How can I make my modern wedding invitation unique?

“In order to stand out, couples can incorporate more unique materials into their invitations like wood veneer, metal, or cork,” Kentris says. “These elements can elevate a suite and wow guests as texture can play a big role in enhancing the experience.” He added that shaped invitations can also make a big impact. “A rounded arch, circular, and even square invitations are less traditional and uncommon,” he says.

How long in advance should we send out wedding invitations?

It's a good idea to send out save the dates as soon as possible after you've booked your venue (this is especially important for destination weddings in which travel is involved). You can take a little more time with the invites once guests have the date penciled in, but most experts agree that formal invites need to arrive at least six to eight weeks before the wedding.

The 18 Best Modern Wedding Invitations in 2022

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When it comes to wedding invitations, you may want to keep with tradition and find something classic—but sometimes those designs can feel stuffy and old-fashioned, Instead, consider going outside the box with chic, streamlined invites that reflect your personality as a modern couple. Think arched silhouettes, bold patterns, and geometric shapes that will wow your guests and set the tone for your wedding in the best way possible.

To help you find the perfect invite for your wedding, we’ve curated some of the best modern wedding invitations across the web to suit all kinds of wedding styles and themes, and enlisted the expertise of event designer, Jordan Kentris. There are minimalist designs that revel in black and white simplicity, vibrant, abstract invites that shout with excitement, and unique photoinvites that are transformed with color overlay and photobooth-esque strips for a dash of unexpectedness. Style doesn’t just lie in the print and type, but in the shape and form of the invite, too, so we’ve got a range of options there as well.

Meet the Expert

Jordan Kentris is a Toronto-based bespoke stationery and event designer. He is the founder of the boutique design firm, A Good Day.

Read on for the best modern wedding invitations.

Polka Dot Paper Pty Ltd Arch Wedding Invitation

Surprise guests with an invitation in an unconventional shape: an arch instead of a rectangle. We love this idea if your wedding venue is an old villa or chateau with arched doorways, as the invitations would give a subtle nod to the architecture. You can customize all the wording and colors to match your wedding theme and include a separate circular invitation for rehearsal dinner guests.

Pearly Paper Design Gatefold Wedding Invitation

A gatefold wedding invitation gives you plenty of room for everything—a picture of the soon-to-be newlyweds, extra details, and an itinerary of the day’s events, complete with cute illustrative icons. Note this is a downloadable template, so you’ll have to do the printing on your own. This Etsy seller recommends using a matte or uncoated smoothie heavy cardstock in white or off-white.

Paper Minx Weddings Minimal Wedding Invitation

Set in husky shades of terracotta, peach, and sand, this wedding invitation suite is a dream for the bohemian wedding. It includes an invitation, RSVP card, details card, and wishing well card. Downloadable as a template, you can customize them all to your heart’s content.

Pietra Paper Design Foiled Vellum Wedding Invitations

Those looking for modern romance have found it right here. Handmade invitations on vellum paper have an airy, breezy vibe complemented by glam foil lettering for an overall feel of elegance. While there are multiple colors to choose from for the foil, we recommend going with rose gold or silver to elevate the look. There are multiple packages for these invites, ranging from just the invites to RSVP cards and a details page.

Minted + Brides Collection Casual by Jessica Miller

This simple black and white design puts a contemporary twist on the classic photo invitation. Your favorite engagement photo will be framed by a mix of an elegant and bold type that says everything your guests need to know and nothing more: your names and the date, time, and location of your ceremony.

Greenvelope Shadowed Ferns

A fall or winter wedding generally conjures up an image of a rustic cabin or bucolic barnyard, which can be cutely illustrated on any invite. But for the modern couple, this beautiful close-up of fern trees will set a completely different tone. Gilded text pops against moody hues, which you can select in either an olive or jewel tone green.

Paper Source Paintbrush Wedding Invitation

Part of Paper Source’s Neil Lane collection, these artsy invitations boast gold, rose gold, or silver foil brushstrokes that lead to all the details regarding your wedding. They’re printed on 130 lb card stock that matches white envelopes. You can customize the text as you see fit and add coordinating items in the suite, including a response card, information card, and stationery.

Zola Lyons Classic

A minimalist design makes a big statement with a thick brush font splashed across a deep hue. You can customize your heart out with these invites, which are available in rust, rose, periwinkle, navy, forest, and gray. You can also choose among seven different types of papers, a foil or no foil option for text, and a rounded or square silhouette.

