Wedding Invitation Card

There are actually documented cases of wedding invitations found in caves, but by the early 1700s, wedding invitations were typically verbalized. In fact, they were usually issued in a loud manner. If someone heard the invitation, they could attend the wedding, unless of course there was bad blood between the families. These invitations were typically announced by a town crier.

Many people simply couldn't read, so the invitations had to be orally announced. Of course, this didn't apply to the wealthier families and royal families. Monks were well-known for their beautiful handwriting. Their calligraphy was highly coveted, and they were often commissioned to write wedding invitations by those who could afford to do so. Many of these families also had the family crest added to the invitation. This was also used as a means for identifying the family to those who were virtually illiterate.

In the mid-17th century, advances in printing gave way to metal-plate engraving, and high quality wedding invitations became accessible to the emerging middle class. Engraving involves the transfer of hand-carved text from a metal plate to a card. Each guest’s name was individually printed on the invitation, and the final card was topped with tissue paper to protect from smudging.

By the 1950s, commercially-printed wedding stationery and technology such as thermography, with its raised lettering, brought appealing, affordable wedding invitations to everyone. Now letterpress is becoming more popular and that is also another option for invitations as well. Many digital printing options are out there now too. Which are the most affordable.