more context, here are a few of the items the groom and his family have historically been in charge of covering:
Of course, there are few strict rules involved in wedding planning these days. It is most important that the wedding couple is comfortable with all of the expenses and have honest conversations with anyone else who has offered to help contribute funds for their celebration. With the traditional explanation in mind, you can get a better sense of how to plan out your wedding day and all of the financial expenses that come with it.
The Best Simple Wedding Invitation Ideas and Templates
Sometimes, the word “simple” is mistaken for “basic.” But with the Bliss & Bone simple wedding invitation templates, you can create the most unique, contemporary invites possible. These online designs have thoughtful features all wedding couples will appreciate while making their own simple wedding invitations.
-
Simple wedding invitation templates with a distinct serif font: The all-caps text featured in the Brie simple wedding invitation template shows the power of a clear, bolded font. You can create impact with just a few details on a piece of paper, and this is one example of that style.
-
Simple wedding invitation templates with bright colors: One way to bring your simple wedding invitation to life is to choose a template with bold colors. For example, the Cameron simple wedding invitation template features a peach-colored paper with orange text. If you want to mix up the colors, you can easily do that in the invite builder.
-
Simple wedding invitation templates with shadows: For one of the most subtle, beautifully simple wedding invitation ideas, the Mila invite has the look of an all-white invitation with letterpress text on a white leather surface. And you can barely see them, but carefully placed shadows on the left side adds movement and makes this one of the best simple wedding invitation ideas for online designs.
-
Simple wedding invitation templates with three-dimensional objects: As with the shadows, Bliss & Bone’s online simple wedding invitation templates come with the option to use or add in three-dimensional objects. One example of this is the Penelope simple wedding invitation template, which has the appearance of wrinkles on the background and rocks.
From choosing the best font to putting your own spin on the top simple wedding invitation ideas with features like shadows, Bliss & Bone’s designs are made to stand out from the crowd. Hopefully, these examples can inspire you as you research simple wedding invitation designs and start making your own.
Unique Ways to Add Onto Simple Wedding Invitation Designs
As we mentioned, you can add three-dimensional objects and shadows that bring your simple wedding invitation to life. From modern rocks to beautiful floral accents, three-dimensional objects quickly take simple wedding invitation designs to the next level. While some might confuse simple wedding invitations with being boring or lacking creativity, our examples prove how your creations can be both different and dynamic.
Your simple wedding invitations should reflect who you are as a couple, and there are opportunities to include a personalized logo or monogram to them. At Bliss & Bone, you can work with our expert designers to craft a totally customized logo that reflects your style. These cost $40, and you get one revision with your purchase.
How to Make Simple Wedding Invitations With an Online Builder
With unique, show-stopping simple wedding invitation ideas under your belt, the next priority is understanding the logistics. Follow these directions on how to make simple wedding invitations with Bliss & Bone’s online builder. This tool is easy to use and provides clear instructions to guide you through every step.
Here is all you need to know about how to make simple wedding invitations in a digital format:
-
Find your favorite among the many simple wedding invitation designs and click on it.
-
Start customizing by clicking on the “Customize” button.
-
Name your project, edit the background, font and add in your text for your simple wedding invitations. At this point in the process, you can also alter the color options, add three-dimensional objects, shadows and more.
-
Once you are finished customizing your simple wedding invitations, click “Next” and add in your email message. You will see a preview of the simple wedding invitation designs, and you can even include a personal message to your friends and family members.
-
Click “Next” and start uploading your contacts. The recipients of your simple wedding invitations can be grouped by household, so you do not necessarily need every person’s email address.
-
Review your work, pay for your simple wedding invitations and send them off. Now that you have finished your simple wedding invitation designs and customizations, you can wait for the RSVPs to roll in. With the Bliss & Bone dashboard, you can manage responses from guests who have received your simple wedding invitations and begin thinking about the final guest list and seating chart.
If you are interested in paper simple wedding invitations, which are delivered to your guests’ mailboxes, follow these instructions:
-
Choose the template for the simple wedding invitation you like most and click on it.
