Simple Elegance
Simple, yet elegant, wedding invitations are easy to achieve with just a few basic rubber stamping techniques. The heat embossing of rubber stamped images gives a raised shiny surface to the stamped design. Embossing powders are available in a wide range of colors and classic silver or gold give a sophisticated finish to a wedding invitation. Picking a single color for the embossing of the invitations will save money and a single pot of embossing powder goes a long way!
Plan Ahead
Forward planning will give plenty of opportunity to hunt around for low cost alternatives to many products. Last minute shopping is not a good way to find bargains! Many craft stores have regular sales and this can be a good way to find all sorts of useful stamping supplies at bargain prices.
Think Creatively
Many different types of supplies and embellishments can be used to make great handmade rubber stamped wedding invitations and these don't need to have been designed specifically for this purpose. Some festive craft supplies such as papers, inks and embellishments are available in silver and gold and are great for weddings and these can often be found at discount prices at the end of the holiday season.
Look for Second Hand or Used Items
Many people buy new rubber stamps and other supplies to make wedding invitations, use them for this single project and then sell them on. These rubber stamps will have had very light use and can represent a significant saving over the brand new versions. Other supplies that are perfectly usable, even if the packs have been opened and the contents part used, include embossing powders, pigment powders, paints and even inks (although it should be noted that inks can dry out over a long period of time).
Use Commodity Paper and Cardstock
There are many lovely papers and pieces of cardstock available that have been specially designed for weddings, however these can be expensive. Plain white or cream paper and cardstock can be found from stationery stores and printers for a fraction of the cost of specially designed papers. It is simple to decorate these papers and turn them into something special using a few basic techniques.
Create Your Own Card Blanks
It is possible to buy ready folded card blanks in a wide variety of sizes and shapes. A low cost alternative is to invest in a paper folder (bone folder) and to fold plain paper into cards. Low cost packs of plain envelopes can be found in many different sizes and these are simple to customize with some well placed rubber stamped images.
Remember the Cost of Postage
The cost of posting invitations can add significantly to the budget, therefore keeping the invitations to a standard size and weight will help keep this under control. Large and highly decorative invitations are best kept for hand delivery.
