Origami Wedding Invitations from Paperbird

We like to uncover wedding stationery that is a little out of the ordinary and these Origami wedding invitations from Paperbird Design are our latest find.  We don’t usually start with the price but I think it is only fair in this instance because it may put some readers off.  Each invitation and envelope costs between £7.00 to £11.00 each depending on the complexity of the design.  This sounds expensive but I guess if you break it down into cost per fold you soon realise that is the labour that you are paying for here and not the materials (not to forget the rather exclusive design).

These origami designs are part of the Paperbird Signature range which includes paper fold creations featuring either a Heart, Lily, Lotus Flower or Butterfly.  I imagine, the butterfly design will be very popular because the delicate folds lend themselves well to this popular wedding theme.  My favourite is the Lotus Flower which I believe is the most expensive but it certainly looks the most complex and I have blogged about the symbolism of the Lotus flower before as a symbol of sexual purity in marriage.   The design comes with a clever protective folding envelope but I would question how vibrant those petals would look after they have been through the postal machines at Royal Mail.  Unlike most wedding stationery companies Paperbird do not appear to have a minimum order quantity so perhaps this design may be best suited to give to close family and friends where the invitations can be hand delivered.

Lotus Flower Origami Wedding Invite

Finally, if price is the only put off here, you could order the DIY option.  You get a ream of paper, a ream of card, and a reel of ribbon, a set of false finger nails, and a waste paper bin…… only joking.

Butterfly themes are big since Coleen and Waynes wedding pictures came out in OK! and I’m sure there will be many trying to replicate their stationery, but I love this design from With Love as it’s not overtly full of butterflies stuck all over it.  The butterflies dance in and out of the delicate oriental cherry blossom with the couples name and wedding date set in between.  The design is shown in red which gives it an oriental theme, but it can be printed in colours to suit your colour scheme and is printed on a pearl lustre card to give a gentle shimmer.  Wedding and evening invitations cost £3.10 which includes a pearl envelope.  With Love were the Best Wedding Stationery Winner 2008 in the Wrapit Awards and will be exhibiting at the NEC National Wedding Show which is on from October 10-12th 2008.

This Chinese Double Happiness wedding invitation from Carnethie Design is unique in that it is quite difficult to find invitations with a Chinese theme and the Chinese symbols for ‘Double Happiness’ shows that you are giving your guests more than an invitation, but sharing your vision for your future with them as well.  These invitations won’t cost the earth either in monetary terms or eco terms as they are made from 100% recycled card and the deep red paper is handmade tree free paper.  Invitations in this range cost £2 each and you can have your guests names printed for free.

These envelopment style invitations from Wedding Writes have been partly lined with a silk pattern to give a wonderfully opulent feel.  When the invitation is closed it is held together with an elasticated bow and also comes with an outer envelope that matches the old-gold coloured invitation card.  There are four silk pattern designs available including a lovely powder blue colour, the invitations cost £4.50 each.  There are menus and place cards available as well, although they don’t have the lovely splash of silk pattern on them unfortunately, but then as Wedding Writes says, the idea stems from the ancient Chinese dynasties where they lined envelopes to give secrecy and opulence to their correspondence, not to menus and place cards!