Many people don't know about all the special printing techniques that can completely change the way your guests experience your wedding paper goods! How do you decide between letterpress, embossing, foil stamping, spot UV, thermography, die cutting, etc.? You may already be asking "What do all these terms mean?? You're confusing me already!" Well not to worry, by the end of this post, you'll know exactly what I'm talking about :)
In this post, I'll only be discussing three of my favorite techniques used on luxury wedding invitations: letterpress, foil stamping, and die cutting.
Letterpress
This printing technique results in a stunningly gorgeous textured paper with beautifully pressed indentations wherever the text and/or images are. This technique also offers a unique "blind" press, meaning that your designs are pressed into the paper without any ink, resulting in an subtle, yet still legible impression that is sure to impress your guests. This article explains the complex letterpress print technique, which may also help explain why this impressive and striking method yields a heavier financial investment.
Foil Stamping
This a another gorgeous printing technique that can instantly elevate your look and feel from mundane to extraordinary. It presses a foil color of your choice (usually gold, rose gold, or silver) into a thicker paper, leaving behind a shiny, metallic, and slightly indented impression. This article explains the entire foil stamping process, also a very labor-intensive process resulting in a higher investment.
Die Cutting
The final print technique is actually more of a cutting technique called "die cutting". This is when special machines literally cut the paper into a custom shape (could be anything from a simple circle to an intricate lace design). Here's another great article outlining the whole process!