THE TOP LUXURY PRINTING STYLES FOR YOUR WEDDING INVITATIONS – INCLUDING LETTERPRESS, FOIL AND MORE.

July 12, 2023

Your wedding invitation is more than just an invitation. It is a piece of art, and also the first impression of your wedding celebration. This means your wedding invitation style deserves careful consideration.

And we understand that choosing your wedding invitation style means more than simply choosing the best type of paper for the invitations. From gold foil & letterpress wedding invitations to blind embossed wedding invitations & laser cut wedding invitations, there is a style that’s right for you. And what’s more—We do it all.

You have likely Googled “wedding invitations.”And in doing so, you have likely found a dizzying number of options claiming to be the “best printing press wedding invitations!” However, we can confidently say that when it comes to luxury letterpress wedding invitations, we are the name in the game.

Azure does it all whether you are looking for modern or classic artistic or traditional, whimsical or formal invitations. We have years of experience with all of these! And aside from cream-of-the-crop design services, we specialize in a variety of luxury printing styles and luxury printing papers to produce uniquely beautiful invitations.

So, let us break down the different methods of luxury printing styles, and help you choose truly elegant invitations.

Deboss / blind letterpress printing

Letterpress Printing

Image of a wedding invitation style featuring gold Ink custom letterpress on cotton paper | Hello Azure

THE ALEFIYAH collection foil letterpress on cotton paper

Deboss Blind letterpress on pillowy cotton paper

Letterpress printing is a luxurious printing style that creates a beautiful textured pressed finish. This printing method dates all the way back to the 15th century giving each work of art a traditional elegance. The letterpress is a hand-operated machine that uses a custom-made stamping block etched with your invitation artwork and text.

The printing presses release ink as we press the blocks down onto thick cotton paper, leaving a deepened impression of your design. With this style of print, we suggest using thick cotton paper because this will leave a deeper imprint of your design. The ink will sink deeper into the impression and you will be able to feel the pressed areas when running your fingers over the page - that is at once luxurious and emotive for the recipient of your invitation.

This is what creates a profound emotive effect of the press.

Cotton paper and ink combine in a textured and luxurious outcome that evokes formality and an emotional connection to the recipient. Ultimately, this creates a masterpiece of depth. It is for these reasons that luxury letterpress wedding invitations are so popular. And as you can see, they will never go out of style.

Many couples consider letterpress invitations the best because they will always be a classic.

Deboss or blind letterpress is a high-end printing style that uses pressed texture without the use of ink to create a beautiful textured design. Deboss can elevate designs and borders in combination with other print styles (for legibility) or it can solo-star in more modern and bold typography designs on it's own.

What we love about blind letterpress is the elegance it delivers and the memory of texture it evokes. We create blocks with your design and use the press to leave a deepened inkless impression in our cotton letterpress papers. Deboss printing is a kin to letterpress printing but skips the ink in favor of texture.

Image of a square wedding invitation style featuring blue letterpress printing with wildflower design | Hello Azure

What makes Deboss printing extra special is the understated yet luxurious printing texture left in the surface of the paper, whether it is a modern typographic design or a decorative or cultural border or pattern! Due to the subtlety of this process, it is best not to use it for fine detailed type or fonts as they may not be legible.

This high-end style works well for wedding invitations because of the tactile impression it leaves on the paper. Just by looking at a finished print you can immediately see the detail of craftsmanship that went into the printing process. When your guests run their fingers over their invitations, it is sure to evoke an emotional and tactile response and leave an impression in their hearts.

Soft Grey Letterpress Printing & Gold Foil Pressed

A Note About Using Color

To produce a letterpress invitation with multiple ink colors, we must layer a new press run each time a new ink is used. The process requires extra labor, materials and skill to make sure each new layer of ink color is applied perfectly.

For this reason, letterpress is charged by the color (or press run). The results are stunning and the press is known for delivering each design with precision.

Here at Azure, we love letterpress printing! Aside from the texture and art, each design is pressed with the richness of history. This is a printing process that has been used to bring people together for centuries, making the letterpress one of the most beautiful and poignant ways to print your invitations.

Having this feeling of romance and history throughout the design process is always a heartwarming testimony to keep printing the love letters of our time.

Foil printing

Foil printing ( or hot foil stamping / sometimes called foil embossing) is the shiny prince of print. This elegant printing style always makes a splash in any metallic, satin or matte texture. There are many foils available to choose from - shiny golds, coppers and metallic silvers to a refined satin or matte finishes on metallics and pastel foils. A favorite for many of our customers is "rose gold foil" and "satin gold".

Image of the wedding invitation style with

Foil is an antique and yet updated luxury printing method that never goes out of style! First, we start with a custom made metal block with your design and then we heat press an opaque foil film into the cardstock using that block. We do not use traditional inks that can take on the texture of the paper, so foil has a smooth opaque surface that can be metallic, satin or matte finish.

This printing style pairs well with a variety of textures, papers, and other printing methods. Foil printing gives a regal flare to each wedding invitation style , especially if you are using a deboss or emboss printing method. You can use foil stamping on any design method.

This wedding invitation style goes a long way in matching your overall theme. Since you have so many options with foil printing, you can tailor it as you intend. And there is no question that the use of shiny foil sets the tone for your event. Whatever other style you wish to incorporate, foil adds a dash of class.

This specialty printing style is versatile and will always beautifully adorn any creation with a hint of light. What we love about foil printing is the attention to detail it creates on each design. You cannot help but lock eyes with bits of foil sprinkled over a luxurious wedding invitation.

