INVITATION IDEAS

by Jeanne Benedict

 The invitation is the first impression your guest has about your party.  Make it a show-stopper!  You don’t need to spend a lot of money to create a clever invite. Below are some inexpensive as well as pricier ideas for unique invitations that will jump-start your guest’s imagination and generate excitement about your event.  Also, each theme party outline in this book has an invitation suggestion that refers to many of the definitions listed here.  Some of the definitions are obvious and other styles you’ve seen many times and may not the technical name.  So, throw out the flat-pack envelope and invite guests with music videos, coconuts with zippers, and, amazing Internet invitations.  

Standard Invitations

Card (folded) – any size card stock paper that is folded crosswise and opens right to left.  Standard greeting or birthday card, that usually has a picture on the front flap.

Post Card  -  rectangular sheet of card stock with a picture / announcement on one side and additional information on back.  Send in an envelope for  events as opposed to a vacation postcard.      

Folds – card stock paper folded accordion style, tri-fold, saloon doors, odd shapes such as a star where the points fold into the center.

Note Card – smaller than a post card, mainly used for thank-you cards, replies, and inserts.

Graphic Design Styles

Image – photograph, drawing or sketch on front.

Watermark Image – faded image on paper often seen with informational text typed over image. Or sheet of vellum paper containing text on over picture which is visible underneath. 

Frames & Borders – text or image is framed with a bold or decorative line around the perimeter of the invitation.

Creative Accents

Vellum Overlay – popular accent where vellum, a stiff, see-through sheet of paper, is placed over text or an image.  Vellum can be found in assorted colors and weights.  The vellum may be loose inside a folded card or cut slightly smaller than a postcard and tied to the post card with a bow. 

Bow & Ribbons – can be French ribbon, sheer wide bows or Raffia. 2 small holes are punched in the top of the invitation, ribbon is fed through the holes and a bow is tied. 

Charms, Beads, and, Tiny Trinkets - tied to bows or hot glued to invitations. Unique way to personalize a greeting.  Make sure the envelope is large and thick enough to ensure safe and undamaged arrival through the mail.

Fabric Shapes – dad’s tiny silk tie, a gingham baby diaper, a fake fur animal, all fun items that can be glued or tied to an invite.    

Florals – dried & silk flowers are beautiful when glued or tied into a tiny bouquet and fasten to a card.

Fun Fasteners – zippers, sticks through loops, buttons, hook & eye, ropes, and anything that closes, fastens, buttons or buckles can seal the deal on your amazing invitations.

Confetti and Loose Miniatures - these items can be tossed into an envelope for a special surprise when your guest opens the invite.

 Untraditional Invitations

Candy Bar – a parodied version of a candy bar’s wrapper contains party information or an announcement with  candy bar inside.  A company called “heresheis” puts a spin on the “Hershey’s” chocolate bar as a baby announcement.  Instead of the nutritional information on the bar the wrapper contains the baby’s weight, birth date, name etc… Create the invitation wrapper on a computer and print it out on a color printer.  Color copy the wrappers on photographic or glossy paper. Wrap it around your chosen candy bar and secure the back with a glue stick.  Mr. Goodbar is great for birthdays and promotions, and Baby Ruth is great for baby showers.  Send the candy invitation in a sturdy envelope or a small box.  Consider the time of year if you life in a hot climate.  

Certificates / Diplomas – many office supply stores sell blank certificates or diplomas that you can use as an invite.  Roll the diploma up and send through the mail in a round carton.

Chocolate (molded) – plastic chocolate molds can be purchased in almost any theme imaginable.  You can send a golf ball for a sports party, an “Oscar” statue for an Academy Awards party or adult theme items for bachelor parties.  Professional candy or cake decorating shops often have these molds and you can certainly find them on the Internet.  These shops usually sell melting chocolate in a variety of colors at a very reasonable price.  Send the chocolates in a small decorative box and consider the time of year if your live in a hot climate.  

