For an on-trend, clean aesthetic, couples can't go wrong with a modern wedding invitation. There are so many ways to interpret "modern" styles, but you can expect to see clean lines, subtle pops of color and anything else that feels contemporary. With all of these, you can also add shadows and dimensional objects to bring texture and life to your online invites. And once you've selected "the one," you can also choose from a variety of coordinating save the dates and wedding websites.
If hosting a chic, elevated and elegant celebration is your ultimate goal, a modern wedding invitation is the perfect addition to your plans. Once you have enjoyed all of the engagement bliss, it is time to start mapping out your wedding planning process—and that includes your stationery suite. With an emphasis on minimalism and bold designs, a modern wedding invitation is the dreamiest way to share the details about your big day.
Throughout this guide, you will learn about everything from etiquette to couples’ favorite modern wedding invitation designs. From there, we will also weigh in on the other aspects of your stationery suite, choosing between printed and digital invites and much more. Read on for our expert advice on designing your own modern wedding invitation.
So, what exactly is a modern wedding invitation? While there are some common themes, including minimalist-modern styles and color combinations like the always beloved black and white, we can talk even more about what’s not “modern.” Vintage wedding invitations, for instance, are beautiful options but they are the ultimate contrast to modern designs. There are certain aspects, like a more rustic look, that conveys this alternative design idea. Meanwhile, modern wedding invitation designs usually lean into a serif font, a bold pop of color and some thoughtfully crafted space.
As we think about how to define what a modern wedding invitation is, we also need to discuss the general elements of the theme. All white flowers, pops of color or metallic and next-level entertainment are all features at modern weddings.
In addition to the appearance of your modern wedding invitation, you can also explore your various opportunities when it comes to the text. Of course, you need to provide the essential details about your celebration, but a modern adaptation of the classic invite welcomes creativity. The word “modern” has so many interpretations, but a significant one is that you can elevate and update traditional wording.
Along with your modern wedding invitation, you will need to incorporate other elements that ring true to the theme. There are so many different expert-approved modern design ideas, but you and your partner get the final say. Here are few of the most popular and easy-to-recreate options:
Choose a venue with a neutral color palette: While you can have pops of color, so many modern celebrations come with a more muted and neutral set of colors. Black and white and grayscale are those effortlessly chic color combinations that many modern couples love.
Metallics are always a good idea: You can create a beautiful, beaming accent on your wedding day with silver, gold or any other metallic. For an extra tie-in to your modern wedding invitation, you can also opt for metallic foil or the illusion of metallic foil in an online invite.
Mismatched bridesmaids dresses: Gone are the days of asking your best friends to dress in matching, less-than-flattering ensembles. Instead, ask your favorite people to choose a dress that they love in a particular color or with a certain set of guidelines. This will create a natural, modern feel that you and your wedding party will love.
Go for all white flowers: In line with the neutral color palette, white flowers are as classic as they are modern. These are a traditional and super sophisticated floral design that is absolutely timeless.
Bring in some personality: There is nothing more original and of-the-moment than showcasing who you are at your wedding day. Make nods to your personal interests, professions and more through decor elements for a super special twist.
Say “no” to the phones: Back in the day, people did not have phones to distract themselves. Now, we are seeing iPhones in the background of adorable wedding photos and some couples may want their guests to stay in the moment with them. If you identify with this concept, you can ask your officiant to tell your guests to silence their phones and keep them stowed during the ceremony.
Modern concepts are helpful for any event, and weddings are particularly worthy of special attention to detail. From the decor you choose to the environment and experience you provide your guests, there is a lot you can do to create this modern vibe for you, your partner and your guests.
Think outside the box when it comes to where you exchange vows and dance the night away. There are so many standout modern wedding venues all over the world, and it is easy to picture yourself getting married almost anywhere. Your venue can inform so many decisions about your big day, so it is important that you take this step in the process seriously. Wedding venues are in high demand now, so you want to give yourself plenty of time to do your research, visit the locations and book for your date.
