• Home
  • About
  • Blog
  • Nav Social Menu

    • Email
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest

Banter and Charm

  • About
  • Collections
    • View All Invitations
    • Browse by style
      • Classic
      • Monogram
      • Calligraphy
      • Formal
      • Typography
      • Venue Sketch
      • Borders
    • Letterpress
    • Foil Stamp
    • Bespoke
    • Save the Date Cards
  • Services
  • Blog
  • Contact
    • Contact
    • Request a Quote

Wedding Stationery Guide: Printing Methods

Printing Primer· Wedding Stationery Guide

30 Jan

So you’ve read all the books on wedding stationery etiquette, nailed down your invitation wording, and the guest list has (finally!!) been approved by both sets of parents. Your wedding planning timeline says it’s time to order invitations, so you get in touch with favorite stationery design, confident that you have all the information you need to begin. But then the stationer starts asks “what printing process are you interested in?” and you realize you have no idea.

If that sounds like you, you’re in the right place! No need to panic, I’ve got the answers to your wedding stationery printing questions in this portion of The Wedding Stationery Guide.

Chances are you’ve never had to worry about things like printing processes before. And that’s absolutely normal! When I was planning my own wedding, I had no idea there were so many different options (let alone what each technique entailed). That’s why I’ve put together this primer on printing processes: so you can make an informed decision when it comes time to choose. (or at the very least, understand what your stationery designer is referring to when they say “One Color”.

how to choose a printing process for your wedding invitations

While there are a variety of printing processes available, I’m going to focus on the four options I offer here at Banter & Charm: Flat printing, screen printing, letterpress printing, and foil stamping. Have something else in mind? (Like engraving, thermography, or offset) Let me know! I’m eager to try new things, and I have a little black book filled with extremely talented printers I’m dying to work with.

Today I’m giving an overview of the printing processes, but I’ll be covering each one in depth in the coming weeks.

FLAT PRINTING

With flat printing (also known as digital printing) ink is transferred to paper by a digital printing press. The ink lays down flat on the paper leaving a smooth finish. The resulting wedding invitation can feature an unlimited number of ink colors, making it the perfect choice to reproduce multi-color designs like watercolor illustrations. Flat printing is ideal for items with variable text, like guest addresses or escort cards. It is the most affordable of the printing methods I offer, and also has the fastest turn around time.
The full color photo and bright pink flowers (shown in the save the date below) is a great example of a design that is best suited for flat printing.

watercolor floral save the date

SCREEN PRINTING

Screen printing (also called silk screen) is an artisan printing method that involves pulling ink through a fine mesh silk screen onto paper. The ink lays flush with the paper (like flat printing), but like letterpress, one ink color is printed at a time.

Screen printing produces metallic inks that shimmer on dark paper, and white screen printing on colored paper is stunning. You can also screen print on other materials like wood veneer or tote bags.

The Cherished design showcases how stunning metallic gold ink looks when screen printed on colored paper.
gold silk screen wedding invitations

LETTERPRESS

In letterpress printing, ink is transferred from a raised surface (a printing plate) to paper using the pressure from an antique press, creating impressions in the paper. A custom plate is created for each ink color, then paper is hand fed through a printing press one at a time.

Blind letterpress (also referred to a blind impress or blind deboss) is the technique of letterpress printing with an un-inked plate to press a design into the paper. The result is a subtle texture without color. Because a separate printing plate is made for blind letterpress*, it counts as a “color” for pricing purposes.

1, 2, or 3 color designs with minimal ink coverage work best for letterpress. Most designs are available in letterpress, or can be re-worked to be suitable for letterpress. Letterpress can be paired with foil stamping or flat printing.

The Harmony invitation design shown below features blind letterpress for the lace graphic on the bottom portion of the invite.
blind letterpress wedding invitation

FOIL STAMPING

Foil stamping uses a heated die is to press a sheet of thin metallic foil to paper. The resulting design will have a shiny finish – perfect for a brilliant gold or a truly opaque white on dark paper.

Foil stamping works best on minimal designs without delicate lines or large areas of color. Foil pairs beautifully with letterpress or flat printing.

I offer three signature foil colors: gold, silver, copper, and rose gold. However other colors (like white, shiny black, or bright pink) are available for special order.

The Delicate wedding invitation features rose gold foil for the text paired with blind letterpress lace detailing on the edges.

Check back later for a more in depth look at these printing methods, and to find out about the other customization options available at Banter & Charm! You can find all the posts in this series here: The Wedding Stationery Guide

Previous Post: « Signature Collection Spotlight: Hope
Next Post: Signature Spotlight: Debonair »

Primary Sidebar

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.
Read More…

Categories

Let’s Connect

  • Email
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter

Shop now: Minted.com

Looking for something?

  • Home
  • About
  • Shop
  • Policies
  • Contact

Footer

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…

Make sure your invitations are

EMILY POST-APPROVED

Avoid common etiquette mistakes with this free guide.