Zazzle Modern Bold Minimalist

Engagement photos get a modern touch with this invitation design. Your initials sprawl across the photo at the top, matching the text underneath the photo detailing information about the wedding. Choose among a dozen different papers and six different shapes to print these babies on.

Greenvelope Modern Love

A Japandi-inspired invitation that mixes Scandinavian functionality with Japanese rustic minimalism is made for the eclectic couple. While there are six different color palettes to choose from, each one is in a soft, neutral tone that welcomes guests to your wedding. Cute verbiage adds to the warmth, bringing an unexpected spin to the invite.

Minted + Brides Collection Marble by Lori Wemple

A foil-pressed marble design brings a dose of luxe glam to these wedding invitations. Opt for a classic white and gold or white and silver look, or mix it up by pairing a blush background with black foiled streaks or an ocean canvas with rose gold foil. You can even make it more glamorous by having it printed in pearlescent card stock for an added shimmer.

Zazzle Modern Rose Gold and Black Overlay

Get moody with these invites, which feature a black overlay gracing a photo of your choice. Text in rose gold, white, or gold, depending on what best complements your photo, reveals the necessary deets of your ceremony. Customize it further, from size to shape to paper type.

Zola Powell Portrait

These looping details are no child’s scribble. Their minimalist style mimics abstract art more than anything else and includes the infinity symbol within to represent the idea of forever love. Keep a classic minimalist look with a black and white palette, or opt for a colored invite in purple or teal.

Minted + Brides Collection Brooklyn Bridge by Cass Loh

Made for the New Yorker couple, this wedding invitation pays an ode to the Big Apple. A dreamy watercolor illustration of the Brooklyn Bridge against the skyscrapers of the Financial District runs along the bottom, speckled with gold foil dots that mimic the city lights. A glittering skyline comes to life before your eyes.

Zazzle Modern Minimalist Casual Initials

Have a hard time deciding which engagement photo you want to include in your invitation? Then this invite is just for you! Select three of your favorite photos to include in the design, which will be featured in a photo booth-like strip along the left-hand side. Customize the text to the right to include all wedding details, underneath a pair of your and your partner’s first initials.

Minted Boheme by Iveta Angelova

An abstract style featuring colorful geometric shapes is perfect for a wedding held in a contemporary museum or gallery. These aren’t just stylish in look, but in their function—no envelopes are required! Fold the top and the bottom flaps, and you’ve got a makeshift flap that’s ready to mail. The bottom tears off to act as an RSVP postcard.

Zola Cabo Classic

Befitting for a contemporary destination wedding, the Cabo Classic boasts an abstract palm leaf design. Whether you select the navy and goldenrod color theme or the mauve and brown palette, it promises to evoke serious tropical vibes. This invitation is sure to get guests excited about your wedding.

Minted The Arch by Elly

A simple photo invitation gets a twist with an arched silhouette framing your photograph. The text to the left keeps things just as minimal with only the necessary info, making for a clean and streamlined design. There’s a range of color themes to choose from stone, terracotta, pebble, ocean, and charcoal. If none of this suits your wedding style, you can customize your color.

What to look for in a modern wedding invitation

Look for a designer that can incorporate your personal and event style into the invitations, recommends Kentris. Pay attention to design influences, materials chosen, and typography (the fonts selected and how they are presented), which Kentris says all set modern invitations apart.

FAQ

How can I make my modern wedding invitation unique?

“In order to stand out, couples can incorporate more unique materials into their invitations like wood veneer, metal, or cork,” Kentris says. “These elements can elevate a suite and wow guests as texture can play a big role in enhancing the experience.” He added that shaped invitations can also make a big impact. “A rounded arch, circular, and even square invitations are less traditional and uncommon,” he says.
How long in advance should we send out wedding invitations?

It's a good idea to send out save the dates as soon as possible after you've booked your venue (this is especially important for destination weddings in which travel is involved). You can take a little more time with the invites once guests have the date penciled in, but most experts agree that formal invites need to arrive at least six to eight weeks before the wedding.

Why Trust Brides

Brides contributor Hillary Hoffower has over seven years of experience writing for the wedding industry, covering everything from bridal fashion trends to wedding decor. She loves to draw and doodle in her spare time, which has helped her develop an eye for design. That means she can spot the best of abstract and contemporary styles from a mile away.