To give you some help in this department, we are narrowing down a few different types of modern wedding spots.
Whether you are getting married in your hometown or saying “I do” in another part of the world, we are confident that you can find one or more of these popular modern venues in your desired area. Your venue is such a key decision, so you want to make sure you visit your favorites and ultimately choose the best one for you, your partner and your guests. It accounts for about 40 percent of your total budget, making it the most expensive part of your celebration. With that, you want to ensure that you and your partner are content with this major piece.
With the basics out of the way, let’s dig into modern wedding invitation wording. As a whole, all wedding invitations should include the following details, no matter what:
These are the basics, but they are not the only aspects involved in your modern wedding invitation. Below, check out a few modern wedding invitation wording samples you can use to inspire your own.
Modern Wedding Invitation Wording Example #1
“Adrian & Bridgette are madly in love.” A short, simple and sweet opener, this is one of the ultimate modern wedding invitation wording samples. It’s direct and personable, and ideal for the couple planning an ultra modern wedding. Guests will read this and immediately know that this will be a day full of love, excitement and celebration.
Modern Wedding Invitation Wording Example #2
“Santana and Adrian Say I Do.” Spelling it out is yet another unique and creative type of modern wedding invitation wording samples. You and your partner are exchanging vows, so it makes perfect sense to open your modern wedding invitation with this phrase. This is a simple, perfect kickoff to your stationery that will set the mood for your guests.
Modern Wedding Invitation Wording Example #3
“Let’s get together to celebrate Emery & Monroe.” Say what you feel and what you want, just like this modern wedding invitation wording does. In a few weeks, you will gather with your closest family and friends to celebrate your love. With that, we cannot get enough of this beautiful opening line.
Modern Wedding Invitation Wording Example #4
“Sophia and Liam request the pleasure of your company to celebrate their wedding.” While this leans toward the more traditional type of modern wedding invitation wording samples, it is quite modern. This particular wording shows that the couple is hosting their own event, which is helpful for those planning to do the same.
Modern Wedding Invitation Wording Example #5
“08 JUL 23 Join Us to Celebrate the Wedding of Lulu and Hugo.” This wording for a modern wedding invitation does the work of a Save the Date and invite. The date really stands out, and the slightly informal setup is an ideal nod to your modern theme. Simply writing “join us” also puts a twist on the traditional wedding invitation outline that starts off with the name of the hosts.
Your modern wedding invitation wording is important because it not only shares necessary information, but it also sets the tone for your entire celebration. Saying you are “madly in love” or “ready to party,” can get your guests excited about the energy they can expect to feel upon arrival. You can also use the above modern wedding invitation wording samples to develop your own saying or phrase to feature somewhere on your special invites.
While more modernized invites are more creative and less traditional, many couples find it helpful to understand etiquette as it relates to your stationery. If you follow these guidelines, you can also tie it together with your more original modern wedding invitation wording. Not only does it check boxes in the rule-following department, but it also provides you with a clear template for your modern wedding invitation.
Here are some etiquette rules to keep in mind for your modern wedding invitation wording:
Your modern wedding invitation wording can follow these etiquette guidelines, but it is most important that you stay true to yourself. If some of these rules do not align with you and your partner, feel free to ignore it. Nowadays, you should feel comfortable writing out your modern wedding invitation any way that you want.
Along with the wording of your modern wedding invitation, remember that there are also etiquette rules on sending them out. You want to give your guests enough time to reply to your invite, and experts recommend sending them about six to eight weeks before the big day. With that, you also need to ask your guests to send back their modern wedding invitation RSVP within a certain period of time. In most cases, you will want to have them all in by about two to three weeks prior to your celebration.
In addition to your modern wedding invitation timeline, you will also want to keep the following items in mind along the way:
At this point in the timeline, roughly six to eight weeks before your wedding, it is time to give the modern wedding invitation of your dreams all of your attention. Expert tip: Make sure to coordinate your modern wedding invitation designs with the existing wedding website and Save the Date templates you already worked with.
