Wedding Invitation Details

Engraving -
Engraving is the most traditional printing style for formal invitations, if only because the engraving method has been around for what seems like forever. Engraving results in raised print that is pressed through so that a "bruise" can be felt on the back of the paper. It results in sharp crisp letters. It is also the most expensive form of printing.

Letterpress -
This is the centuries-old printing craft, in which blocks or plates of raised type are inked and pressed deep into the paper, giving words and images a grooved texture you can't help but touch.

Letterpress technology has come a long way since Gutenberg invented the press that started the entire printing revolution. While his press relied on carved wooden movable blocks of type, now any script or design can be scanned into or created on a computer to make a plate. However, much of the process is still done by hand. Despite its old-fashioned appeal, letterpress lends itself well to the many colors and whimsical patterns of today's invitations.
A soft, dense paper, such as 100-percent cotton rag, works best because it takes the impressions well. Letterpress is slightly less expensive than engraving; it does, however, cost more than the other kinds of printing listed below.

Thermography -
Thermography produces raised printing similar in appearance to engraving but using a different process. Heat-sensitive powder is added to the ink printed on the paper. As the printed piece comes off the press, it is subjected to an intense heat process. The powder and ink mixture dries to form raised letters, which are shinier and less fine than those that have been engraved. Since thermography does not use pressure to create the raised ink, there is no "bruise" that can be felt on the back of the paper. Thermography is dramatically less expensive than engraving.

Lithography -
Lithography (sometimes referred to as "offset" or "flat" printing) imprints lettering on paper with ink, but results in neither raised nor pressed-through lettering. This form of printing allows the most cost effective option when multiple and/or specific ink colors are desired. It is less costly than engraving, letterpress or thermography.

Handwritten -
Finally, let us not forget that all etiquette experts agree, the most personal of invitations are those that are extended in handwritten form. While it may not be practical for the largest of weddings, a personal invitation to your wedding may be handwritten on your stationery, no matter how formal the ceremony may be.

And they may or may not follow the standard wedding format. They can be personal letters to each of your guests telling them that you are getting married and what the specifics are. The formality of the wording of your invitations depends on your closeness to the guest. Consequently, the wording of handwritten invitations is rarely identical.