CONTACT

Feel free to contact me anytime:

 hello@banterandcharm.com

 Schedule a phone consultation

BANTER & CHARM

205 Main Street #331
St. Joseph, Michigan 49085
–
by appointment only

banterandcharm

The prettiest navy blue and white letterpress invi The prettiest navy blue and white letterpress invitation suite, all tied up with a bow! I love the clean and classic look of the invitation suite paired with the romantic accents from the silk ribbon and rose floral pattern.⁠
⁠
.⁠
.⁠
.⁠
.⁠
.⁠
#banterandcharm #letterpressweddinginvitations #fineartwedding #customweddinginvitations #therosewoodmansion #rwjourneys #texasweddings #iloveletterpress #dailydoseofpaper
Deciding on the wording for your invitation can se Deciding on the wording for your invitation can seem like a daunting task! In an era of Facebook events and evites, your wedding invitation is probably the first formal, printed invitation you've sent. ⁠
I've put together a post filled with tips and sample wording to take some of the stress out of the process. (Link in profile!)⁠
Have a wedding invitation wording question? Feel free to message me - I'd love to help you out!⁠
⁠
.⁠
.⁠
.⁠
.⁠
.⁠
#theweddingstationeryguide #weddingplanningtips #weddingstationery #invitationideas #weddingdetails #weddingadvice #invitationdesigner #michiganwedding #lovemidwestbride #weddingtips #michiganinvitationdesigner #traditionalwedding #classicwedding ⁠
I absolutely loved working with Annie on her weddi I absolutely loved working with Annie on her wedding stationery. But even more than all the pretty paper we collaborated on, I'm so glad that I was a helpful and happy part of her wedding planning ♥️⁠
"Working with Sarah at Banter and Charm was one of my most favorite memories in wedding planning. Above all else, Sarah is a professional, and you know it immediately. She has a lovely process for brides who can’t meet in person, and provides such helpful insight as the process evolves. On top of that, she elevated my vision and gave me a keepsake that I will always treasure. Sarah is helpful, creative and so on top of it, I am grateful for her beautiful work!"⁠
⁠
Thank you so much for the kind words, Annie!⁠
⁠
.⁠
.⁠
.⁠
.⁠
.⁠
#banterandcharm #custominvitations #letterpress #SouthBendWedding #letterpressinvitations #custominvitationdesigner #midwestbride #traditionalinvitations⁠
I can't think of a more fitting invitation for a y I can't think of a more fitting invitation for a yacht club wedding in Rhode Island! From the crisp white and navy color scheme to the classic border, every detail of Alejandra's invitation suite was perfection!⁠
.⁠
.⁠
.⁠
.⁠
.⁠
#dailydoseofpaper #fineartwedding  #customweddinginvitations #iloveweddingdetails  #invitationdetails #wedinginvites #letterpressweddinginvitations #romanticweddinginvitations #yachtclubwedding #newyorkweddings #customweddingstationery
Notre Dame brides: the Glitter and Gold Bridal Sho Notre Dame brides: the Glitter and Gold Bridal Showcase is this month! If you're going to be there, make sure to stop by and say hi (and check out some of the pretty paper I'll have on display ☺️ )⁠
⁠
.⁠
.⁠
.⁠
.⁠
.⁠
.⁠
#meetthemaker #wahm #mompreneur #notredameweddings #venueND #banterandcharm #ndweddings #glitterandgold2023
Sometimes you fall in love with an invitation desi Sometimes you fall in love with an invitation design, but wish that the font was a little different. Maybe you have a fancier script in mind, or a mid-century sans-serif to compliment your art deco theme. Or maybe you don't like how your name looks in that pretty script font in the sample design. Either way, you're welcome to switch out the font in any of the designs shown on my site.⁠
These two photos show versions of my "Basilica" design - each one uses a different script font for the bride and groom's names- both lovely in their own way, but with a slightly different feel.⁠
⁠
.⁠
.⁠
.⁠
.⁠
.⁠
#banterandcharm #letterpresslove #letterpressinvitations #customweddinginvitations #letterpressweddinginvitations #fineartwedding #basilicabride #traditionalweddings #classicweddings #notredameweddings #venueND⁠
Ready to order save the dates, but not sure exactl Ready to order save the dates, but not sure exactly what information you should include? Then head over to Banter & Charm's blog - I've put together a new post filled with wording samples and tips for creating a save the date that's perfect for your wedding! (link in bio)⁠
.⁠
.⁠
.⁠
.⁠
.⁠
#theweddingstationeryguide #banterandcharm #weddingtips #savethedate #customweddinginvitations #customstationery #weddingpaper #weddinginspo #mibride #chicagobride #savethedatecards #classicwedding #notredameweddings
In love with foil stamping, but still want to incl In love with foil stamping, but still want to include a photo on your save the date? Try this gorgeous combo: the text and details are printed on thick paper with a foil stamp vellum overlay. Keep the front of the save the date simple, but add more wedding details to the back! Finish it all off with a custom envelope liner, and you have a save the date that your guests will be talking about for years!⁠
⁠
.⁠
.⁠
.⁠
.⁠
.⁠
#banterandcharm #savethedate #foilinvitations⁠
#letterpresslove #mountainwedding #meetusinthemountains #coloradowedding #beavercreekmountainweddings #classicinvitations #weddingpaper #weddingstationery #savethedatecards #dailydoseofpaper #fineartweddings
Load More... Follow on Instagram

Copyright © 2023 · BANTER & CHARM · all rights reserved