Do you love romance and style from a bygone age? When it comes to 19th and early 20th century weddings, is there one tradition in particular that you’d love to bring back?
While we say a firm “thank you, next!” to any bone-crushing nonsense worn under the bridal gown (beat it whalebone corsets!) when it comes to wedding stationery, there’s something rich, elegant, and historical about engraved wedding invitations.
Digital downloads and e-vites are taking over, and it might seem like engraving has become a lost art. Although we happen to love digital for its affordability and, more importantly, its sustainability, if your heart desires a more traditional wedding invitation, we’ve got it for you!
Here are 27 engraved-styled invitations and other traditional-looking alternatives, including letterpress, embossing, debossing, and thermography, that are available to you now.
Let’s Talk About Letterpress
Our elegant letterpress wedding invitations are printed on our vintage Heidelberg printing press. Each classic wedding invitation design is impressed into tree free 100% cotton cover stock leaving an classic embossed texture. Perfect for your formal wedding.
Our first selection is exquisite. These wedding invitations get printed on a press machine from the mid 20th century, and every single piece gets carefully crafted to ensure a flawless finish. The letterpress process takes skill and time!
Engraving and letterpress printing are two different styles. Although both use ink and tons of pressure to create gorgeous stationery, it can be easy to confuse the two, so let’s start with a quick explanation.
The world’s oldest print style, letterpress was invented in the 1400s. Modern letterpress uses metal or polymer plates with raised letters dipped into ink and pressed onto paper to create indents.
Engraving is more complicated and involves creating a reverse etching template onto plates made of copper or steel. Ink gets deposited on the template, and paper is forcefully pushed onto the template using a 3,000-lb. weight! Engraving raises letters on the front of the paper that you can feel by running your finger across the back.
Understandably, engraving can be the most expensive print method, so keep that in mind. It’s also essential to plan an engraving project, like wedding invitations, ahead of time because your order may take many weeks or more than a month to complete.
Three Cheers for Thermography Wedding Invitation
Classic Frame is one of our most requested wedding invitations suites due to the combination of timeless design elements such as traditional block and calligraphy fonts, classic border and simple Duet style monogram.
Thermography style invitations are growing in popularity. It is similar in method to engraving in that it produces a raised typeface, but it doesn’t leave any impression on the paper. Instead, thermography uses heated ink and resin power to raise the print off the page in a 3D effect.
We think this thermography wedding invitation is a perfect blend of timeless elegance and modern style with its translucent vellum wrap. The ink and exquisite wax seal pictured here are both antique gold-toned on quality, natural white paper.
Real Wood Engraved Rustic Invitation
If you are looking for something different, send these unique & simple; real & dried floral knotted on real wooden wedding invitation to your loved ones, family and friends.
Here’s an actual engraved wedding invitation… but the material is far more rustic-traditional than fancy-schmancy!
This pretty invitation is genuine birch plywood with real knotted flowers. The wood is laser-engraved with your wedding details, creating a beautiful boho invitation that’s sure to delight your guests.
Luxury Wooden Wedding Invitation
Check out our wooden invitations selection for the very best in unique or custom, handmade pieces from Wood Invite Store.
We love a laser-engraved wood invitation, so here’s another stylish selection.
You choose your custom invitation on Grade A poplar, white walnut, or dark walnut wood. This order also includes kraft envelopes that are useful for mailing out your invites.
Engraved Acrylic Invitations Are Elegantly Modern
Each Acrylic Invite is custom made with a commercial laser engraving machine, therefore text prints white and cannot be altered to another color
Today’s engraved wedding invitations have taken a modern turn that’s clear to see!
Your acrylic invitation is custom-made using a flat sheet (approximately 1/8″ thick) engraved through a professional-grade machine. Engraved acrylic wedding invitations may look a bit futuristic, but they’re as elegant as any stationery you can choose.
Your Wedding Invitation Engraved in Glass
Our 6" x 10" rectangle clear glass " Engraved Wedding Invitation" is a custom-made item.
Having a special keepsake from your wedding day—to enjoy every day—is something that every bridal couple would appreciate. How about an engraving of your wedding invitation in glass?
This exquisite selection turns your invitation into wall art or even a platter you can use for special events. It’s the perfect gift for you!
3D Wedding Invitation for Lovebirds
Everybody wants to be unique on their special wedding day and what better way to start than on your wedding invitations.
