Custom Gatefold Wedding Invitations | Holly and Ryan

Custom Gatefold Wedding Invitations

When you’re getting married in a setting as iconic as the Basilica of the Sacred Heart, your wedding invitations need to rise to the occasion.

For Holly and Ryan’s June wedding at the University of Notre Dame, the goal was clear from the start: create a stationery suite that felt timeless, reverent, and worthy of a formal Catholic ceremony, while still feeling personal and romantic. The result was a custom gatefold wedding invitation suite, designed to create a sense of ceremony from the very first moment guests opened the envelope.

These invitations are all about presentation. Instead of stacking pieces loosely inside an envelope, the invitation is enclosed within a gatefold (a folded outer piece that opens like doors) creating a deliberate, elevated reveal.

Photography by Cat Alkire 

We printed the main invitation using letterpress, giving the typography a deep, tactile impression you can feel the moment you pick it up. Classic type choices set the right tone for a church ceremony, while the weight and quality of the paper signaled that this was an event of real significance.

A wedding weekend events card was included on pale blue paper, offering a subtle contrast to the main invitation. This card outlined the schedule of celebrations and helped guests easily understand what to expect over the course of the weekend without overwhelming the primary invitation. For the RSVP, Holly and Ryan opted for an online format paired with a printed card featuring a custom illustration of the Notre Dame Golden Dome. It was the perfect blend of tradition and modern convenience.

Holly and Ryan carried their paper story well beyond the invitation suite. Every piece of their wedding day stationery was designed to extend the same aesthetic and level of intention throughout the celebration.

A custom ceremony program guided guests through the Catholic mass, with clear formatting that was respectful, easy to follow, and beautifully designed. When ceremonies include specific rituals and readings, a well-designed program makes all the difference.

Menus, place cards, and table numbers echoed the invitation suite’s typography and color palette, creating a seamless transition from ceremony to reception and reinforcing the cohesive design story.

Their signature drink sign featured cocktails for the bride and groom, along with a martini named after their cat. A custom illustration of Olive on the sign, and monogrammed cocktail napkins added a personal touch to the bar setup.

They even brought their design details onto the dance floor. A custom monogram set into a pale blue and gold harlequin pattern added personality to the reception and tied directly back to the colors and motifs used throughout their stationery.

A Fully Coordinated Wedding Paper Story

From the gatefold invitation to the ceremony program to the reception details, Holly and Ryan’s stationery told a complete, intentional story. Nothing was off-the-shelf, and nothing felt disconnected.

That level of cohesion doesn’t happen by accident. It’s the result of starting with a strong foundation (in this case, a custom gatefold wedding invitation) and thoughtfully building every piece around it.

Like what you see?

Holly and Ryan’s stationery is from theBasilica invitation suite. Choose the colors, paper, wording, and decorative elements to make this invitation uniquely yours.

View the styling guide to see curated options for monograms, illustrations, patterns, and finishing touches that you can mix and match to your heart’s content.

THE BASILICA SUITE

The venue illustration can be customized to your wedding location! View samples of available venues, or commission a custom illustration.