20 Vintage Wedding Invitation Ideas to Inspire Your Own

Spring wedding invitation with a pink and blue color palette, illustrated pink bird cards, and a printed envelope liner — Photo by Jenna Greenawalt

While you could make the case that sending any sort of paper invitation—as opposed to an electronic one—adds a vintage element to your wedding, thoughtful details from past eras can add a timeless touch to modern invitations. Whether you’re drawn to the bold shades of the 1970s, the subtle tones of mid-century pastels, or ultra-traditional calligraphed cards, vintage wedding invitations from every decade can help inspire the design of your event's paper goods.

Curious how you can integrate these retro details to your own wedding stationary? Ahead, we round up 20 vintage wedding invitation styles from real modern weddings to help you get ideas for your own suite design.

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01 of 20

On the Edge

White and neutral linen invitations with deckle edges, calligraphy details, and a gold wax seal on the envelope — Photo by Hey Beloved; Invitation by Isidore and Augustine

These linen invitations could have been sourced straight from your grandparents' attic. Deckle-edge paper with letterpress script gives these invitations the feel of an antique love note, while the gold wax seal adds an old-fashioned element.

02 of 20

Gatsby-Inspired Suite

Black and gold art deco wedding invitation suite with gold-lined envelope on table next to florals — Photo by Rouxby; Invitation by Ink & Ivory

While these Art Deco invitations would have seemed unbelievably modern and style-forward in the 1920s, the opulent gold and black color scheme, geometric details, and thin font today provide a callback to the opulence and glamour of the Gilded Age.

03 of 20

Going West

Montana invitation suite with vintage postcard, blue invitation with illustrated buffalo liner, an insert with wildflowers, and white invitations with blue and yellow details — Photo by Norman + Blake

While this couple kept the invitations for their Montana wedding simple with a dark blue font and yellow floral accents on a neat set of cards, they added a local touch by incorporating a vintage Montana tourism postcard.

04 of 20

Cut-Out Cards

The traditionally styled invitations for this coastal Michigan wedding relied on classic script and black text for a timeless font, while scalloped edging and a a custom monogram on the invitation and reply card served as an elegant accent.

05 of 20

Dig This

Blue, orange, and pink invitation suite with a pastel rainbow envelope liner, inserts tied with ribbons, and rounded cards — Photo by Katelyn James

For their colorful wedding celebration that included Hindu and Western traditions, the couple designed a 1970s-inspired invitation suite with an arched envelope, era-appropriate orange accents, and a card reading, “Can you dig it?”

06 of 20

A Custom Crest

Blue and white invitation suite with a custom on the envelope liner and insert, a wax-sealed invitation tied with blue ribbon, and watercolor details — Photo by Penny Lane Papery

Creating a custom crest to symbolize your marriage is a generations-old tradition for the royals. It also added a memorable element to these pretty watercolor invitations, which were tied with a ribbon and sealed in wax.

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07 of 20

Disco Fever

Invitation suite with orange, green, and pink paper inserts, a ring box, sparkling boots, sunglasses, earrings, and small disco balls — Photo by Hannah Baldwin Photography

This couple’s disco-inspired wedding started with an orange and avocado color palette and included hints of pale pink and lavender. Classic 1970s fonts and phrases like “It’s All Groovy, Baby” hinted at the era the couple used as inspiration for the shimmering décor at their reception.

08 of 20

Pretty as a Picture

Blue, pink, and white invitation suite with custom monogram, watercolor paintings of the venue and floral details, and handwritten script — Photo by Janine Licare Fine Art Photography

For a weekend of events at this Pacific Northwest wedding, the bride and groom opted for invitations with a relaxed, countryside aesthetic. Handwriting-inspired fonts, watercolor artwork of the venue, and a detailed crest added to the charm of this classic suite.

09 of 20

Black and White

Crisp and timeless black envelopes with inserts in shades of ivory, gray, and taupe create a refined, Old Hollywood palette for a Coachella wedding. The swooping script and deckle-edge paper add visual interest, while trailing vines on the envelope are a high-contrast take on vintage wallpaper.

