DIY Calligraphy On Wedding Invites, Has anyone done this?!

LydiaJoy12

I am considering buying a calligraphy set and learning how to do it for the envelopes of my wedding invitations. Has anyone else done this and have any tips or insight??

 

ashleyep

I think I'm going to ask for a kit for Christmas and try and learn!

LydiaJoy12

Schatzi13 said:

I did calligraphy when I was young. I don't remember it being too difficult, but more an issue of learning to hold and press the pen properly. If you want to try, go for it. Worst case scenario, you're out the $20 or so that a kit costs.

Stupid question, I am left-handed....do I need to get special pens/tips for left handed people, or will they all work?

atlastmrsg

Unless you're really artistic, don't do it.  This is not the time for your expensive invites to look like a craft learning project.  Crooked lines, uneven letters, potential for smears...do you really want your invites to look like amateur hour?

 

If you can't budget to get a professional calligrapher, consider buying a calligraphy font for your computer.  Print your envelopes with the font in light gray, then trace over the font with a calligraphy or fountain pen.  This will guarantee straight lines and properly formed letters, even if it isn't completely "authentic" calligraphy.

RobertSJenna

I just purchased a calligraphy pen from amazon and I really like it because it writes nicely and there are a lot of ink color choices. It is the Pilot Parallel Pen (1.5 mm nib) and the extra ink cartridges are sold separately. The pen was about $12 and a 12 pack of assorted ink colors was $7

If you can't do the printing thing to trace the letters, you could always cut out lines on a note card to lay over each envelope to ensure your lines are straight. 

MobKaz

South paw here.  We used a pen called Elegant Writer, which is sold in most hobby stores.  It does not smear.  However, as a leftie, I do not write by curling my hand inward or dragging the outward side of my hand along the paper.  (Many lefties have developed this posture.)

We did not use any official calligraphy characters.  We used our best printing/cursive.  I used a larger index card to keep straight lines.  I retraced every line on the index card with a black Sharpie. I inserted that into the envelope, lines facing the front of the envelope, and was able to see the lines through the envelope.  It made the process very easy.