The dream dress, the perfect hall, the gourmet banquet; there are so many details that go into creating the fairy tale wedding. One of the first is the invitations! That’s what your guests will see first and they will set the tone for what is to come. Some creative couples, or couples that perhaps are on a budget, might be interested in making their own invitations. If you are recently engaged and looking to make wedding invitations, here are some tips to aid you in the process.

First, decide if it’s right for you. Other options are going to a full service printer or ordering online. Both of these options may be less time consuming, but more expensive than making your own. If you are artsy you may want to use this opportunity to express yourself through this medium. If you are picky you might want to as well, because customized wedding invitations from a full service printer will indeed cost you a pretty penny, but you can fully customize for a lot less when doing it yourself. In general if you are trying to plan your wedding on a budget, do-it-yourself invitations will save you some money. Lastly, you need the time to put into the project. If you are low in that department you may not be able to pull it off.

So now that you’ve decided that you want to make wedding invitations, where do you start? Online is always a good place! There are many web sites that will help you choose the right accents to complete the perfect invitation. You can select everything from start to finish, from the type of paper to the color and font of the text, and any decorations. You can insert your own monograms as well. Some sites will offer themes and ideas to help you get the ball rolling and even be suitable “as is” for many couples.

Other sites will offer just templates so you can really do it on your own. You just download the template and apply it to your own pre-bought materials. You can pick up paper at a craft store and use a home printer. You can also purchase decorative accents such as bows and flowers. Many come pre-made for this purpose, but if you are more artistic and imaginative you can get your own ribbons and other accents and apply them according to your whimsy.

You can get instructions to make your own invitations on many sites as well. So if you are not the totally organized type and could use a little bit of guidance, you can get it in a step-by-step format to help you produce the invitation you are dreaming of. Other sites offer lots of tips and ideas for dreaming up the perfect look, with suggestions as to how to achieve what is just a concept in your head.

If you are not the online type, go into an art or craft store and you will get some great ideas. The salespeople will usually be knowledgeable and be able to offer assistance in choosing the right materials to fashion the style you are looking for. You can get lots of ideas and looks from books as well, just check your local bookstore.

Although these are all great tools, a creative mind and an eye for design are all you really need to make your invitations by yourself. If you can dream it, you can make it.