DIY Invitiation Design Program

kasasr1024

Hi Ladies!  I'm just curious to know what computer program you used to design your wedding invites, save-the-dates, day of programs, etc.?

Thanks!!

silver0319

I used PowerPoint for our Save the Dates, Adobe Illustrator for our invites and inserts, and plan on using word or publisher for programs, monograms, etc.

Maggie0829

We didn't have programs or STDs, but to design our invites I just used Microsoft Publisher.  I also used Publisher to help design the programs and favor cards for my friends wedding.

I would use a program that you are comfortable with and knowledgeable about.  Nothing would suck more and be completely stressful than to try and use, say Illustrator, if you have never used it before.

emmyg65

I used Adobe InDesign, which I have through work for free. I could have done everything in Microsoft Word if I needed to.

MissMolly

I used Adobe Illustrator and Adobe InDesign, but I'm a graphic artist, and have access to that software at home and at work.

kasasr1024

Thanks!  I don't know if I have publisher, but I'm comfortable with it.  I have Microsoft Word but I'm just afraid I won't be able to find anything I like. 

melbelleup

I did my STDs through word. I also am doing my programs through word. I found a template for a catholic church and then just edited it and also added a free monogram I found online It's so pretty

emmyg65

Also, you can find a ton of adorable free fonts online. I looked at Dafont.com and Fontsquirrel.com.

photokitty

Adobe Photoshop

ashleyep

photokitty said:

Adobe Photoshop

Photoshop is geared more for images than print things like this - it's pretty much exactly what Adobe Illustrator is for.

photokitty

ashleyep said:

photokitty said:

Adobe Photoshop

Photoshop is geared more for images than print things like this - it's pretty much exactly what Adobe Illustrator is for.

Which is why I used it - I had images on all of mine. I own the whole Adobe creative and production suite - but I used Photoshop to design mine. Hence my answer to the question asking what I used. ;-)

kateu

I found this site that has all sorts of ideas for generating hand-made invitations.  Perhaps you can get inspired by the suggestions...

kasasr1024

kateu, i can't find the website, can you repost the link?

Grabows14

Can anyone post examples of what they did in Microsoft programs? And if you used Microsoft 2007 or 2010?

melbelleup

This is word 2013. But you can use it in any word. I made the monogram myself from this website

I just googled catholic wedding program and pulled it from this website

I tried adding my actual one, but the attachment won't attach..

ETA: click on "this" to go to the website.

KytchynWitche

I know I'm somewhat late with this response, but for interest's sake I've used several programs for (amongst other things) stationery design:

Microsoft Publisher is probably the easiest to use if you're already familiar with Microsoft Office products
Paint.NET is a nifty free (and SMALL) graphics editor that can do a lot of cool things - great if you're not going for a complex design (I find that the more complex I try to go in Paint.NET, the less professional the result, though this may just be me)
GIMP (not what it sounds like!) is also free and is similar to Photoshop - you may need to take some time and look up some online tutorials to get the best out of it though
and Inkscape is a free program that is similar to Illustrator - I would definitely leave this one alone if you're not confident in your abilities with it and/or prepared to put a fair amount of time into tutorials etc

While I'm not a graphic designer, I do spend a large portion of my time doing design-y things and image manipulation for work (purely because I'm about the most tech savvy person on the team, and we can't afford a proper designer at the moment), so I'm confident in using GIMP and Inkscape. I'd recommend Publisher or Paint.NET if you're uncertain.

Good luck!

ashleyep

photokitty said:

ashleyep said:

photokitty said:

Adobe Photoshop

Photoshop is geared more for images than print things like this - it's pretty much exactly what Adobe Illustrator is for.

Which is why I used it - I had images on all of mine. I own the whole Adobe creative and production suite - but I used Photoshop to design mine. Hence my answer to the question asking what I used. ;-)

Eh, I still disagree with you that that's the right tool. Photoshop is good for editing the individual images, but because you're designing something meant to be printed, it's better to design the invitation in illustrator. You can import the images into it and add your text and gear it all towards a specific print size.

I mean, obviously you can use photoshop, I just don't think it's the best tool for this job.

photokitty

ashleyep said:

photokitty said:

ashleyep said:

photokitty said:

Adobe Photoshop

Photoshop is geared more for images than print things like this - it's pretty much exactly what Adobe Illustrator is for.

Which is why I used it - I had images on all of mine. I own the whole Adobe creative and production suite - but I used Photoshop to design mine. Hence my answer to the question asking what I used. ;-)

Eh, I still disagree with you that that's the right tool. Photoshop is good for editing the individual images, but because you're designing something meant to be printed, it's better to design the invitation in illustrator. You can import the images into it and add your text and gear it all towards a specific print size.

I mean, obviously you can use photoshop, I just don't think it's the best tool for this job.

