Wedding invitation designs develop
Wedding invitation designs develop
JAKARTA (JP): A reporter of the Jakarta-based Jakarta-Jakarta
magazine recently distributed an unlicensed four-page mini
newspaper. He wasn't arrested -- even though the Indonesian press
law requires all media to have a publishing permit. No, he wasn't
well connected or even lucky, what he handed out was an
invitation to his wedding.
Designed to look like a newspaper, the invitation didn't
explicitly announce the date, place or time of the wedding.
Recipients had to carefully read the entire paper to get the
essential information. The bogus paper included stories about the
bride and the groom, including how they met.
Ten years ago this imaginative invitation would not have been
acceptable. Then, wedding invitations were usually boring. The
customary gold lettering printed on white cardboard, although the
Chinese did use red paper.
Now, designs have developed so much that sending an invitation
on a ceramic plate isn't considered eccentric.
Ira Widjaja Saputra, from the Wishing Well printing company in
South Jakarta, and Dea Azis, the owner and designer of a wedding
invitation company, both said that wedding invitations are now
more colorful and varied.
"Wedding invitations are not conservative anymore, they come
in all colors, sizes, designs and on various kinds of paper," Ira
told The Jakarta Post. She added that the development is partly
due to foreign influences.
"Wedding invitations have become more modern and have more
emphasis on graphic design," said Dea.
Invitations come in the forms of flowers, circles and are
folded in ways that it grab the recipient's attention. Some
others are garnished with ribbons and photos, or are printed on
paper which has an ikat or lace motif.
There are no guidelines in the wedding invitation business.
People can design their invitations anyway they like.
"Sometimes they come to me with a model and ask me to make an
invitation based on the sample. Sometimes they have no idea at
all and I give them suggestions," said Dea.
"Some people have a special theme for their wedding party. For
example, if they decorate their party with a lot of violet-
colored flowers, I can make a violet invitation. Or if they like
a particular color, I can make the invitation based on what they
like," said Ira, adding that her company also provides samples
for clients to choose from.
Ira said most people don't want to use designs that have
already been done. Therefore her clients usually insist she
modify her samples to add a personal touch.
Dea, a two-year veteran of the invitation business, said most
clients still prefer simple invitations.
The price depends on the size, type of paper, the number of
invitations printed and the complexity of a design, both
professionals said.
The lowest price is Rp 3,500 (about US$1.54) per set, which
consists of an invitation, an envelope and a thank you note.
"If it is a big size, say 30 X 30 centimeters, and formed in a
flower shape, the minimum price could be around Rp 7,000 per
set," explained Ira.
Ira also provides blank cards for couples who want to compose
their own invitations.
"These blank invitations save money. An invitation like this,"
she said, pointing to a blank card that measured 25 by 25
centimeters "could cost Rp 7,000 per set, because it is big and
has quite complicated design."
"But because I have mass produced them, the price gets down to
Rp 4,000. The price includes the printing. What people don't like
is that it is mass produced so many people may have the same
invitation," Ira said. She is, however, optimistic that the cards
have a large market.
Both Ira and Dea said they read local and foreign magazines
for inspiration. They also learn from invitations made by other
people.
"There is no copyright on wedding invitations. We can copy the
designs of others and vice versa. But of course we don't copy
others just like that. We use their designs to develop our own,"
Ira assured. (als)