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How to Choose the Right Paper for Your Wedding Invitations | Wedding Stationery Guide

Wedding Stationery Guide

5 Mar

Paper is one of those things that seems simple until you need to pick just one. There are hundreds of thousands of types of paper: different colors, materials, weights, textures, and finishes. All these characteristics impact the final look of your invitation, so it’s important to know just what you’re getting. I’m going to give a brief overview of the options I offer, but nothing compares to holding the paper in your own hands. Make sure to order an invitation sample pack to see them yourself!

how to choose the right paper

Paper is one of the key elements in your wedding invitation suite, and there are a few characteristics that differentiate papers from one another.

Color

Paper is available in a myriad of colors, but for most invitation orders you’ll be looking for something in the “white” family.

I’ve selected two shades of white for Banter & Charm’s signature papers: Fluorescent White (a crisp, brilliant white that glows) or Pearl White (a warmer, natural hue with warm undertones). These white cotton papers are manufactured especially for letterpress and foil stamping. There are near identical versions of both papers available for flat printing.

white letterpress papers

In addition to the signature white papers, choose a colored paper from any of the swatches shown on Banter & Charm’s color guide.
My favorites? Stone (a warm gray Italian made paper), Blush (another Italian made paper in barely-there pale rose), Wine (a smooth and rich burgundy color), and Navy (a rich dark blue). Black paper is another popular option (it is absolutely stunning paired with gold foil stamping!), but you can’t go wrong with white ink on shimmery copper cardstock or classic black ink on ecru paper.

letterpress on colored paper

All these colored stocks are perfect for screen printing with a metallic ink or white ink. White ink flat printing or foil stamping truly pops on the darker shades, and the soft Blush and Stone papers are ideal for letterpress.

colored paper for wedding invitations

Weight/Thickness

One of the most befuddling paper terms is the “weight” of the paper. This number (usually expressed in pounds – 110#, 118#, etc) refers to the weight of a stack of 500 pieces of that paper. So the higher the number, the heavier the paper.

Flat printing, letterpress, and foil stamping are offered on 110# and 220#. The 220# papers are also called “double thick” or “2-Ply” because they are as thick as two pieces of 110# paper. Screen printing is available on a variety of paper weights, and the paper can be duplexed (two pieces of paper are laminated into a single sheet) to achieve an extra thick paper weight.

double thick cotton paper

Texture

When you run your fingers across a piece of paper you’ll notice immediately if it’s smooth or rough to the touch. While smooth papers are great for screen printing, I prefer a stock with a bit of texture to it for all other printing processes. The 100% cotton papers on the left have a soft, luxurious feel to them. This texture adds depth to flat print invitations and is perfect for showing off the impression from letterpress or foil stamping. The Stone and Blush Italian made papers have a distinct texture that adds a lavish feel.

paper textures

Material

Many papers are made from trees, or from recycled materials, but the house white papers I’ve selected are made from natural cotton fibers. The cotton gives the paper a soft, luxurious feel. It’s supple, which enhances the impression from letterpress or foil stamping. These 100% cotton papers are tree-free and made from fibers reclaimed from the garment industry.

Finish

Paper can have a variety of finishes, but the main options are glossy (like a shiny photo print), metallic or shimmer (will have a subtle shimmer to them), or matte (no shine). Metallic papers are especially great for envelope liners or belly bands. Looking for something extra sparkly? There are glitter (yes, real glitter!) papers available too!

metallic envelope liners
Now that you have a basic understanding of the different paper characteristics, I hope that makes choosing the right one for your stationery a little easier! But nothing compares to seeing and feeling the papers yourself! Samples of Banter & Charm’s house paper options are included in each invitation sample pack . Still not sure which to choose? Feel free to get in touch and I’ll gladly provide guidance and personalized advice!

Previous Post: « Wedding Stationery Guide: Foil Stamping
Next Post: How to Make a Lasting First Impression | Wedding Stationery Guide: Envelopes, Part I »

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MEET SARAH

Hello! I´m Sarah - I am a mom, wife, and stationery designer living in southwest Michigan. I believe in God and good manners, love beautiful typography, adore traditions, and am infatuated with pretty paper.
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ABOUT ME

I’m Sarah, and I create tailor-made wedding stationery for brides that need a simple, classic invitation design with just the right amount of personality.

