Make Homemade Birthday Party Invitations
You're throwing a birthday party and want to have the perfect invitations. You've looked through every store in town and all the invitations you found were either too corny, too expensive, or just not right. You want to try your hand at making your own invitations at home but are worried that you don't have the time or the talent. Have no fear---making fantastic birthday party invitations can be just as easy as unwrapping your presents. Read the following steps to find out exactly how to do it.
Contents
Steps
Sample Invitations
Doc:Birthday Party Invitation,Blank Invitation for Kid Birthday
Make Invitations on Your Computer
- Find the perfect template. Search the Internet for free templates for your invitations. Some will have the designs already in place, and some won't. Before you begin, here are some things to watch out for:
- Note that some web sites only let you access their free templates if you buy blank cards from them.
- Other sites will truly have free templates, designs, and wording samples that are cost-free.
- If you can't find what you're looking for, don't be discouraged--just be creative!
- Find the perfect artwork. You can either look for images that are appropriate for the occasion online, or look through your photos. Here are some other tips for having the perfect image:
- If you're an artist, what better image to have than a picture drawn by you?
- If you know someone who is a talented artist, ask him or her to help out by drawing the perfect image.
- Dig through your old photos. If you're helping Grandpa celebrate his 80th birthday, a baby picture will be a perfect addition to your invitation.
- If your image is not online, you'll have to scan it to get it on your computer.
- Find the right words. The words you choose will the entire birthday card together. You can look online for inspiration, but since you're making your own invitations, a personal touch will work best. Here are some things to do:
- Make sure the words match the picture. The words can reference the picture in some way, or just match the tone of the picture. If it's a silly picture, a somber tone won't work.
- Pick your tone. If you want to invitation to be serious and meaningful, don't be goofy in your wording.
- Be specific. Write some inside jokes about the guest of honor that your friends will appreciate. If it's your birthday, say something about yourself.
- Have fun! This is your own invitation, so if you want to have a silly rhyme, be off-color, or just make your guests laugh, go for it!
- Tell your guests what they need to know. The invitation will set the tone for the party and will tell your guests exactly what to expect. Here are some things to tell them:
- When and where your party will be held.
- The time of the occasion. If it's a surprise party, tell them they absolutely have to be there by a certain time. Hint: tell your guests they have to be absolutely be there by a certain time, but plan the surprise for half an hour later than that. It's impossible to make sure everyone will be there on time and you don't want a straggling guest to ruin your surprise.
- What to bring other than gifts. If you're having a pool party, for example, tell them to bring a suit.
- To RSVP by a certain day.
- Before you print your invitations, print a sample. Looking at the sample invitation will let you know if there's anything you should fix before you print off a whole batch. Here are some things to look out for:
- Typos. Though you should check for spelling errors on your computer, read your invitation aloud to make sure it's typo-free.
- Alignment. Make sure everything is centered properly.
- Make sure that your invitation is pleasing to the eye. Check that the colors aren't too flashy and that the invitation doesn't look too busy--it shouldn't be crowded with images and words.
- Make sure it's easy to read. Have you used an approachable font? Are the details about your party clear?
- Can you fold it properly? Is the image on the front, with the details on the inside?
- Have the right paper. Before you print the rest of your invitations, you'll need to have blank invitation paper. Make sure it's thick enough to be sturdy, but thin enough to run through your printer without any problems.
- When you buy your blank invitation cards, get a few extra in case of a paper jam, ink smear, or other unforeseen problem.
- Add extras to jazz up your card (optional). Once you've printed your invitation, you can add some more personal touches to spice up your invitations. This is optional--if the invitation looks great already, or if you don't have the time, you can forgo this step. If you're interested, here are some great ways to add pizzazz to your invites:
- Add glitter to the final product. Add just enough so it doesn't get too messy.
- Add fuzzy stickers, stamps, or anything else that is fun and silly.
- Have fun! If it feels right, kiss the card or envelope.
- Mail or hand out your invitations well before the party. To make sure your guests show up to your party, send them your invitations at least a month in advance. Here are some tips:
- Make sure to have the right addresses for your guests. If you haven't heard back from them, it may be because you wrote down the wrong address.
- Start talking about your party before you send out your invitations. This will make your guests even more eager to help celebrate.
Make Invitations by Hand
- Gather materials. Before you start making your invitations, you should take a trip to an art supply store to get all of the things you need to begin making your invitations. Here's what your shopping list should include:
- Construction paper. Choose at least four different colors. Make sure one of them is light enough for you to be able to write on it. Light colors include yellow, light blue, or even white.
- Scissors.
- A glue stick.
- Stencils, stamps, and stickers.
- Glitter.
- Colorful markers that won't smear or smell.
- Large envelopes.
- Ask your friends for help, if you want it. Even if you're only making a handful of invitations, it'll take a lot of time and hard work. The process will be easier and more fun if you ask a trusted group of close friends to help you. This will also help generate excitement about your party.
- Turn this event into a mini-party. Cook dinner for your friends, or create the cards while listening to great music or watching a silly movie. You can even have a card-making sleepover.
- Take a piece of construction paper and fold it vertically, like you're closing a book. This will be the paper you'll be writing on, so it should be a light color.
- Since these invitations are homemade, you can choose a different color every time.
- Write the relevant information on the invitation. Choose a marker color that contrasts nicely with the color of the paper. There are a few things you'll want to write on the invitation:
- On the front, tell your guests you're having a birthday party. You can be silly or serious about it. Make sure to tell them whose birthday it's for.
- On the inside, give your guests the relevant details, like when and where the party is, what they should bring, and whether or not they should RSVP.
- Since you're writing by hand, you can have fun and tailor each invitation to the guest who will be receiving it. You don't have to do this for every guest, because it may take too long.
- If your friends are helping, make sure that they have good handwriting!
- Add additional stuff to add "flare" to your homemade invitation. Your invitation will already look nice, but taking a few extra measures will really make it shine. Here's what you can do:
- Cut designs of simple shapes like stars, hearts, or flowers, out of the remaining construction paper, and stick them onto the invitation with a glue stick. Wait for them to dry.
- Place a few stickers or stamps on the invitations, or fill in the stencils you have.
- Add glitter to the invitation. Just be careful--glitter can get a bit messy, and you don't want to annoy your guests by having them get glitter all over their hands as soon as they open the invitation.
- Since you're making these invitations by hand, you can decorate each card differently.
- Put the card into an envelope and mail it to your guests. The envelopes you use will have to be large enough for the card to fit inside.
- You can also add stickers or stamps to the envelope for an even more personalized touch.
Tips
- Have extra ink cartridges on hand. You don't want to run out in the middle of printing your invitations.
- After you become a card-making expert, have some fun. Get a bunch of your friends together and teach them how to make cheap homemade birthday party invitations.
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