We’ve been helping couples navigate the ins and outs of wedding planning for long enough to know that no detail goes unconsidered leading up to the big day. That’s why, when it comes to the invitation, we’ve thought of everything to make the process as easy as possible. Choosing an invitation should be fun, not another stressor on your long (long!) wedding to-do list.
So, how do you narrow down our thousands of beautiful design templates? Get ahead of the curve this wedding season by choosing a design that reflects not only your style, but also one of the year’s top trends. Our design team has done the legwork for you with invitations that reflect up-to-the-minute 2023 wedding trends. From illustration to typography and technique, Creative Director Cat Chi and team have considered every angle.
Read on for the 14 biggest wedding invitation trends of 2023, and how our designers have drawn inspiration from both the likeliest (wedding venues) and unlikeliest (the library?!) of places.
“Keen” by Paperless Post; Image via Ten Point Floral & Design.
#1 Neutral greenery
Close your eyes and imagine your wedding venue. The walls are white-washed and the chairs are a bit rustic. The room is flooded with soft afternoon sun. The only thing missing? Lush greenery like fern fronds, eucalyptus, or moss. If this minimalist scene is calling your name, the neutral greenery trend is for you.
Art Director Mariya Pilipenko considered the importance of the blank canvas, embracing negative space on her invitation design “Keen.” She paired simple green stems with traditional yet playfully placed typography. “It blends the formal with the modern, playing with the idea of making something old, new again,” she said.
Go au naturel with Cards like “Keen” or “Cornelia” by Paperless Post.
Image via Kim Branagan; “Merewen” by Paperless Post.
#2 Floating florals
The floral design world is still crushing on floating installations, and for good reason. Not only can you add drama and romance to any event space, you can also play with scale and gesture. Our team just had to try the trend for themselves, toned down in pastels and dusty blues.
Elevate your invitation design with floral Cards like “Merewen” or “Dripping Floral” by Paperless Post.
#3 Bright florals
With so many couples choosing neutral colors for their big day, one of the easiest ways to make sure your invitation stands out is to go bright. Think bursts of pinks, oranges, and purples that bring your maximalist style front and center at your ceremony. Traditional wedding style? She doesn’t even go here.
Taste the rainbow with cards like “Fruit of Capri” by Stephanie Fishwick or “Archival Florals” by Liberty, both exclusive to Paperless Post.
#4 Regency style
Dearest readers, if any trend has taken the wedding world by storm, it’s the one that involves everyone’s favorite make-believe dukes and duchesses. Thanks to the courting tribulations of “Bridgerton”’s unlucky-in-love siblings (and some well-placed bee stings), Regency style has swept the wedding industry up in its romantic floral motifs, pastel palettes, and classical details.
Browse invitations like “Grace II” or “Regency” by Paperless Post, “Gold Flourish” by The Indigo Bunting, or “Daphne” by Crane & Co to announce your wedding-of-the-season to all the ton. And don’t forget to add these cleverly reimagined songs to your cocktail hour playlist.
#5 Tropical
Jetting to a far-off locale for your destination wedding? You’d be remiss not to embrace the lush greens and bright colors of tropical foliage in your invitation. Think of how excited your guests will be to book their plane tickets as soon as they envision themselves beneath those verdant fronds.
Go off into the sunset with Cards like “Palmier Nouveau” or “Malacca” by Paperless Post.
#6 Baby blue
This trend is all about “something blue,” made modern. Add sophistication to your wedding palette with shades of dusty, antique blues on textured paper. You’ll convey formality and elegance, perfect for a black tie affair. Says Graphic Designer Jin Xia, “Baby blues always remind me of soft skies and soothing oceans. The tone is perfect for a romantic spring or summer wedding.”
Sing the blues so well with Cards like “Strawberry Dreams” by Paperless Post or “Fleurs d’Alençon” by Oscar de la Renta.
“Dancing Ribbon” by Paperless Post; Image via Amy Mair Couture.
#7 Borrowed from the ballet
Romantic details get a feminine update this season with exaggerated bows, pastel silks, and billowing tulle. If the “Swan Lake” score just started playing in your head, you’re ready for a ballet-inspired wedding and invitations to match. This style is all about delicate touches that add grace and softness to your big day.
Grab your partner and pas de deux over to Cards like “Be My Beau” and “Dancing Ribbon” by Paperless Post, or “Ruban d’Or” by Ladurée. Add balletic details like the “Silk Ribbon” backdrop or the “En Pointe” liner.
Image via Mara Paris; “Bound” by Paperless Post.
#8 Sculptural frames
The ultra-modern sculptural trend has swept the jewelry and home design worlds, and our team applied it to framing in a bold, new way. From curvilinear lines to playful details like pearl accents and gold leaf, these invitations take modernism to a whole new level.
“I liked how a simple change in direction made it feel contemporary and unexpected. I realized that a minimal, quiet line allowed the typography to be the star,” says Mariya of her design “Bound.”
Bend it like our designers and try “Moonshot” by Kelly Wearstler or “Destiny” by Paperless Post for your modern wedding.
