Shopping for your unique wedding invitations can include learning terminology related to their design, paper, printing, size, color, etc. Who knew there was so much to know beyond the wording and what enclosure pieces to include.

Here are the details for just some of the terms you may come across:

• Invitation Card – Simply a flat card with no folds and the verse printed on the front.

• Embossing – Creating a raised design by using a printing method that presses an image into the paper. The design can then be emphasized with colored ink. A raised design with the absence of any ink is called blind embossing. Debossing is created by actually indenting the design into the paper.

• Foil Stamping - The special technique of hot stamping metallic colored foil onto paper.

• Deckle Edge – Commonly used on parchment wedding invitations, this is an uneven, feathery paper edge.

• Ecru – A familiar invitation paper color that is a warm creamy beige shade.

• Pearlize – Highlighting the embossed area of an invitation by adding a shimmery, pearl-like finish.

• Filigree – Lacelike decorative pattern that can appear as part of a wedding invitation design.

• Tea Length – A unique invitation style that is generally 9 ¼" x 4" in size and is either horizontal or vertical in design.

• Translucent - A term that is used to describe paper that is somewhat see-through and is often times used in layered invitation designs.

• Vellum – Common type of paper with a rich, smooth finish.

• Linen - Another type of paper featuring a cross weave texture.

Even when it comes to unique wedding invitations, as the saying goes, the more you know the better. Knowing what these terms mean is one thing, but even better might be seeing actual samples to know which ones you may want included in your wedding invitation design.