-
Click on the button “Customize + Price,” which will take you to the simple wedding invitations builder. The paper invite builder provides real-time pricing, so you can easily see how much your simple wedding invitations will cost.
-
Personalize your invitations. Our simple wedding invitation designs allow you to customize them by adjusting the paper color and size, font style and color and much more.
-
Add envelopes, inserts and reply cards. If you want your guests to RSVP via mail, you need to order reply cards and envelopes with your simple wedding invitations. But if you want to modernize the RSVP feature, you can provide guests with a link to your wedding website, where guests can digitally RSVP. This is becoming more popular among wedding couples planning events, as it reduces the amount of paper you use and allows guests to reply in seconds.
-
Upload your guests’ contact information. Similar to digital simple wedding invitations, paper invites require your guests’ household information. For example, if one family of five is invited and lives in the same home, you can send one wedding invitation to them. This may involve some extra research and outreach if you do not have everyone’s home address.
-
Review your simple wedding invitations and wait to hear from your designer. Your dedicated designer will then be hard at work creating the simple wedding invitations of your dreams. If you create your invites through Bliss & Bone, you should hear back from a designer within three business days. A proof will be sent in the form of a digital .pdf.
-
Provide your approval for your simple wedding invitations. If you are happy with your simple wedding invitation designs, give your designer the go-ahead to print them. Every purchase comes with two rounds of digital proofs, so you can work with your designer until you have the best possible simple wedding invitations.
-
Wait for your simple wedding invitation ideas to come to life. Within about 15 business days, you will receive your invites. Rush services are available if you need them delivered earlier than 12 to 15 business days.
By following these steps for online or printed invites, you will find yourself even closer to being ready for your wedding day. With simple wedding invitation instructions, Bliss & Bone is here to help you navigate the stationery personalization process and the management of your RSVPs.
Designing Your Own Simple Wedding Invitations From Scratch
If you are not sure about how to design your own simple wedding invitations, we also encourage couples to start from scratch—literally. On the Bliss & Bone website, you can click on the “Start From Scratch” button, which will take you to the builder. From there, you can whip up any invitation you’d like. Explore the various backgrounds, fonts, object add-ons and more to create your own, totally unique simple wedding invitations.
Starting from scratch is the perfect feature for creative couples who have time to think through their desired design. If you have a bunch of ideas you want to test out, the preview function in Bliss & Bone’s templates allows you to see every move in real time. This provides you with access to your standout design and gives you free rein to make any changes you need. For printed invitations, you will need to work with a designer, but digital .pdf proofs are included in your purchase.
Other Stationery Suite Ideas for Couples Who Love Simple Wedding Invitations
If you like the idea of simple wedding invitations, but are interested in similar, relevant styles, there are so many others to choose from. Modern wedding invitations are generally cohesive with simple designs, as they prioritize the “less is more” mentality and focus on a modern-minimalism aesthetic. Here are some other ideas for simple wedding invitations:
-
Minimal wedding invitations: These go hand-in-hand with simple wedding invitations. The minimalist style includes anything from serif to script fonts, and they stand out with bold colors or interestingly placed objects.
-
Black and white wedding invitations: Any ultra chic event would be incomplete without the classic combination of black and white invites. These are simple wedding invitations that are well suited for black tie gala-style events. They also welcome a pop of color, which would add more interest to your design.
-
Photo wedding invitations: They say a picture is worth a thousand words, and what better way to start a conversation with a photo wedding invite? You can attach a photo from your engagement photoshoot, an image of your beloved pup or a snap taken from your venue. This is a simple wedding invite idea that you can easily manage.
-
Classic wedding invitations: Another on-brand concept for simple wedding invitations is a classic design. Bliss & Bone’s Blair template is the perfect example of this, as it is an online invite that features a delicate combination of serif and script fonts. Plus, it has a three-dimensional-looking card with a ribbon wrapped around it. This is a whimsical, classic and simple wedding invitation we think many couples will love.