We hope you find this selection unique if you’re leaning towards a laser-engraved wedding invitation on genuine wood.
It’s an actual 3D piece with two intricately lasered sections forming a tree when the gatefold closes over the invitation.
Opening the gatefold, you’ll see an exquisite, laser-engraved invitation made from 1/8″ wood in a natural, maple, or cherry stain. You’ll love seeing the heart shape come together too!
Embossed Is the New Engraved Wedding Invitation
Our four-deckle cotton papers are perfectly suited to achieve the chiseled serifs in this embossed design.
Here’s a type of letterpress printing called blind embossed printing. Let’s explain that!
Blind embossing uses plates, heat, and a great deal of machine weight, similar to letterpress or engraving. But embossing is called “blind” because there is no ink involved—the embossing instead creates an impression with depth or height.
This selection uses deckled paper to give your wedding invitation those bygone-era, romantic uneven edges, and check out the monogrammed initials embossed on this spectacular choice!
Engraved Magnolia Invitation Is Classic
The bride and groom's duogram above the return address on the outer envelopes and presented in a watercolor illustration on the respond card.
We love this magnolia wreath selection because it incorporates Victorian elegance in a modern couple’s beautiful, fresh wedding invitation. The designer uses three printing methods here, including thermography or letterpress.
One process used to make this invitation is called “blind engraving,” and you’ll see that effect in how your initials get impressed in the antique-white-toned wax seal. This customized design also gets displayed as a watercolor illustration on your RSVP card.
Very Victorian Invitation With Raised Monogram
Our "Southern Magnolia with Victorian Monogram" wedding invitation is the epitome of Southern grace and charm.
A formal invitation like this seems to transport you to the grace and elegance of a bygone era, so it’s a bit surprising to discover that this design gets printed using thermographic technology!
Your initials take center stage in the Victorian-style monogram, and the flowing calligraphy sets such a romantic tone.
If you love the look of an engraved invitation at a far more affordable price, consider this stunning choice.
An Inviting Mix of Classical and Modern
The design features classic black ink on thick white paper contrasted with modern white ink on black paper details.
Traditionally, engraved wedding invitations featured elaborate calligraphy as a design element. This invitation mixes classical and modern in a more straightforward selection that’s equally as elegant.
We like the block and script typeface layout, and white ink on dramatic black paper is gorgeous.
Flourish and Fame Gold and Navy Wedding Invitation
Paired with traditional block and script fonts, this invitation suite is timeless and current all at the same time.
This selection is called “Flourish and Frame,” but we think this one-of-a-kind invitation should also be called beautiful!
Your thermographic invitation features gold-toned ink that looks softer and more romantic than it does “blingy,” and the lovely flourish detail over the solid frame is how this selection got its name!
Cornflower Blue Ink Wedding Invitation
One of our newest wedding invitation suites, this design features an interlaced couture monogram with the bride and groom's first initials encased in a beautiful watercolor floral wrapped crest.
We don’t know where to start with this beautiful selection, although the unique cornflower blue ink might have caught your eye first.
This thermographic invitation uses 100% cotton paper (yes, it’s as soft as it sounds) and includes a couture monogram in a watercolor crest with your initials.
Of course, they didn’t forget the wax seal either, and this time, it’s in a pretty peony shade.
Blush and Gold Pocket Style Invitation
This gorgeous wedding invitation suite features our popular "Traditional Initials" wedding invitation suite mounted inside a beautiful vertical pocket folder.
Pocket invitations aren’t just adorable—this is a functional style that incorporates all of your wedding details in the sweetest package.
Because this is a thermographic invitation suite, it’s got the raised fonts for an exquisite look and touch.
We think the true standout detail here is your initials on the envelope seal!
Wedding Invitation Is Truly Traditional
This elegant traditional script monogram invitation set can be built to your specifications.
There’s no skimping on the classic details with this monogrammed wedding invitation using thermography to create that gorgeous, traditional script on white or ecru paper.
Museum Quality Wedding Invitation
The soft elegance of our emily suite is blind debossed into dimensional cotton paper and combines script flourishes with modern sans serif fonts.
While this is a letterpress printed invitation, the process differs from other selections on our engraved wedding invitation list.
This invite is called the “Emily” suite, and the designer uses “blind debossing” on dimensional cotton paper to create soft and uniquely elegant stationery.
Blind debossing is the opposite of embossing because it creates a sunken effect on the paper without using ink.
