Wedding Invitations: Which Printing Process is Best?

How to Select the Perfect Wedding Invitations

A number of printing processes are used in printing wedding invitations. From digital printing to engraving and letterpress to thermography, it is useful to learn what these processes mean before you make your final purchase.

Wedding invitations are printed using a variety of printing processes.  In order to choose just the right one to fit your theme and budget, it is a good idea to learn more about exactly what each process involves and how the finished product will look before making your final selection.

Engraved invitations were once common.  By using a hand tooled engraving plate etched by experienced craftsmen, a raised printed surface you could feel was the result.  Copper plates were used to press ink on to the paper.  On an engraved invitation you will see an impression of the whole imprint area on the reverse side of the paper.  The most formal and traditional printing method, it is expensive and not used as often today as it once was.

Letterpress is popular today but is not the same printing process as was used in the past, involving lead slugs to make impressions.  The magnesium dies used today give the impression of letterpress.  On the reverse side you can see the individual letters pressed into the paper.

Offset printing or lithography is the most widely used printing style today.  This printing process does not provide a raised or pressed appearance, but applies ink to the paper through a system of offset rollers.  Marketing materials and magazines are printed in this way.  An invitation printed this way is less expensive than engraving and looks fine but is not as elegant or special.

The least expensive invitations to produce are printed on digital presses.  The appearance is similar to that of offset lithography or much like the laser printing that you do on your home printer by yourself.  Fast and customizable, digitally printed invitations are considered acceptable.

Thermography is a step in the overall printing process that looks very close to engraving but can be done at far less cost.  Thermal powders are applied to wet ink areas and heated so that the powder fuses or melts into a solid that and sits on top of the paper.  Fast, you can feel the raised lettering on the front of the paper but not on the reverse side.  Less costly than engraving but just as nice, this process is an excellent choice for beautiful wedding invitations you will be pleased to send.
 
Elegant Wedding Invitation 
Thermographed Wedding Invitation 
 

Before making your final selection, be sure and ask your wedding invitation supplier what printing method they use on their products.  Each piece of your printed stationery will include your customized information but you will want the printed piece to look as nice as it can within your budget.  If you have any doubts, be sure ask that samples be provided for your review.  Your wedding invitations set the tone for your big event and you deserve only the very best.

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