When creating an invitation from scratch, it is important to do it right. There are design principles and etiquette that is important to pay attention to. In this article I will cover important details related to color. I will also share professional design tips that experienced invitation designers follow to effectively design an eye-catching and inviting invitation design. Let us dip into color!
The Color Wheel
Let’s face it, most people do not have a clue about combining the prefect colors together. And most are not very good at it. Most time you just choose the color you love personally. With designing invitations this more than likely will work out just perfectly then. If you are at a loss, let us imagine the color wheel. Certainly you remember the primary colors of red, blue, and yellow. Then the secondary colors of orange, green, and purple are also referred to as complimentary colors. When you mix the basic colors you create the secondary colors. When you add a bit of white to those colors you have top trending tints of today. When looking at the color wheel you will see when two colors are across from each other they are referred to as complimentary colors. Complimentary colors like yellow and purple create a pop of color to your color scheme. Since I am an artist and designer, I could just go on and on! Basically to get a harmonious color combination you can choose two colors opposite each other on the color wheel.
Color Symbolism
The important thing when choosing colors for your invitation is to choose colors you or your client loves. Brides in China love red as it represents good luck! However, in South Africa red color symbolizes mourning. In the USA, to “paint the town red” is to celebrate. You get the idea. Research and use the best color that fits your personal style and your guests.
Accent Color
Choosing an accent color is a must. Most times as an invitation designer I use the accent color for the color of the text. For instance, if your wedding or event colors are pink and light green the accent color can be gray or silver. Depending on the season you can choose the light gray or darker shade.
Seasonal Colors
If your event is during the spring and summer you can use bright and pastel hues on your invites. During the fall you may want to stick to the traditional fall hues of burgundy, hunter greens, orange, burnt orange, and chocolate brown. For a winter wedding and event, light blue, white, and silver are lovely. Red or dark red and silver are also perfect. White and gold are also trending for the winter season.
Choosing Your Color Scheme
Before you design your save the dates and invitations, be sure to find out if the colors you want to use are available in linens and flowers during your event date. It is lovely to harmoniously match your color scheme. Remember, if the napkins are a shade darker pink than the flowers, it is okay. A monotone color scheme is using one single hue. When using gradient shades of one color it is important to use just white or black as the accent color.
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Being highly experienced invitation designers, we realize just how important it is to customize your invitations to express your personal style. We have excellent design ideas to offer you so that your invites will stand out among the others and get more fabulous responses from your guests!