Two-Tone Custom Wedding Invitation
The cards are printed on a thick, high quality, shimmery pearlized white cardstock that give the cards an extra elegant touch.
The designer of this selection offers two-tone thermographic stationery, which is huge for customizing and coordinating your wedding invitations in the colors of your dreams.
Check out the color possibilities here—there’s everything from hot pink fuchsia, ocean blue teal, or gorgeous purple violet. Combined with a sleek black font, your invitations will be stunning and memorable.
This Isn’t Your Straight Cut Wood Wedding Invitation
You can choose one of the engraving options, and we will engrave your name and date & time, location or reception line.
We think laser-engraved wood wedding invitations are spectacular, but if you want to take it up another notch, consider this wood invitation that gets laser cut into an oval with gorgeous floral effects!
You receive kraft envelopes to mail out your invites with this selection, and we can imagine many people holding onto this artful piece as a beautiful keepsake.
Engraved Floral Wedding Invitation Is Magnetic
What do a piece of quality plywood and a magnet have to do with a wedding invitation? Check out this awesome selection, and you’ll find the beautiful answer.
Whether you’re boho, rustic, or a cool blend of both, this engraved wooden wedding invitation features a circular “Save-the-Date” magnet that pops out of the middle of the invite. Your guests will adore this invitation, and you can bet that magnet is going to be a favorite on every fridge!
Luxury Wedding Invitation With Gilded Details
Luxury Wedding Invitation -flower embossed pattern, gilded, name and initials embossed 320 gr soft paper, 240gr soft paper envelope size 13,5x19,5 cm
This invitation displays the beauty of the gilded age in a modern embossed print style.
Check out the glowing text on the luxurious paper!
Laser Engraved Leather Wedding Invitation
Looking at the rich brown tone on this selection, you may think you’re seeing another beautiful wooden invite… but this invitation is laser-engraved in genuine leather!
Eco-Friendly Lokta Paper for Wedding Invitations
These acid free papers are made without electricity no tree destruction.
Suppose you’re on a mission to find someone to engrave invitations as they did centuries ago. Then you may be equally excited to hear about a special type of paper handcrafted by artisans in the Himalayas!
It’s called “Lokta” paper, created without electricity or any damage to trees! Lokta is, in fact, a renewable bush, and the paper made from it is gorgeous and strong enough to dye, stencil, or print.
Black Cotton Paper for Wedding Invitations
Acid free, 100% rag paper. Perfect for wedding invitations, calligraphy, and more!
There’s a formality to deep black paper that makes it perfect for evening weddings, goth weddings, or even for bringing sleek style to your fun Halloween wedding.
With its romantic deckled edge, this black paper comes from 100% cotton rags! It’s delicate yet sturdy enough for embossed printing, and white or silver ink would look spectacular on black paper wedding invitations like this.
Beautiful Blush Paper for Wedding Invitations
Handmade paper cotton paper made from recycled cotton rag so as well as it being so beautiful its good for the planet.
This paper, handcrafted from recycled cotton fibers, comes in a romantic blush color that’s like a fresh breath of early spring.
The 5×7″ size is ideal for a wedding invitation card and the quality of this paper suits letterpress or hot foil printing.
Pink Blush Stands Out on Acrylic Wedding Invitation
Wow! We simply adore this acrylic invitation with a unique touch—realistic floral details in coordinating shades of off-white, peach, light green, and blush pink.
The transparent backdrop suits either a white or black font, and this is a good choice for accessorizing your invitations with your wedding color scheme.
Mirror, Mirror on This Acrylic Wedding Invitation
These beautiful invitations are fully personalised with your details, ready to send out.
Like the famous line from Sleeping Beauty, this unique, mirrored acrylic invitation has to be the “fairest of them all!”
Your engraved invitation offers customization with color choices, bold effects, and a modern typeface or sweeping font. If you decide this selection is for you, your wedding invitations are guaranteed to be spectacular.
Last Look at Letterpress Wedding Invitations
We print your wedding invitations with skilled craftsmanship of decades experience in printing, on our mid 20th century antique letter press, detailing each piece as it comes out of press to ensure all pieces will arrive to you flawlessly.
We’re bringing it home with one last look at where we started—the traditional beauty of invitation suites printed using a vintage press.
You choose customized details like classic fonts and a formal monogram on this invitation. Time and care go into preparing and printing each invitation, and the result is wedding stationery you will cherish and take pride in!