And two to three weeks before your wedding, you are in the final stretch before the festivities begin. At this point, you need to review your responses from your modern wedding invitation to create a final guest list for your event. This number needs to be communicated with the pros in charge of handling catering and any other number-specific vendor. You will also need to work on specific seating arrangements, and decide whether you want to choose a seat for every guest or assign a group of them to one table. Once those decisions have been made, you should plan out your seating chart display that will be set up at your cocktail hour.
These are the key items you want to remember as your wedding gets closer by the day. By keeping a clear record of your steps and checking off tasks as you go, you can feel more prepared and (hopefully) stress-free. If you are already overwhelmed, you can also enlist an expert. Professional wedding planners are available to walk you through every step and offer guidance and helpful advice from their years of experience in the industry. From your decor to modern wedding invitation design, there are so many factors a planner can assist you and your partner with during the planning process.
When you address your invitations, you should also keep in mind that you do not necessarily need to send one invitation to each guest. If there is a family with children under the age of 18, for instance, you can send one invitation to the entire family. If there are children over the age of 18, you should send them an individual invitation, even if they live with their family.
Popular Modern Wedding Invitation Ideas
As you think about your dream modern wedding invitation designs, it is completely understandable to feel a bit lost. With so many templates available, the number of options is sometimes overwhelming. The best first step? Figure out your overall aesthetic and vibe, which can be determined by your wedding location. For example, if you are getting married in a modern wedding in Hawaii, a tropical design is the perfect match.
These ideas represent only a small collection of opportunities for wedding couples deciding on the perfect invitations. You can find even more options all over the Bliss & Bone site, many of which will easily connect with your venue, decor, color palette and more. From a desert retreat to lively New York City celebration, there are designs fit for any occasion.
This is where your budgeting conversation comes into play. Early on in the planning process, you want to clearly and effectively communicate your goals and financial plans for tackling every aspect of your wedding—and that includes your modern wedding invitation customization. There are varying costs depending on the type of modern wedding invitation you are interested in, and the two most popular ones are printed and digital. These fall into two main buckets, and there are a variety of options within each one.
As for printed, these are the most traditional and expensive options for couples. Because they require a lot of paper, postage and more, printed wedding invites cost significantly more than their online counterparts. You can expect for prices to start around $700 to $1,200 for 100 cards. Costs inevitably go up when you select a more premium printing process, like letterpress or metallic foil. Your printed invite set will also come with an envelope and potentially a reply or insert card and envelope. It serves as a beautiful keepsake for you and your partner (and your guests!) to hold onto for years to come.
If you are curious about cutting costs with a modern wedding invitation, nothing is more current than online invites. These keep everything online and communicate your messages via email, so you do not have to pay for paper or postage. Most online wedding invitations cost about $1 each, making them a budget-friendly option for couples.
As you consider these options, make sure to keep an open line of communication between you and your partner. You want to be on the same page (whether that’s printed or online!) as you move through every step of your planning process.
We have gone over costs, but there is so much more to the advantages of printed and online wedding invitations. As you imagine the perfect modern wedding invitation, think about your priorities. Do you want guests to receive them in the mail? Would you want your tech-savvy guests to simply open their email? Below, we will explain the reasons why couples choose one over the other.
The Benefits of Printed Wedding Invitations
The Benefits of Online Wedding Invitations
There are so many pros to printed and digital invites alike, and it is all about what you can afford and your design preferences. If you and your partner want to prioritize physical invitations, that is a lovely option. But if you love the idea of helping the environment and your budget, a digital modern wedding invitation is your best bet.
The customization process allows you and your partner to completely transform a template into your own special creation. You can change the text, colors and design elements to suit your taste and style. And for an even more personalized experience, many couples decide on a custom wedding logo or monogram. There are so many beautiful monogram wedding ideas out there, and ordering a specially made one just for you is the perfect nod to your event.
Your wedding monogram or logo may include:
Many companies allow you to purchase two different options: A logo that is used only on their products, or a logo that is used elsewhere. For the “elsewhere” concept, you can use your custom logo to create a light up sign at your reception, a wedding aisle, cocktail napkins and much more. Get creative and think through the places and spaces that could benefit from a logo or monogram on display.
