Designs (T-L to B-R): Songbird and Sage, Ava Paperie, RakhotskaiaArt and Jessica Williams Paper.
Planning a wedding requires you to make countless decisions – everything from the napkins you use to the hymns you sing has to be considered in the lead-up to the big day. Even choosing your stationery can become a conundrum, when you have to account for RSVPs, programs, menus, and Save the Dates. Among all these decisions – and knowing that the theme and designs are going to be your highest priority – you probably haven’t given much thought to the exact proportions of your invites, right?
The truth is, when it comes to wedding invitations, a small detail like the size or shape can actually make a big impression. As The Knot suggests, “[Wedding invitations aren’t] one size fits all, and the size you choose depends on how much information you need to convey or whether you’re planning to set a formal or laid-back tone.” Thankfully, wedding stationery on Zazzle comes in all shapes and sizes, so whether you want a comprehensive 6.5″ x 8.75″ card or a dainty 3.5″ x 2.5″ envelope, one of our popular options is bound to measure up.
The Classic Style (5″ W x 7″ L)
This U.S. standard is a recognized classic, and with good reason: the design space (a generous 5″ across and an extended 7″ down) gives any text or template adequate room to breathe. Compared to the unconventional 4.5″ x 6.25″ or modern-looking 5.25″ x 5.25″, we recommend this to couples for whom tradition and formality are important. Pair this wedding invite with an established typeface and a timeless color combination, for example, and this old reliable can still deliver a “luxurious ‘wow’ experience for guests.”
The Petite Look (4.5″ W x 6.25 L”)
Although the scaled-down dimensions of these wedding invitations suggest a subtle, sophisticated affair, they’re best suited to casual ceremonies and receptions. Our Independent Creators, for example, take advantage of the compact design area by reducing the amount of information and increasing the size of the greeting or artwork. So, if you want to save the finer details for a wedding website – or if you’re aiming for a simple, stripped-back wedding – then the 4.5″ x 6.25″ could be proof of that old adage: good things do come in small packages!
The Mini Invite (3.5″ W x 2.5″ L)
Speaking of small packages: the 3.5″ x 2.5″ template is much more appropriate for secondary stationery items, such as RSVP cards. Given their ‘fun-size’ dimensions, they’re inexpensive to stockpile and can be easily slipped between the folds of any card or envelope. Our only disclaimer is that these really are quite small – only 0.5″ longer than a U.S. business card, for comparison – so shrinking a full-blown invitation onto these might not yield the best results. Save the ‘Mini’ for your enclosure cards and stretch to ‘Petite’ or ‘Classic’ for the main event!
The Hip Square (5.25″ W x 5.25″ L)
Here’s another contemporary choice; Minted recently described square invitations as a “new age look that will stand out in any mailbox.” If any of the formats thus far have seemed too long or wide in any respect, then this pleasingly symmetrical option is the best of both worlds! Use the balanced design canvas to include lots of text and other elements; some borders and photos will even work better against a square background. Just remember that the blocky envelope may be treated as an unusual-shaped item by USPS, so factor that into your budget for postage costs.
The Mighty One (6.5″ W x 8.75″ L)
For maximum impact, consider the largest wedding invite we sell. 6.5″ x 8.75″ is enough to accommodate your grandest photos, longest verses, and most exhaustive details; Shutterfly gives the example of a destination wedding, which would necessarily involve a lot of extra context. Because of the spacious design area, you could repurpose this template for menus, programs, and wedding itineraries. Just bear in mind that an invitation this large will cause your postage costs to creep up, but it might be worth it for the spectacle!
The Thinnest of Templates (4″ W x 9.25″ L)
Another outsized option is the 4″ x 9.25″ invitation. The narrow width can restrict panoramic images and oversized backgrounds, but the elongated space makes it suitable for lists of attendees, detailed instructions, and weekend-long timelines. ‘Thin’ invitations are often quite formal, because of their long, script-like shape: think of a herald reading from a scroll! However, some couples and Creators prefer to flip it horizontally, allowing for a cool boarding pass-style invite instead.
The Everything Option (5.6″ W x 4.5″ L folded; 5.6″ W x 12.125″ L unfolded)
Earlier, we alluded to decision fatigue, where all the choices of wedding décor, supplies, and favors start to blend into one another. Thankfully, this next option should spare you at least one ruling: the ‘All-in-One’ encompasses both an invitation and an RSVP card. Simply fold the card, seal the back flap, and mail it to your guests; then they can unseal the flap, open it out, and tear off the perforated RSVP to respond. Unfolded, the length of the All-in-One makes your announcement look majestic, and folded, it becomes a convenient, budget-friendly way to achieve two goals at once!
If none of the options above appealed to you, then maybe you need to think outside the [5″ x 7″] box. At Zazzle, almost everything can be an invite – a magnet would allow your communiqué to take pride of place in your guests’ kitchens, and a coaster would turn your invite into a hard-wearing keepsake of the event. Meanwhile, the length and breadth of Zazzle Ideas is filled with articles on wedding invitations. To get started, check out “Trendy Touches: Ways to Upgrade Your Wedding Invitations” and “Design Your Own Wedding Stationery and DIY Wedding Invitation Ideas.”
Eoin is a Content Specialist at Zazzle in Cork. He’s recently bought a house with his fiancée, and thus most of his time these days is spent trying to keep the walls from caving in and the wolves from the door. Still, he’s always open to book, game, and movie recommendations, so if you have some, let him know: he’ll add them to a very, very long list.
