The Classic Appeal of Engraved Wedding Invitations http://ping.fm/zPwW8 Very few printing methods can match up with the quality of an engraved wedding invitation. Though engraving was historically utilized to create wedding invitations, baby announcements and business cards in your parent’s and grandparent’s generations, present day printing processes are much more efficient but don’t have the high quality and vivacity of engraving.
Most recently, leading stationery stores around the United States are finding that wedding couples are rediscovering the innate beauty of engraving. Notwithstanding its higher cost, engraved invitations speak to the heritage and elegance times past.
Because the industry has adopted cheaper and more productive forms of printing, many engraving firms have closed down and the profession of engraving is perilously close to disappearing. While the robust Heidelberg printing presses exist in abundance, the fabrication of engraving dies from submerging light-sensitive copper plates in to a tub of acid is beyond the financial capabilities and expertise of the many autonomous printers.
With its “true” colours and exceptional raised print quality, engraved wedding invitations are experiencing a renaissance among engaged couples who value a well-crafted invitation. Amongst the key firms which offer a variety of printing methods, Crane & Co. and William Arthur provide the best printing and design choices.
If the engraved invitation is out of your reach, go for printing in thermograph inks. By using thermograph inks mimics engraving by imprinting a resin-based blend on the paper to form the raised surface you get in engraving. Thermograph inks are generally shinier unless the printer offers a matte finish, but printing with this particular approach will provide great cost savings.
As with any fine stationery, engraved invitations should be seen in person to appreciate paper and print quality. Ink colors are “true” and richer, particularly when evaluated side-by-side with other forms of printing. In all likelihood, you can find knowledgeable stationers in neighborhoods across the United States that can deliver assistance in helping to design stunning wedding invitations.
Richard W. May, a founding member of the Stationers Guild, writes frequently about NYC wedding invitations and wedding invitation trends across the United States.