At Bliss & Bone, you can connect with a designer who will get started on a proof showing your logo or monogram. Within two business days, you will receive it and give your approval or ask for a revision. All couples are allowed one revision with their purchase. Once your designer receives the OK, you will see a file in your Bliss & Bone account. And if you purchased it for use outside of the Bliss & Bone site, you will receive a print-ready file to use for anything you have in mind.
You can do even more than add a one-of-a-kind logo to your modern wedding invitation. Online templates give you the freedom to think of almost any design and original combination imaginable. This modern technology goes perfectly with your chosen wedding theme, and you are just a few decisions away from completely customizing your invite.
These are some of the most beloved additions to any modern wedding invitation:
Three-dimensional objects: You can move around and add in dimensional objects that guests will swoon over. From a flower that matches your floral design to a snow-covered pine cone, there are near-countless options to explore for your special modern wedding invitation.
Shadow overlays: One of the most unique features is a shadow overlay, which appears to loom over your modern wedding invitation. It can appear as though a tropical tree is hanging overhead, or you can find an edgier style to fit your aesthetic.
Add a special photo: Look into whether you can upload a photo of you and your partner, an image of your beloved pup or even a shot of the venue where you will say “I do.” Photos bring something special and original to anything, and this would be a beautiful feature for your modern wedding invitation.
Start from scratch: While there are beautiful online templates all over the Bliss & Bone website, you can also treat our online builder (more on this later!) like an artist’s canvas. By using the “Start From Scratch” template, you will get a blank canvas that you can completely customize. This is a highly recommended option for creatives who have time to play with the different options available for their modern wedding invitation.
Your modern wedding invitation should be as unique and beautiful as your love, and it is easy to achieve that with tasteful elements like the ones listed above. Consider the objects that naturally appear at your venue or city of your celebration and your style preferences as you start the customization process.
The month leading up to your wedding is crunch time, and there is a lot to do. You will be fielding calls from various vendors to confirm and finalize last-minute details, and you also need to compile the all-important guest list. When it comes to your seating chart, think about the people who know (and get along with) each other well. You can put your high school friends and their partners at the same table, for instance. Other people, like work colleagues or friends who are not necessarily part of a group might be more challenging to place.
During this time, you will also need to think about where you are sitting. Do you want to sit at a sweetheart table that only accommodates you and your partner, or do you like the idea of a big, long table with your entire wedding party? From there, you can consider where all of your other guests can go. And if you want to take some of the guesswork out of your process, simply assign guests to a particular table. This way, they have the freedom to sit wherever they want at their assigned table.
Once you have figured out where people are sitting, you should get creative about your display table. This is typically set up at a high-traffic space during your cocktail hour. Guests can go over to the display, find their name and then get ready to find their seat as soon as the reception kicks off. We have seen everything from donut walls to tables of shots with names on each of them. There are so many wedding seating chart ideas to explore, and you should think of a unique way to match your environment and style.
Your modern wedding invitation is only one part of your wedding stationery set. In fact, it will fall on the latter end of your general wedding planning timeline. There are quite a few pieces to this puzzle, and it all connects to your wedding timeline. If you are curious about the other parts of your stationery, these are the items to look out for:
Wedding website: This is the information hub for your upcoming celebration. You can feature photos of you and your partner, recommendations for things to do (and eat!) in the area, RSVP details, registry information and much more.
Save the Dates: Your very first communication with your guests about your festivities comes through in your Save the Date. These have the basics: where and when your wedding is happening. If it is a wedding weekend, be sure to include some sort of language that signals this. One example is “Save the Weekend.” These are sent out prior to your modern wedding invitation to give your guests time to plan everything out and make arrangements to attend your celebration.
Rehearsal dinner invitations: If you are going by traditional standards, the groom’s parents host the rehearsal dinner. So, you do not need to match your modern wedding invitation to your rehearsal dinner invites, but you certainly can. These can be prepared in a digital or printed format.
