Wedding invitations create the first impression of your upcoming nuptials. Of course you want them to be uniquely yours.

We'll help you reign in your imagination and apply a little logic as you make your choice. Read on to find out what's in style, what to pay, what are some popular and practical printing techniques, and more.

Hot Trends

1. Personal Quirks&emdash;Although you two are nonconformist, it helps to know what's in or out these days. Being unique is now chic.
   
   Being individual is a real trend, says Catherine Howland, co-owner with Jennifer Geddes of Soire Custom Invitations in Natomas.
   
   People want to be unique and want things in different colors and things that are different from their friends', she says. She gives the example of a couple who recently had a dog-themed wedding. On their invitation was the name of the ring barker instead of the ring bearer.
2. Color Accents&emdash;Hot colors are in. Using a traditional color on the outside of the invitation and having a real pop of color on the inside is big right now, says Howland. Popular accent colors are brown, burnt orange, hydrangea blue, tea green, pink and turquoise. 
3. Dimension&emdash;Multilayered invitations and folds add dimension. Pocket folds, cards that have a pocket inside to tuck in the R.S.V.P. card or direction card, are definitely popular, says Howland. 
4. The Dazzle Effect&emdash;Glam is back! Many couples are choosing a glamorous, Hollywood look and feel to their invitations, with richly textured paper, embellishments, sophisticated styles and metallic colors.
5. Hip To Be Square&emdash;Square invitations are hot sellers right now, says Howland. 
6. Photo Crazy&emdash;Photographs on wedding invitations&emdash;of the couple, or the wedding location&emdash;are trendy. Many couples are choosing to include photos as part of the design, says Manpreet Bains, co-owner with Sureena Bains of Pulp Papery in East Sacramento. 
7. Message in a Bottle&emdash;New ways to send out invitations include boxes or tubes (for scrolls). 
8. The Final Touch&emdash;Incorporating unique elements, such as fabrics, ribbons or strips of paper (called belly bands), to wrap around the invitation set is also increasingly popular.
   
   One client had old lace given to her from her grandmother, and asked us to incorporate it with her wedding invitations, so we did. It was her ‘something old,' says Bains.
9. What's Your Sign?&emdash;Creating a family logo, crest or monogram adds sentimental value and is cost-conscious. People want to create and use the same images or designs on all aspects of the wedding; not just the invitation, but also on favor tags, menu cards, programs, thank you cards and other things, says Howland. We had a bride and groom design their own logo with their initials, like a monogram. We actually continued that on their save-the-date card, their wedding invitation and, just recently, their baby announcement, she says.

Budget vs. Cost

Personalizing your invitation is important. However, you can't do so without a budget. Choosing printing styles and card stock is difficult if you don't know what you can afford.

Budgeting properly is key. Don't expect something for nothing, says Bains. The cost of labor needs to be taken into consideration.

It's important to have a good, realistic budget in mind as to what you want to spend for all your paper products, she continues. A lot of times people forget favors, place cards, menus and the like.

When ordering invitations, remember that you may also need wedding programs, personalized napkins, personalized matches or other take-home favors that require printing. Printing and style should be consistent throughout these elements.

Most designers and stationers require 50 percent payment up front and 50 percent when you receive the invitations.

What can you expect to pay? With custom wedding invitations, expect to pay between $3 to $15 a set, depending on the design.

The more intricate the printing process or design, the more expensive it will be. (Engraving and embossing are the most expensive printing techniques because they're labor intensive.) But don't think you can't afford stylish wedding invitations on a limited budget. You can have something that's unique and beautiful at pretty much any budget, assures Jennifer Geddes, co-owner of Soire Custom Invitations.

Six Printing Techniques

1. Engraving and Embossing&emdash;What's the Difference? With engraving, ink is flooded into the crevices of an etched metal plate. The plate is stamped onto paper, resulting in an engraved image&emdash;ink laid over a sharp, raised image on the paper's surface.
   
   Embossing is similar, but no ink is laid on the raised lettering (called blind embossing). If you are on a budget, Bains suggests buying an embosser, ordering card stock, and doing your own embossing at home.
2. Letterpress&emdash;Antique printing presses are used in the process, giving the finished product a vintage look. A raised surface (moveable type) is inked and pressed against the card stock, creating a reverse image. 
3. Offset printing&emdash;This traditional, flat printing process is commonly used to print newspapers. An ink image is transferred (or offset) onto a plate cylinder, then rolled onto a rubber cylinder, where the image is transferred onto paper or card stock. A clean finish and high-quality image results.
4. Thermography&emdash;This popular printing process uses heat to produce shiny, raised lettering, similar to engraving, yet less expensive. A resin powder is laid on and heated to create the effect. 
5. Digital&emdash;Ever so today, digital creates a crisp finish and is a popular choice. Use high-quality printing machines at print shops for best results, says Howland. 
6. Laser&emdash;Laser or inkjet printing is least expensive. But be wary. You can actually end up paying more doing this at home, due to the high cost of ink cartridges and toner, says Howland. Inkjet gives a very homemade finish to the printing, she says.

Invitation Inclusions

• Response Card&emdash;These smaller cards are a must if you want to know how many people plan to attend.
• Reception Card&emdash;Include reception information on a separate card, especially if it doesn't fit on the invitation. 
• Maps&emdash;If including maps to the reception and/or ceremony, use a smaller card with the same style and paper as the rest of the invitation. If not, mail separately.

See 'Em In Person

Make an appointment at least four months before your wedding date to meet with the person designing/printing your invitation. That way, you can speak in person about what you like, what you expect, and also discuss your budget. Make sure you have enough time. Proofs may take one to 14 weeks to make, depending on the printing process. Final printing can take three to 10 additional weeks.