Banter & Charm is a Michigan wedding invitation design studio based in St. Joseph. Not local? I serve brides throughout Michigan and northern Indiana, Notre Dame, Chicago, the Midwest, and across the US. Read More…

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205 Main Street #331
St. Joseph, Michigan 49085
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It's almost the weekend! That means it's time for It's almost the weekend! That means it's time for a quick #fridayintroductions ⁠
Hello! I'm Sarah - I’m a Midwest girl, born and raised in southwest Michigan where I still live today. I’m married to the love of my life, Jake, and am a mom to two adorable children, Abby and Alex. I believe in God and good manners, I treasure family traditions (both old and new), and I’m passionate about beautiful typography and pretty paper. ⁠
Fortunately, my passion is also my full-time job, and I spend my days designing wedding invitations for sweet brides through my stationery company, Banter & Charm. My side hustles also involve designing! Whether it's holiday cards for @minted or funny t-shirt on @zazzle I'm happiest when I'm able to put my creative talents to good use.⁠
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#risingtidesociety #behindthescenes #meetthemaker #wahm #mompreneur #weddinginvitationdesigner #customstationery #weddinginvitations #michiganwedding #selfmadecreative #midwestwedding
Looking for ways to streamline your wedding statio Looking for ways to streamline your wedding stationery planning? I have just the thing! I've put together my top 5 tips for stress-free wedding stationery - link in profile.⠀⁠
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Tiny details like this make my heart happy ♥️⁠
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Nicholas and Victoria's invitation suite for their Nicholas and Victoria's invitation suite for their wedding in Philadelphia featured so many of my favorite things! Wax seal ✔️ Vellum ✔️ Foil ✔️ Venue Illustration ✔️ Colored envelopes ✔️ Hand calligraphy ✔️⁠
Absolutely in love with how it all came together 😍⁠
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#banterandcharm #venueillustration #venuesketch #customweddinginvitations #letterpress #onmydesk #behindthescenes #wip #letterpressinvitations #customstationerydesigner #goldfoilweddinginvitations #fineartwedding
The Basilica invitation, but make it gold foil 😍⁠
Absolutely love the way Katie and John customized this classic invitation suite! So many special touches from the thick cotton paper to the watercolor envelope liner in navy blue envelopes, and how perfect are the tiny illustrations of the Notre Dame stadium and dome on the weekend events card?⁠
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#basilicabride #notredamewedding #venue_ND #chicagowedding #midwestbride #notredamebasilica #notredame #letterpressinvitations #customstationery #custominvitation #iloveletterpress #goldwedding #basilicaofthesacredheart #custominvitationdesigner #weddinginspo⁣⁠ #foilstamping
Thanksgiving is over, so it’s okay to talk about Thanksgiving is over, so it’s okay to talk about Christmas now, right? Well, if you haven’t ordered your holiday cards yet, now is the time!
I was (sort of) on top of the game this year - we took family photos on one of the last days of warm weather in Michigan. Went the DIY route again for photos (because I never learn), but the kids mostly cooperated and we ended up with some good ones. Now I just have to narrow down my favorites and decide on a Christmas card design 😊⁠
I absolutely love having a yearly family photo! These kids are growing so fast, and years from now I know I'll love looking back on these memories ♥️⁠
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#meetthemaker #behindthescenes #wahm #mompreneur
Although I'm not offering a holiday collection at Although I'm not offering a holiday collection at Banter & Charm this year, I do have a variety of Christmas cards available through @minted and @zazzle !⁠
Follow the link in my profile for a round up of funny Christmas cards perfect for families with kids!⁠
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#mintedartist #holidaycards #christmascards #sendmoresnailmail #funnychristmascards #christmasmeme #happymail #snailmailrevolution
In love with letterpress, but still want to includ In love with letterpress, but still want to include a photo on your save the date? Try this gorgeous combo: your photo is digitally printed on soft cotton paper and the text and details are printed in letterpress for a perfectly classic look.⁠
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#banterandcharm #savethedate #letterpressinvitations⁠
#letterpresslove #basilicabride #michiganweddings⁠
#michiganwedding #classicinvitations #weddingpaper #weddingstationery #michiganbride
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