Foil stamping is a specialty printing method that definitely adds sparkle to all creations. Whether you are choosing a romantic rose gold or a sunny gold foil, each invitation will be graciously ornamented with foil pressed details giving a glazed finished look.

Digital Flat Color Printing

Laser Cut Wedding Invitations

A modern elegance, Digital printing

Digital printing is an elegant printing style that works wonderfully with any wedding invitation style. Of the luxury printing styles we have talked about, digital is the least expensive and allows you to use many different (non-metallic) colors at once. However, when used in combination with another style of printing, you can get a truly high-end, luxury effect.

Image of the wedding invitation style with laser cut detail. | Hello Azure

Art Deco Laser cut invitation our Metropolitan Deco design

Laser cut wedding invitations can provide a more modern feel, which maintains that luxury vibe. Laser cutting is a luxury printing method that is perfect for intricate complex patterns of design. This high-end printing method is a great way to be bold and unafraid of what paper can do.

The exquisite cuts and layers that will go into this process will leave beautiful patterns and silhouettes, creating little windows of excitement on each design. There is so much you can do with this printing style, you can even create the delicate impression of lace wrapped around your invitation.

Laser cut print is a high-end printing style that uses a laser beam to burn through paper, cutting out your design of choice. The laser beam uses heat to ensure a clean accurate cut of perfection. This elegant printing method was made with the intention to work well with intricate design patterns.

Laser cut wedding invitations are incredibly popular because no pattern is unachievable. Simply put, laser cut, is the master cut. A laser beam is used to pierce the tiniest of design patterns onto paper, giving a multitude of repetitive cuts all over.

We suggest using thick durable paper, like cardstock, so that the paper does not fold or wilt while undergoing the laser. The beauty of this print method is that paper becomes delicate, almost as light as fabric. The details of tiny woven patterns laced on the surface produce a fairytale narrative of the design on every invitation.

Floral digital print detail

We often use digital printing to incorporate a watercolor background or other design elements or to help with variable data printing. This is when each guest's name is printed on their envelope or on their invitation. Digital printing is also often referred to as "flat color printing", because it does not leave any texture on the paper's surface.

Digital printing gives us a crisp clean finish with endless color options to print photos, graphics, background colors and more. And when combined with other print styles, the possibilities for creativity and elegance are endless!

There are many who might disregard digital printing too quickly. Since it is not as traditional as letterpress wedding invitations, some feel like it might be too trendy. We disagree and feel you can make a truly elegant wedding invitation with digital printing.

This is especially true since it works so well with other types of wedding invitation styles.

Silk Screen Printing

Image of the wedding invitation style with 3 color screen ink on fabric on our Jaipur design | Hello Azure

Nothing touches the heart like laser cut print., Tthis style has excitement and luxury written all over it. You can really get creative with this printing method, involving as many layers as you'd like.

This is an attractive option for couples who want to fine-tune their wedding invitation style to their wedding decor. Let’s face it, you want your wedding to feel like a cohesive experience. And this starts with the invitation. Therefore, you can match any style or theme with laser cut wedding invitations.

What we love most about laser cutting is layering card stocks and other materials (wood, acrylic, fabric) with cut outs to add beauty and drama. For an even more "extra" effect, our customers often pair laser cut with gold foil or even acrylic invitation cards.

Laser cutting is a time-consuming process as it requires paper engineering and intensive design and the equipment needed is also expensive. Each piece is cut one at a time with the laser, which can sometimes add time to the mix. But this is for good reason. Remember, the laser-cut printing style can give you a unique and beautiful way to incorporate your own style, culture and wedding look into your invitation.

Silk screen printing or (screen printing) is a premium printing style made with a mesh screen with an emulsion stencil of the design. Ink is pressed through the screen leaving the print of your design onto the paper. Unlike digital print, screen printing can be metallic or non-metallic in color. However, like letterpress, the ink will absorb into the paper, dulling the shine for metallic inks slightly.

Like letterpress, each silkscreen color must be printed individually in layers with careful alignment to make sure the placement of each layer is perfect.

The luxury of this print method really comes from the artistry but also from the way the velvety ink texture feels and looks upon the paper surface. Unlike digital printing, silkscreen does allow for some metallic inks, although the shine will greatly depend on the type of surface the selected card stock has. This is a hand-crafted process that brings vibrancy and artistry to your invitation designs.

Screen printing is versatile and can also be done over different textiles such as wood, metal, stone, acrylic, glass and fabric. This means you can choose the luxury printing paper of your choice, or incorporate other materials into your design. This versatility allows for an extremely creative wedding invitation style.

CHOOSE YOUR WEDDING INVITATION STYLE

Wedding invitation styles are personal and representative of your special day. Therefore, we understand the importance of selecting what works for you. Remember, there is not a single best letterpress invitation or luxury printing style. There is simply what highlights your vision.

Gold Silk Screened Invite Featured on: Wedding Chicks

Get In Touch

CONTACT US TO SHARE YOUR VISION AND RECEIVE A CUSTOM QUOTE FOR YOUR STATIONERY OR DESIGN PROJECT.

TEL: 626-594-5971 EMAIL: design@helloazure.com

Andaleeb F. | designer event stationery & branding

atelierazure

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Bringing people together to celebrate in style! Multicultural & design devoted. Vogue, Brides, Black Bride, Wedding Style, Conde Nast, Inside Weddings