For most people, making DIY wedding invitations can be a lot more work than it sounds. The simplicity and elegance of a wedding invitation is not something that happens easily, particularly if you have no background in two dimensional design or graphic design. These tips will help you make wedding invitations that will match the beauty of your upcoming event while also conveying the important information to your guests.

Research Wedding Invitations

Look at wedding invitations online and in stores. Make a note of the conventions that you like and those you dislike. Note the way that font choices, color usage and imagery all come together to make a cohesive image. The best wedding invitations will tell a story about the upcoming event. Maybe your event will be fun and casual, or perhaps it will be formal and traditional. People who see your wedding invitations should be able to glean some information about your plans for your upcoming wedding by simply looking at the invitation. Keep this in mind as you look at other wedding invitations and develop your own ideas.

Leave Negative Space

Negative space is the empty space in the background behind the words and images. Negative space is very useful in a clean two-dimensional design because it leads the eye around the picture plane. Without negative space, the eye can get tripped up on details or fail to take in parts of the text. Suppress the urge to fill up the whole picture plane with images of flowers, pictures of you with your spouse-to-be or the location where you'll be married. Pick just a few attractive, simple images and leave space between them. This way, your guests will find it easier to focus on the message. 

Keep the Text Simple

Keep the text on your wedding invitation short and sweet for the convenience of your guests. Avoid adding a lot of extra information can lead to miscommunication and errors, and could even cause some guests to miss the event.

Use Motifs From Your Wedding

Ideally, the wedding invitations will be made after you've chosen your wedding's colors, flowers and themes. This way you can decide which of these motifs will appear on your wedding invitations. Using these motifs on your invitation will help set the stage for the upcoming event.

Limit Your Color Usage

Limiting your color usage is a good way to keep your invitation orderly, tasteful and functional. By using only a few colors, you'll make the invitations less busy and easier to read.

Know When to Get Help

Once you get started making your invitations, you may discover that your graphic design prowess really isn't up to your own standards. If this happens, contact a print shop and graphic design company for custom invitations. This way, you'll have wedding invitations that meet your needs.