Have you ever received an invite and thought: “the card doesn’t seem to suit this event”? There are formal and informal card invites. While graphic design has evolved so much that sometimes formal cards look bright, the two card types are still different. Let’s see how to use the two invites and their differences.

When to Use Formal and Informal Invitations?

When planning an event, you might be wondering whether you should be using formal or informal invitations. The most important thing to consider is to whom the invites will be sent. If you don’t know the recipients personally, then a formal invitation is the way to go. Invitation for close acquaintances is more flexible.

This also applies when the event is not personal (e.g., wedding, birthday party, or promotion celebration). As an example, your company is holding a public event, and you need to decide whether to use the formal or informal invitation. The choice depends on how the company presents itself to its stakeholders.

What are the Differences in Formal and Informal Card Invites? 

The line between formal and informal cards is not clear for some people. You might be able to distinguish between the two with this guideline:

• Content of the invite

An invitation must contain details necessary for the recipient to be well-informed about the party. The information includes the location and date of the event, the event’s host, and contact details for RSVP. Such information must be presented in the invite, but formal and informal cards differ in their delivery.

Formal cards will present the information in a formal tone. Some formal invitation cards may include short paragraphs to address the recipient and provide an introduction about the event. Meanwhile, informal invitations tend to use a friendly tone. You can present the information very briefly without an introduction.

• Font selection

The font of an invitation card also forms people’s perception of the card, whether informal or not. Using a playful font on a formal invitation card may appear rather unfitting. The most recommended fonts for formal invites are Trajan, Helvetica, and Garamond. Those fonts look clean and strong.

People have more font options when designing informal card invites. Many interesting fonts will make your design look even more inviting. For example, you want to host a Halloween party and make the invitation to represent the vibe. Nocturne is a great font to use as it’s inspired by the classic font of mystery novels.

• Color scheme

The color scheme used in an invitation card also develops the recipient’s perception of the event’s formality. Colorful color scheme is often associated with non-formal cards. This notion is not always true, as you can find many formal designs with strong colors. However, formal cards will use those colors sparingly.

The freedom of having an eclectic color scheme is high in informal invites. You can be as quirky as you want to with the color choices. Nonetheless, the mixing should be done mindfully, too, as poorly paired colors will reduce the design’s quality, or worse, the card’s readability. Here are some tips that you can follow to combine colors:

• Understanding primary, secondary, and tertiary colors
• Utilizing contrasting colors for visibility
• Mixing and matching colors with a ready-to-use palette
• Understanding the meaning behind colors
• Browsing nature photography for inspiration

• Overall visual theme

The overall visual theme of formal and informal card invites is different too. Formal invitations are likely to be more minimalist. They may not have many accents on the design. This retirement card is a great example of a formal invitation card. The accents are only the borders and the photography.

Design options for informal invitation cards are limitless. You can choose a card with snowflakes border for a New Year party invite. If you are more playful, you can opt for a flamingo-themed card instead. Nonetheless, you should still make sure that there is coherence in theme, fonts, and color choices. 

Using Ready-to-Use Invitation Templates

Not everyone has the skills or the time needed to design invitation cards that fit their intended audience. This is why many people purchase ready-to-use templates instead. The templates eliminate the time needed to mix and match the components of the invitation. You can finish the invitation in no time at all.

Formal and informal card invites have their own characteristics. Whether you design the cards on your own or use a template, the most important thing is making sure that the card serves its purpose: making the recipients interested in coming to your event.