A Beginner’s Guide to Invitations in Australia

For anyone who is looking for high quality birthday or wedding invitations Australia offers an endless range of options to choose from. The country is home to a large number of printing houses that specialize in a variety of different printing methods and can deliver the most beautiful invitations that will exceed your expectations.

Australia – The Home of Quality Printing Houses

A casual Google search for the term ‘Invitations Australia’ generates nearly 50 million results, which is mind boggling to say the least. It goes to show two things. Firstly, there is no shortage of reputed printing houses in Australia, which is evident from the different names that show up on the Google results pages. Secondly, a large number of Australians rely on the internet to choose a printing house to get their invitations printed, rather than relying on recommendations from friends and family.

This is good news for you, because the larger the number of options available, the more are your chances of finding something that meets your needs and budget.

Special Occasions Need Special Invitations

Any special and memorable occasion – be it a wedding, birthday, anniversary, or simply a party you throw to celebrate something – needs invitations that are just as special. You pay great attention to the food, venue, transportation, and other such aspects of the occasion, why not pay the same attention to the invitations as well?

Regular invitations are usually not a good choice, no matter what the occasion is. They are flat, unappealing, and there is nothing about them that really stands out and grabs your attention. There is nothing unique or personal about them either, as they all pretty much look the same in terms of print quality, texture, and the kind of paper used. You really could not differentiate one kind of invitation from another even if you tried.

Fortunately, for those who need really special invitations that stand out from the rest, there are a couple of options available in the form of letterpress invitations and foil stamped invitations.

Letterpress Invitations

Letterpress is a printing method in which a plate containing the text and artwork to be printed is pressed against a sheet of paper with great pressure, producing beautiful, deep impressions on the surface of the paper. Just about everything in a letterpress invitation catches your attention – the bold patterns, the rich texture, the amazing visual definition, and the deep impressions.

Foil Stamped Invitations

Foil stamping is a process in which a heated metal plate, which contains the text and images to be printed, presses a foil against a sheet of paper. The foil usually contains an adhesive, which gets activated when it comes into contact with the hot plate, as a result of which the foil fuses to the surface of the paper. Gold and silver are the two most popular options when it comes to foil printing, since they add an element of sophistication and class to any invitation, but other colors are available too.

When it comes to foil stamping and letterpress invitations Australia is undoubtedly one of the top markets for two reasons. Firstly, there is a genuine demand for letterpress and foil stamped cards and invitations as many Australians prefer them over regular invitations. Secondly, Australia is one of the countries where printing houses have still kept the grand old tradition of letterpress printing alive, even after so many years.

If you are in the market for invitations for special events, you generally have two choices – you can either choose one from the catalogue or opt for a personalized invitation. The former takes very little time as all you have to do is visit the nearest printing shop, take a look at the models and samples they have in their catalogue, and choose something you like.

If you opt for personalized invitations, you need to put in a little more time and effort. You need to talk to the graphic designer and tell him your idea of a special invitation. The designer will work with you and come up with a sample invitation for your approval. If you like it, they can get it printed in a few weeks. These invitations are really one of a kind, as they are made to your very specific requirements – right from the paper to be used to the kind of fonts, colors, artwork, and design patterns to be used. They are custom-made in every sense of the word and are a perfect choice for any special occasion. 

A Beginner’s Guide to Letterpress in Australia

If you are thinking of letterpress Australia is one of the first names that should pop into your head. The country has played a key role in reviving the art of letterpress printing and a large number of letterpress printers can be found here. So, if you are in need of letterpress invitations or stationery, there are tons of choices available for you here. 

The Art of Letterpress Printing

Quite simply put, letterpress is the oldest method of printing. At one point of time, it was also the only and most popular method of printing – employed by men of letters to print volumes and volumes of their works. In this method, a raised surface, which contains the text and images to be printed, is coated with ink and then pressed forcefully against a sheet of paper. The text to be printed was usually arranged letter by letter in a meticulous manner before coating the surface with ink. Wooden or metal blocks were typically used for the printing purpose. 

Letterpress became outdated with the advent of the concept of digital publishing. Many printers switched to digital publishing almost immediately, as it was considered easier, faster, and far less cumbersome than compared to letterpress printing. 

In the recent past, however, letterpress has slowly started to regain its prominence due to a number of reasons. The allure of handset type has captured the imagination of many people these days. With letterpress, the quality of printing is also quite exceptional. You can literally feel the letters on the paper due to the deep impressions created during the printing process. The text and images look bolder and richer than compared to normal invitations and cards, which is quite beautiful to look at. 

More importantly, people these days need something special with respect to their invitations and cards to make a special occasion all the more special and memorable. Digital printing, no matter how sophisticated, is definitely not one of a kind and there is nothing special about it these days. Whereas letterpress has a certain sense of mystique and allure – akin to an ancient art form resurrected in the present age – and has a distinct appeal to it, which is the reason why many people today opt for letterpress invitations and cards. 

Modern Day Letterpress Printing

The process of letterpress Australia and elsewhere, has changed considerably when compared to the past. Wooden and metal blocks are no longer used as they are heavy and difficult to use, maintain, repair, and replace. Instead, photopolymer plates are used, which are easy to maintain and even easier to replace. The method of printing, however, more or less remains the same. The surface that contains the text and images is coated with a layer of ink and pressed up against a sheet of paper or card. 

One of the biggest advantages of letterpress printing is that any type of paper can be used. You can opt for the thickest of papers in order to create the deepest and boldest of impressions, which look spectacular on wedding invitations and birthday cards. This is one area where digital printing is lacking and is also the reason why many people opt for letterpress printed cards for special occasions. 

Tips for Choosing Letterpress Invitations and Cards

Letterpress Australia gives you a ton of options. You can find letterpress printers in pretty much every major city in the country. You can visit a few of them, ask for a quote, and make a decision according to your needs and budget. 

The most important thing you need to remember in terms of letterpress invitations and cards is that they take time to print. So, place your order well in advance. If you do not have the time, you can choose a ready made invitation from the catalogue of the printer. 

Letterpress printers usually have a graphic designer, who comes up with the draft of the invitation. You have to tell him in great detail as to what kind of invitation or card you need, what kind of fonts and designs you like, and so on. Once you give your inputs, he works on the invitation and comes up with a sample. You can take a good look at it and tell him if there are any modifications to be made, upon making which the invitations will be printed in bulk.