Incorporating Your Wedding Venue into Your Invitations
Your wedding venue sets the stage for your big day and can provide a wealth of inspiration for your wedding stationery. From the lush gardens of a country estate to the elegant chandeliers of a city ballroom, there are many ways to bring the beauty of your venue into your wedding invitations.
Here are my top tips for incorporating your wedding venue into your stationery, so you can create stationery that is both beautiful and reflective of your special day.
Keep an Open Mind
Do you prefer a traditional style wedding invitation? Don’t rule out the idea of incorporating your venue just yet. There are many places to feature your venue: save the dates, envelope liners, details cards, vellum overlays, weekend itineraries, and ceremony programs (just to name a few!) Additionally, there are many special ways to include hints of your venue without painting the building itself. Read on below for details!
Gather Venue Photos
If your venue has a website or social media presence, take a look at their photos for inspiration. Be sure to look at any photos from previous weddings at the venue as well. Screenshot or copy links to any angles that you like. This will help us greatly when we sit down to paint your venue! Don’t worry if there are chairs or people in the shot — we can “edit” those out when we paint. If you’re getting married at a nearby church, check it out as well. Paintings of your church can be especially beautiful on your ceremony program or tied into your invitation suite.
Highlight Unique Features
Does your venue have a particular feature that sets it apart, such as a breathtaking view or an architectural detail? Highlight these unique elements in your invitation design. For example, if your venue has a stunning entrance, consider using a photo of it as the focal point in your stationery. Did you fall in love with the venue because of the lush tropical foliage? Let’s focus on that!
Think Beyond the Building
Don't rule out the surrounding landscape — if the building doesn’t knock your socks off, the view might! For instance, you might prefer a painting of those lovely sailboats in the harbor over the yacht club itself.
Choose Colors that Complement the Venue
The colors you choose for your invitations should complement the colors of your venue and your overall event “look”. If your venue has a neutral color palette, opt for invitations with a similar neutral scheme. If the venue has bold colors, consider incorporating those colors into your invitations as well. Of course, we will recommend coordinating colors and discuss options with you during the design phase. (And yes, we love to work with your planner on this!)
Focus on Venue-Specific Details
If your venue features a specific detail you love, such as a beautiful rose garden, potted olive trees at the entrance, or even a wallpaper pattern, consider incorporating that element into your invitation design. Take notes on specific details that you love at your next venue visit. For example, if you're getting married at a vineyard, you could use a watercolor illustration of a grapevine on your envelope flaps. Or if you love the bright umbrella stripes at the beach club, we can incorporate a matching stripe into your save the dates.
Consider the Season
The season in which you're getting married can also provide inspiration for your invitation design. The same hotel painted for a spring wedding and a fall wedding might look quite different! For the spring wedding, we would paint in the tulips growing at the entrance and the cherry blossom trees in full bloom, while for a fall wedding we might focus on greenery and add in autumnal colors to reflect the time of year.
As I like to remind my brides, your celebration begins the moment your guests open their save the dates. Incorporating venue details is a great way to personalize your stationery and give your guests a sneak peek of your big weekend. We want them to reply “YES! I could never miss this wedding!”