“Pearl Embroidery” by Oscar de la Renta for Paperless Post. Image via Wedsites.
#9 Pearls
Whether you’ve been zooming in on celebrity engagement rings (we see you Ariana Grande and Emma Stone) or even the aisle style of everyone’s favorite, Bennifer, it’s clear that pearls are having a major moment. Not only are they romantic, versatile, and sustainable, pearls are also the perfect wedding adornment for June couples, to honor both the month’s birthstone and its popularity for nuptials.
“Pearls feel timeless, and iridescent accents are so versatile,” says Mariya. “You can add an unexpected touch to a wedding invite—bringing an edge of formality or modernity depending on the technique.”
Shine on with Cards like “Pearl Embroidery” by Oscar de la Renta, or “Pearlescent” and “Josephine Baker” by Paperless Post. Or, nod to pearl veils with the “Pearl Fabric” Backdrop.
#10 Contemporary typography
Lovers of the classic film “Helvetica” and modern design enthusiasts alike will flock to the contemporary typography trend. These designs forego decorative elements to let sans serif typefaces and dramatic scale shifts take center stage. This playfulness leads to unexpected and unique compositions that can be dressed up or down.
Contemporary poster design made its mark on Art Director Allyson Peck. “I leaned into using grids to inform the layout on these designs, then ramped up the drama with shifts in hierarchy and different combinations of typefaces,” she says.
Geek out on typography with Cards like “Drafted” and “Ludlow” by Paperless Post, or “Bauhaus” by Crane & Co.
#11 Formal typography
Wedding planning is all about embracing traditions; after all, what’s a big family affair without a little pomp and circumstance? Whether you’re all about finding something new and something old (etc., etc.) or considering whether to wear a veil or set a black tie dress code, your traditional wedding should have an invitation that sets the tone. Think classic scripts, soft color palettes, and an air of formality.
To immerse themselves in traditional wedding invitation design, the team conducted field research at The Newberry Library. There, they found inspiration in the 19th-century wedding invitation collection. Says Jin, “Most of the cards designed then are just beautifully handwritten calligraphy, and I love that simplicity.”
If classic and formal invitations are just your style, browse cards like “Obliged” or “Cummerbund” by Paperless Post.
Image via Aimlee Photography; “Hudson” by Paperless Post.
#12 That ’70s wedding
If you’re the couple looking to jet off to Palm Springs, Las Vegas, or basically any renovated motel in San Luis Obispo (or they at least made it to your moodboard), this stationery trend will give you major Saturday night fever.
These invitation designs are highly stylized, colorful, irreverent, and play with charismatic typography. For her design “Hudson,” Jin dove headfirst into the world of non-traditional Vegas weddings: “They are full of personality and so fun! I wanted to make a delightful invitation brimming with pops of color.”
Designs like “Longwing” or “Hudson” by Paperless Post will put your guests in the mood to groove.
“Corsage” by Paperless Post.
#13 Scrapbook
What are weddings if not wonderful events that turn into lasting memories? That’s why the scrapbook trend feels especially sweet for 2023 couples. After the ups and downs of the past years, you’ll want to encapsulate this day with special touches that remind you of your love. To patch together the scrapbook look, be playful with your design tools, mixing formal cards with textured motifs like ribbon backdrops or stamped liners.
Jin drew a pen-and-ink sweet pea motif for this liner, which pays homage to the scrapbook technique of adding handmade details to formal designs. “A sweet pea bouquet always feels so fresh and romantic, reminding me of a lush and lovely spring garden,” she explains. “I etched out the motif with a pen, adding an intimate and organic quality to the envelope.”
Start making memories with an invitation design like “Corsage” by Paperless Post as your base, and mix and match from there.
Image via The Ayla View; “Wreath of Love” by Paperless Post.
#14 Hand-drawn
Calligraphy is a wedding trend we hope never goes away—it was popularized in the 19th century and has remained fresh and modern thanks to sought-after calligraphers like Bernard Maisner and Stephanie Fishwick. For their collection, Paperless Post designers gravitated towards the dip pen technique for its variable line weight, paired with romantic and classical hand-drawn elements like garlands or bows. Says Cat, “The scratchy linework lends a sense of spontaneity and a handmade quality, especially when paired with handmade papers.”
Sketch out your wedding plans on hand-drawn Cards like “Beguiled” and “Wreath of Love” by Paperless Post.
Best-in-class wedding designs
Start planning the wedding of your dreams with a beautiful wedding invitation from Paperless Post. Browse thousands of options by our in-house artists and design partners like Oscar de la Renta, Carolina Herrera, Stephanie Fishwick, and so many more. Plus, you can add Blocks to your invitations to give guests all of the details before they click that RSVP button. From registry links to accommodation info to a gallery of your engagement photos, Blocks bring the excitement of your big day straight to the invitation page.
Not sure how to address your wedding invitations or how to word them just so? We can help with that, too.
Looking for more 2023 wedding trends? Read Stephanie Fishwick’s predictions, discover the best save-the-date ideas, and more on our blog.