10 of 20

A Vintage Villa

Custom watercolor invitation suite with illustrated images of the venue, calligraphy, illustrated inserts, and floral details — Photo by Rossini Photography

Delicate contemporary touches on this paper suite, like illustrations of the couple’s pets on a signature cocktail sign, complement the peaceful, stately feel of the invitations, which included a hand-drawn image of the couple’s Italian wedding villa venue.

11 of 20

Simply Elegant

Black and white wedding invitations with calligraphed text — Photo by Corbin Gurkin

The simplicity of this invitation from a South Carolina wedding gives it an old-fashioned charm. Elegant black calligraphy on a white card and a single insert is a callback to the formal, handwritten invitations of the past.

12 of 20

Timeless Toile

A gray, blue, and pink wedding invitation suite with custom toile, an illustrated map, an illustrated Sun Valley, Idaho illustration, and custom matches — Photo by Katherine Marchand Weddings

This couple’s Idaho location inspired the vintage touches in their invitation suite, which including the addition of a vintage postcard. The highlight of the design was a custom toile pattern created by the stationer, which incorporated motifs of the couple’s favorite things.

13 of 20

Moody Blues

Victorian-inspired blue and neutral invitation suite with vintage illustrations, old stamps, and calligraphy — Photo by Shelly Anderson Photography

Intricate illustrations in shades of sage, green, and black on this couple’s wedding invitation set the tone for their moody New Orleans wedding, which included plenty of Victorian influences and unexpected twists.

14 of 20

Cowboy Up

Invitation suite with brown envelope with paisley liner, a white invitation with a blue cowboy boot wax seal, neutral inserts, and cowboy boot illustrations — Photo by Megan Robinson

A couple incorporated classic elements of classic Western culture into the invitation suite for their eclectic barn wedding in Utah. The designs featured a custom turquoise wax seal, paisley prints, and cowboy boot motifs.

15 of 20

A Modern Austen

Natural linen paper invitation suite with calligraphy handwriting on table with florals and vintage stamps — Photo by Emily Magers Photography

With Jane Austen as one of the main inspirations for this Oregon micro-wedding, it’s no surprise the invitations had a “handwritten in the sitting room at Pemberley” aesthetic. Torn-edge paper, delicate handwriting, and vintage stamps completed the look.

16 of 20

Bold and Bright

A colorful invitation suite with bright orange, purple, yellow, and red hues next to circular confetti and disco balls — Photo by The Bold Americana

In a nod to the retro design of Palm Springs, this invitation suite included a vibrant orange, yellow, and purple color palette and a save-the-date with a vintage-postcard feel that called back to the area’s colorful heyday.

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17 of 20

Mid-Century Approach

Colorful invitation suite with pink, yellow, white, blue, and green inserts with custom watercolor illustrations — Photo by Michelle Scott Photography

A couple drew inspiration from the mid-century Arizona landscape for this invitation suite, which relied on custom sketches, a palette of understated, dusty tones, and fonts that look pulled from a Mad Men-era road trip.

18 of 20

French Connection

Elegant invitation suite in pastel blue and lavender with floral illustrations and light blue ribbon — Photo by Molly Carr Photography

Invitations to a wedding at a French chateau incorporated the country’s most iconic color palette—blue and lavender—into a floral brocade design. A delicate embroidery pattern edging the primary card referenced antique china patterns.

19 of 20

Rainbow Brights

Colorful blue, yellow, red, and white wedding invitation invitation suite with programming inserts, butterfly, floral and mariachi illustrations, and an oval rsvp card — Photo by Gideon Photography

The 1980s provided a subtle color inspiration for these vibrant invitations for a Mexico wedding, which incorporated electric blue, bold red, and sunny yellow hues into a suite that felt fresh and modern.

20 of 20

Blue Mood

Blue and white invitation suite with gold wax seal and white florals on blue floral background — Photo by Kelsey Halm Photography

Faded blue envelopes and torn-edge cards were a design highlight in this couple’s invitation suite for their Charleston wedding. Carefully tied twine wraps and a gold wax seal added a classic, high-end detail.

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