I can only assume you have some reason for disagreeing with my choice of software so adamantly - and feel the need to tell me I did the wrong thing when you have no idea what my invite looked like. If someone says they used scissors and a copy machine - that's still how they did it. There's no need to criticize my choice or my answer to the question.

ETA:

@ashleyep

BTW Illustrator is for vector graphic and illustrating, but you knew that right when you heralded it as a text and design wonder...I believe you mean InDesign. I didn't want to be so rude as to correct you previously, but I'm over it and don't want folks thinking they should buy a rather specific program that won't suit their needs.

ashleyep

InDesign is a better choice if you're printing a brochure or something multiple pages - like a program. Illustrator is just fine for a STD - especially if it has type on it. Because the text isn't scalable once converted to raster in Photoshop, it might be blurry when printed.

I only commented to let lurkers know what a better tool would be. Like I said, you clearly got the job done. You can do it paint or like you said on scrap paper, but I don't see the problem with telling any other readers that there are better tools for the job.

http://www.dreaminfinity.com/nocturne/2010/10/photoshop-illustrator-or-indesign/

photokitty

ashleyep said:

InDesign is a better choice if you're printing a brochure or something multiple pages - like a program. Illustrator is just fine for a STD - especially if it has type on it. Because the text isn't scalable once converted to raster in Photoshop, it might be blurry when printed.

I only commented to let lurkers know what a better tool would be. Like I said, you clearly got the job done. You can do it paint or like you said on scrap paper, but I don't see the problem with telling any other readers that there are better tools for the job.

http://www.dreaminfinity.com/nocturne/2010/10/photoshop-illustrator-or-indesign/

How about you write your own post telling the OP what you used and why you would have chosen a different software program? You know, Instead of calling people out by quoting them and telling they should have used something else? If you saw my invite you would know why Photoshop was the preferred and appropriate choice, but I digress...

In reality the best tool is whatever the lurker has access to, not buying an expensive Adobe product, whatever it may be - so our bickering is a moot point. Have a great weekend :-)

ETA typo

efgrand

For my STD's all I needed was Microsoft word and a printer. I found a book of pretty 12x12 scrapbook paper and cream colored cardstock. I Cut the cardstock down to 3x5 and scrapbook paper to 4x6 and rounded the edges for a smoother look. Then I printed out my text (using some cool fonts I downloaded from http://www.1001freefonts.com/) on the cardstock using a regular ol' printer with black ink. After that I simply taped the cardstock to the scrapbook paper and voila! (see attached photo).

For more detailed instructions you can check out my sister's blog: http://sarahgrand.wordpress.com/

Grabows14

efgrand said:

For my STD's all I needed was Microsoft word and a printer. I found a book of pretty 12x12 scrapbook paper and cream colored cardstock. I Cut the cardstock down to 3x5 and scrapbook paper to 4x6 and rounded the edges for a smoother look. Then I printed out my text (using some cool fonts I downloaded from http://www.1001freefonts.com/) on the cardstock using a regular ol' printer with black ink. After that I simply taped the cardstock to the scrapbook paper and voila! (see attached photo).

For more detailed instructions you can check out my sister's blog: http://sarahgrand.wordpress.com/

That looks amazing! You guys did a great job!

ashleyep

photokitty said:

ashleyep said:

InDesign is a better choice if you're printing a brochure or something multiple pages - like a program. Illustrator is just fine for a STD - especially if it has type on it. Because the text isn't scalable once converted to raster in Photoshop, it might be blurry when printed.

I only commented to let lurkers know what a better tool would be. Like I said, you clearly got the job done. You can do it paint or like you said on scrap paper, but I don't see the problem with telling any other readers that there are better tools for the job.

http://www.dreaminfinity.com/nocturne/2010/10/photoshop-illustrator-or-indesign/

How about you write your own post telling the OP what you used and why you would have chosen a different software program? You know, Instead of calling people out by quoting them and telling they should have used something else? If you saw my invite you would know why Photoshop was the preferred and appropriate choice, but I digress...

In reality the best tool is whatever the lurker has access to, not buying an expensive Adobe product, whatever it may be - so our bickering is a moot point. Have a great weekend :-)

ETA typo

I'm sure you're invitations were lovely, and you're right that there is certainly no wrong too. Sorry for being antagonistic. I haven't done my STDs yet, and I don't think I'll be making my own. 

selenathegreat

I'm using Photoshop for my save-the-dates because lots and lots of image editing is required...the text will not be vector but prints just fine. I've done tons of flyers and holiday cards thusly.

If you're familiar with the Adobe Creative Suite it will do awesomely, really whichever program you're most comfortable with. If you're more comfortable with Office, I actually find PowerPoint the least annoying to design one-page documents with. I second the recommendation for dafont.com -- love it!!