When it comes to destination weddings, it’s all about the location! But you don’t have to wait until guests touch down in your chosen location to get them excited about it. In fact, your invitations are one of the best ways to create a sense of anticipation and excitement right from the start, as well as provide a little taste of what’s to come. Your invitations can also act as a lovely memento once the trip is over. So, if you’re planning a destination wedding in Ireland, why not turn to the country and culture, the city, town, or region where the wedding will be held, or even the venue itself for inspiration? After all, you only have one chance to make a first impression, so make it a memorable one! Here are some of my favourite destination wedding invitation ideas for an Irish destination wedding.
Venue illustration. One of the loveliest ways to create a sense of place with your wedding invites is to commission a custom illustration and showcase it on your paper goods. It could be a depiction of a defining element of the destination (like the Cliffs of Moher) or an illustration of your wedding venue or even the church where you’ll exchange vows. For a Dublin wedding, it could also be an illustration of the city’s skyline. Choose a style that complements your wedding aesthetic and works well with the colours of your invitation suite.
Maps. Incorporating maps is also always a good idea for a destination wedding invitation. And it’ll be useful for guests too! Customise your paper goods with a bespoke map of the city or area, including some of the things that guests might like to do or places they can explore. You can make it as detailed or as simple as you like. Again, be sure that the style and colour palette matches that of the rest of the suite.
Flora and fauna. Another sweet way to bring a location to life in your destination wedding invitations is to include some of its signature flora and fauna. Think about flowers and plants that are indigenous to the locale. For an Irish wedding, that might be ferns and mosses, hummingbird fuchsia, flax (for Northern Ireland), or wildflowers. Fauna that you might include could be deer, hare, sheep or a number of birds. You could even consider an Irish wolfhound, the national dog!
Symbols. Every country has symbols associated with its history and cultural heritage that could be included in a destination wedding invitation. The shamrock immediately comes to mind, of course, but there are many other options too. For example, a Celtic knot (especially appropriate for a wedding!), harp, and Claddagh.
Patterns and textures. Another place to look for inspiration is the patterns and textures you’ll see in your wedding destination. Tartan and Irish lace are two good Irish examples, and can be subtly woven into an invitation suite. The best place to look for inspiration is the venue itself, so when you visit your venue for the first time, be sure to look out for colours and textures that might translate to your paper goods and take lots of photographs. Anything from artworks and ceramics to stone or carpet could light that creative spark for you (or your designer).
Literature and language. Another beautiful way to incorporate your wedding destination is through words. Find a piece of literature or song lyrics that you love or that are important to the place and have a calligrapher create a piece of word-art that you can use as a band or backing to your invitation. A Gaelic blessing would be a lovely touch for an Irish destination wedding invitation suite.
Envelope liners. If you prefer to keep your invitation simple, you can still incorporate illustrations or designs that speak to the locale. The best place to do this is on the envelope liner. After all, it’s the first thing that guests will notice as they open their envelope!
Slán go Fóill,
Tara
Images by Lisa O’Dwyer, Story of Eve