-
Neutral wedding invitations: Neutral is another term often paired well with simple design ideas. For example, the Hayes simple wedding invitation includes neutral tones like gray and green with all-caps, minimalist text and a soft floral accent. From the hues to layout, this is a neutral, simple wedding invitation that can pair well with a casual or formal event.
-
Editorial wedding invitations: With a focus on minimalism and text-only formatting, editorial wedding invitations also align with this style. For instance, the Damien simple wedding invitation features a white paper template with black, serif font text and two small three-dimensional objects: a leaf stem and wooden catchall with stamps on it.
Now, more than ever, simple wedding invitations are on-trend and classic. This dynamic style guarantees that your design will stand the test of time and always feel special and sophisticated. You can categorize and portray the style in so many ways, and these examples are ideal for couples who gravitate toward this modern-minimalist aesthetic.
Matching Your Simple Wedding Invitations With Other Stationery Items
With simple wedding invitation designs, it is also easy to match your invites with other essential digital and paper products. From simple Save the Dates to rehearsal dinner invitations to wedding menus, there are collections that boast a variety of interesting templates. Having cohesion among your decor is just as important with your simple wedding invitations and other stationery suite items.
If you do not want to match, you can also find coordinating simple wedding invitation ideas that align with the rest of your stationery. For example, you can pair a simple wedding invitation with a photo Save the Date. By doing this, your guests can see an adorable photo of you and your partner in your Save the Date before receiving a formal simple wedding invitation in the mail or via email.
At Bliss & Bone, we create simple wedding invitations with the entire stationery suite in mind. You can look through our curated collections and find the best options for you and your partner. This takes the guesswork out of mapping out your invitation suite, so you can focus on all of the other elements involved in planning your wedding. Here are a few collections couples who have designed simple wedding invitations love:
-
Alyiah: With neutral pinks and greens, most of the focus of this invitation template is on the text. And with a matching, simple floral accent, it is the perfect romantic-yet-minimalist design. You can create Save the Dates, wedding websites, invitations for the wedding and rehearsal dinner and wedding menus with this collection. These templates are recommended for a spring or garden wedding.
-
Declan: The handwritten-looking font and neutral shades of cream and brown in this design makes it the ultimate simple wedding invitation suite. The textured paper on this online design and saucers bring some extra life to the template as well. There are templates for wedding websites, Save the Dates and rehearsal dinner invites in this set.
-
Kieran: The main diversions in this set are the colors—navy, green and peach. There is extreme simplicity in the font and text, which is a serif style providing only the necessary details for your upcoming event.
-
Mila: Soft shadows and letterpress-style text makes this white and gray set stand out from the crowd. Couples love how this collection can also work with practically any color scheme and event theme. This is elegance at its finest and suitable for any style of event.
-
Santana: The all-caps text and combination of creams and browns in this template are ideal for anything from a desert wedding to cozy backyard ceremony and reception. The minimalist design welcomes space and creativity with this modern set.
-
Vince: For couples who love the idea of photo Save the Dates, the Vince set comes with that feature. In the simple wedding invitation template, there is an incredibly modern all-white paper with a black font and thin black border around the text. Bonus: You can make a photo rehearsal dinner invitation with this stationery suite too.
Collections are great for couples who want unity and cohesion in their invitations for all things related to their wedding. With these examples in mind, you are one step closer to discovering the best simple wedding invitation designs for you and your partner. You may be saying “I do” in the middle of a forest or in a classic ballroom, but either way, simple wedding invitations are always an excellent choice.
Start Customizing Your Own Simple Wedding Invitation at Bliss & Bone
Eager to get your hands (or email!) on these simple wedding invitations? With so many options to choose from, you can feel overwhelmed with decisions you need to make. At Bliss & Bone, we are here—and very excited—to help you customize the best possible invites and stationery suite, as a whole. Look through our designs and see what you are most interested in. If you ever need more assistance, don’t hesitate to contact us online or email us at hello@blissandbone.com. Talk all of this through with your partner and then prepare to design the most beautiful simple wedding invitations.
