There is an almost endless array of wedding invitation choices but if you are having a winter wedding then be prepared to go to town on your invitations as this is one of the most atmospheric times of year to hold your wedding and your wedding invitations can really reflect this.  You can set the tone for your big day using the classic festive colours of silver, white and grey contrasting with deep reds, burgundies, greens and golds, a complete dream when it comes to designing your invitations whatever your style and taste.

Here are some inspiring ideas to get those creative juices flowing:

1. Merge a white or silver snowflake scene with icy lakes and frosty branches, bright red berries and lush evergreens – these are stylish and can be presented in a way that is either classic or contemporary.  It is possible to use a special pigment ink that ensures the colours stay strong for years if you are planning on keeping an invitation as a memento of the big day

2. Opt for a monochrome design which is cool and chic for a city wedding.  This styling is ideal for modern calligraphy which works really well for the lettering and can be incorporated into the images either through print or a hand-drawn version

3. Go minimalist with just simple black and white text and a burst of red berries around the edge – eye-catching and powerful

4. Silver is a lovely winter seasonal colour to work with so why not stray from silver into deep grey/blue tones which give a lovely luxurious lustre to your invitation and avoids the predictable Christmas colours of red, green and gold

5. Can’t resist a festive touch for a December wedding?  Just add a simple sprig of holly to some modern calligraphy, the red and green looks chic and stylish against the black and white backdrop

6. For a rural or countryside wedding, use the winter animals to style your invitations, a classic stag or roe deer in icy blue or a couple of stunning robins set against festive evergreens and red berries or mistletoe

7. Use a colourful stripe of winter-themed confetti down one side of your invitation picking up winter colours of silver and blue, red and green, colourful and whimsical leaves, fronds and berries which are just perfect for a rustic wedding

8. Who could resist a classic and sophisticated snowflake design set against an inky blue night sky, this is an opportunity to use textures as well as colours for maximum effect

9. If you are really a late autumn wedding rather than strictly winter why not opt for the rich berry tones of October and pick deep reds and purples which look beautiful with a marbling effect, a lovely option if you definitely want to steer clear of Christmas themes but use gold or silver for the lettering to add a touch of chic sophistication plus it looks very readable against those colours whereas black can get a little lost

10. If you really want to sidestep all the traditional festive colours then pick navy which is stylish and can be presented in a classic or contemporary way depending on the design.  A rose-pink script or rose gold in metallic lettering gives a lovely winter vibe which is definitely not Christmassy

11. Nothing shouts frosty more than a Perspex wedding invitation which has the appearance of a cold pane of glass on a winter’s morning, the sharp white lettering is crystal clear and easy to read

12. Customise your invitations with designs in silver or gold foil, they add a touch of Cinderella magic to any invitation and work well with almost any contrasting dark winter colour

13. If you have opted for a December wedding and just love Christmas then embrace the full-on festive vibe with holly, mistletoe, snowflakes, robins and lots and lots of glitter

14. How about the name of the bride and groom in the centre of a beautiful line drawn Christmas bauble with festive decoration around the sides and the date in a banner beneath the names?  This concept works equally as well with a pretty festive wreath

Where to find the perfect winter wedding invitations

There are lots of options depending on your preference, convenience and budget.

1. Commission a printer to design and print for you, not always economic if you don’t want too many invitations as most printers will have a minimum order

2. Design and print yourself, there are loads of free online software packages that take all the challenge and difficulty out of this process, it really isn’t as hard as you might think as much of the input is already made by graphic designers and stationers so all you have to do is choose and click.  Make sure your printer and choice of paper are up to the job or find someone with a higher spec machine that can print them for you.  The choice of paper is also really important; if you are going for a thick weave or linen option then most home printers won’t be able to handle it.  Colour shades may vary from the screen to the printer and almost no printer will print white text, this requires specialist equipment

3. Choose handmade cards from a huge range of designers who will create, style and use calligraphy to present you with a truly unique and bespoke invitation.  This is a nice option if you are having a small wedding but can be costly if you have 70-100 guests

Don’t forget to think carefully about the envelopes as this is the first thing that your guests will see and it is easy to overlook these. Wedding invitations can be matched to a wedding stationery suite so the theme and design can filter through to your Order of Service, place cards and menus and don’t forget to include some thank you cards for all those lovely presents, ready printed for you to send when you return from honeymoon.