Coconut Shell – A fantastic idea for a luau or summer party, halve the coconut and remove the meat.  Smear glue inside a shell half. Adhere tropical themed fabric inside the shell as a lining and allow extra fabric to extend beyond the rim.  Place a folded piece of parchment paper with party information inside the shell.  Add some trinkets to the shell such as a silk orchid, tiny plastic bananas, or macadamia nuts.  Gather the extra fabric in a bunch on top and tie a bow from Raffia so the contents are enclosed in the shell.  Write or paint a slogan on the outside of the shell. Place in a small box and mail.

Cookies – cookies with the honoree’s name written in frosting or information if space will allow, are scrumptious ways to invite guests.  Enclose additional information on a note card.  Wrap the cookie in plastic and place in a box or small tin to send through the mail.  

Clothing – baby socks, mittens gloves baby socks attached to cards with ribbon are sentimental accents.

Flower & Vegetable Seed Packets – there is a company at www.foreverandalways that personalizes flower packets for parties.  This is a beautiful idea for a shower or house warming.

Gift Box with Surprise - 2 connecting rings in a gold box is a romantic way to ask guests to an engagement party.  Any symbolic object with an informational insert is a novel idea.

Internet Invitations – websites are popping up daily offering Internet invitations.  Some even have services for RSVP, gift registry, and web space for you to post party information.  A few websites can be found at: Evite, bluemountain, sesamestreet. 

Kid’s Toys – try a toy store for small novelty items that relate to your theme.  A tin sheriff star is perfect as an accent for a barbecue invitation, and a tiny boat glued to a card would make a clever bon voyage accent.

Magazine Cover – a terrific technique that requires one who is adept at a computer graphics program or a master at cutting and pasting.  I used this method for a co-ed bridal shower where I placed the groom’s head on a bride’s body featured on the front of a bridal magazine.  I printed the party information on the back and the idea was a big hit.  With all the magazines on the market, you can fashion an imaginative invitation for any occasion.

Maps – sketch a pirate’s treasure map for your next event.  If you have a destination themed party such as Hawaii, Greece, Italy, visit a travel agency and see if they have a unique map that you could copy and design an invitation.

Message in a Mini Bottle – the bottle can be adorned with tiny pearls or dried flowers glued to the front.  Glitter or confetti can be placed inside the bottle and of, course party information is written on a piece of paper, rolled up and inserted into the bottle.  Wrap the bottle in plastic bubble wrap and place in a box for mailing. 

Official Charts & Forms - with the permission of my local police department, I once sent out a crime report as an invite and filled in the pre-printed boxes with party information.  You could use this idea for a milestone birthday with a humorous theme.

T-Shirts – great for a family reunion or corporate picnic where you can print an image on the front of the shirt and party info on the back.  Ask guests to wear the shirts to the party.

Video – The most effective invitation I’ve ever sent was in the form of a music video.  It seems everyone knows a video buff who would jump at the chance of directing an invitational docu-drama.  Check your phone book for video duplication services and if your local outlet charges more than $3.00 per copy for large quantities (over 50) go to the Internet.  You can probably find a mail away service that will duplicate your video at a very reasonable rate and they may even provide nice cardboard covers, labels, and shrink-wrap the video too.

Envelope and Mailing Container Ideas

Always test your container by mailing it to yourself from the post office.  Ask the mail supervisor prior to make sure it will go through the mail and how much it will cost.

Cardboard Tubes – good for scrolls, diplomas and certificate style invitations.  You can also cut the tube and make creative labels to wrap around the outside resembling soda, soup or beer cans.  If your tube is decorating make sure the mailing label is large and legible so your package arrives at its destination successfully.  

Clear Plastic Envelopes - sheet protectors purchased from a stationary store make fun see-through envelopes.  Get the clear plastic heavy-duty protectors, not the ones with the frosted appearance.  For a cleaner look, cut off the strip with the holes punched through the plastic for use in a binder.  Use double stick tape along the top, inside open edge to seal the envelope.  You can put confetti and glitter inside the envelope as long as the top edge is completely sealed. Consider showing an image through the plastic and fold the party information sheet if you don’t want all who handle the invitation to know your business.  Place a white address and return address on one side on the envelope.  Also, place a white label in the mailing stamp position and place the stamp on the label as the stamp directly on the plastic may fall off

Velum envelope - has opaque appearance and can be found in a variety of colors and sizes at upscale stationary stores.  A gorgeous, but costly item.