Wedding menus: On display at your reception tables, wedding menus are another cohesive product to combine with other elements at your celebration. They will show off the various courses your guests can expect, and you can even add a logo or monogram in there as well.
With help from the experts at Bliss & Bone, you can easily match all of these to your modern wedding invitation. We offer curated collections for couples based on their personal style and wedding aesthetic. From tropical designs to modern-minimalist templates, these sets are full of creative, connected ideas that are not too matchy-matchy.
Picture this: You have weighed your options and ultimately decided on digital wedding invites. If you want to build your design on the Bliss & Bone site, you have near-countless choices to make and the online builder is a comprehensive platform that guides you through it all.
To see what you can expect from our modern wedding invitation builder, these are the steps involved in the process:
Sit down with your partner and review your options. There is a plethora of designs to choose from, and you need to make your selection. Once you have found “the one,” click on it. This will show you a zoomed in version of the design, and if you are happy with it, click “Customize.”
Make your choices about the background of your modern wedding invitation. Now that you are in the builder, you can first decide on the background you like for the card itself and the display behind it. If you want to mix it up, you can easily explore and test out the different styles. As you perform these tests, you will see the display change to the right of your screen. After you are satisfied with this part of the project, click on the “A.”
Update the text-related information. You can change practically anything about the copy written on your modern wedding invitation in this section. The text size, letter spacing, line spacing, color, alignment and font are all modifiable. And if you want to write even more, you can click “Add a Text Box” to load a new writing space. From there, you can click on the button with the paintbrush icon.
Add or modify the card effects and shadow overlays. Even though this is a digital modern wedding invitation, it has dimension from shadows and borders. In this part of the builder, you can create a border, drop shadow or shadow overlay. The shadow overlay gives the appearance of a shadow casting over your card. There are tropical, floral and more edgy options to choose from here. If you are ready to move onto the next step, click on the button with a series of shapes on it.
Bring in objects, illustrations or graphics. This is where it gets even more fun. While your chosen design might come with existing objects, illustrations or graphics, you can add, move or remove them during this phase. There are flowers, plants and more to incorporate into your design. To head to the next step, click on the “&” button.
Upload your logo or monogram. If you have decided to purchase a custom logo or monogram, you can upload it here. And if you have created your own, you also have the opportunity to upload it in the final section. When your design looks perfect, go to the bottom left corner of your screen and click “Next.”
Design the email your guests will receive with your invite. With your modern wedding invitation, guests will receive it via email. This section will showcase a display of what that email can look like. You will need to include details, such as your event name, the start and end times, venue name and address and more. If you accidentally miss anything here, the builder will flag it before you click “Next” to move forward.
Customize your Event Page. The Event Page comes with features like collecting RSVPs, adding a note, displaying an interactive map and more. Once you have made it through this step, you can click “Next.”
Add your guests’ information. You will need to know all of your guests’ names and email addresses before you complete the penultimate step of the process. You will address your guests just as you would with printed invitations, so make sure you have all of the details required to accomplish this.
Pay and send out your modern wedding invitation. You will then be asked to add your payment information and then you can send off your modern wedding invitation. Then, the waiting game begins! Pretty soon, the replies will start rolling in from your friends and family members.
You will have a few weeks to wait on hearing about guests’ replies to your modern wedding invitation, and you can keep track of them on your Bliss & Bone account. It is a seamless process that allows you to review and manage replies as they come in. With this, instead of relying on the mail system, you can receive all of the information you need digitally.
With a clearer idea of the modern wedding theme and how to achieve it, we hope that you and your partner are feeling empowered and excited about building out your stationery suite. You can use any of these ideas and examples to think through all aspects of your big day, from the venue selection process to decor shopping. From the wedding website to wedding menus on display at the reception, our team is ready to help with anything that comes up. If you have any questions, do not hesitate to contact us online or send an email to hello@blissandbone.com. We are eager to assist you as you create the best modern wedding invitation possible.