These unique wedding invites are truly out-of-the-box 

“The scent of freshly baked cookies carrying the couple’s initials, a carved wooden plaque etched with their vows, silks and embroidered fabrics that mirror the bride’s ensemble, laser-engraved glass plates, and even handcrafted keepsakes. Couples are redefining what a wedding invitation can be,” shares Ranjani Iyengar, Founder and Creative Director of Pink Whistle Man, a creative studio based in Mumbai, that specialises in personalised wedding invitations and stationery. 

The Time Machine Invite

Ranjani’s words point to a new trend on the wedding scene: atypical wedding invites. Blame it on ASMR unboxing reels, the rise and rise of aesthetic everything, or the metamorphosis of weddings into full-scale productions; either way, unconventional is here to stay. Possibly even post the celebration, if it’s a keepsake. “It’s a sensory memory rather than a fleeting gesture that blurs the line between art and announcement,” shares Ranjani. Take, for instance, Kinnel and Gunjan, who opted for an innovative time machine invite. “Known among their friends and family for sending out invitations that were imaginative and unexpected, they came to us eager to explore bold ideas. What stood out the most was how their journey together had truly stood the test of time, so we decided to make “time” the heart of their invitation.” 

Creativity That Stands The Test Of Time

The idea took shape as “When the Time Machine Strikes 12,” a miniature time portal opening to the couple’s timeless union. The vintage-style creation featured many interactive elements, including a delicate golden knob with an anti-clockwise rotation. But that’s not all – “The time machine was designed to open only when the marker aligned with elements drawn from the couple’s own story: sky maps of Kinnel and Gunjan, the phase of the moon on the night of their wedding date, the alchemical sign of Venus—the planet of love—and even the date encoded in Morse,” shares Ranjani. 

Each detail incorporated was not a random pick based on visual appeal alone, but rather a conscious choice that stood as an extended metaphor of love itself. “To carry the narrative further, each insert represented a different period in time. The mehendi insert resembled a relic stone from an ancient era; the wedding insert was crafted on rich zardozi silk inspired by the Classic Age; and the reception insert embraced the future with a holographic design,”. 

A Moroccan Suite 

But, paper isn’t passè just yet, as seen through expert calligrapher, Sanjana Chatlani’s work, demonstrating her penchant for words. She makes a strong case for evergreen invites, albeit with an artisanal twist, loved by her high-profile clients (including Priyanka Chopra Jonas). “There’s something magical about bringing a celebration to life through design,” she shares. And that’s exactly what they did for a destination wedding in Morocco. “Our couple came to us with a single request: create something showstopping. They wanted an invitation that would transport their guests straight to Morocco from the very first glance,”. Sanjana and her team at The Bombay Lettering Company drew references from Moroccan and Mughal art, the region’s flora and fauna, and tied it to the couple’s multicultural story, lending a personal touch. The result? An immersive heirloom piece rooted in regality. “The bride envisioned something rich in texture and experience, so we designed a dramatic, two-door box inspired by the latticework of a Moroccan mosque and the glow of traditional lanterns,” Sanjana explains. 

Checking All The Boxes

The box itself was drenched in a deep royal blue, adorned in a radiating gold foil. Inside, layered inserts with windowed cut-outs and softly debossed motifs sit beside the card with details debossed in Sanjana’s dreamy calligraphy.

The visual decadence doesn’t stop here. “At the heart of the suite sat a rose-scented candle, a small gesture of light and fragrance that echoed Marrakech’s iconic lamps. Surrounding it, the inserts unfolded day-by-day like the celebration beginning with marigold yellow for 1001 Nights, deep red roses for the sangeet, and serene whites and greens for the wedding,”. Relying on sheer skill and design to implement their vision, the team used foiling, screen printing, and three-dimensional embossing to create an experiential invite, emboldened through tactility.

Wander-Love

Invites were traditionally personally shared by the couple’s families; however, this is often impractical today, especially when guests are flying in from different parts of the world. “But as celebrations evolve, so do the ways couples announce them,” explains Ranjani. Case in point: a couple who approached Pink Whistle Man for an unusually personalised and interactive invite. “They wanted their wedding stationery to reflect the four cities that shaped their journey. For their royal celebration, they mailed each guest a regal travel planner accompanied by a customised game of dice—Chausar—representing the House of Jodhpur, Jaipur, Bilaspur, and London,”

Shares Ranjani. Each house is tied to the couple’s personal journey, and the game was designed to mirror just that. The House of Bilaspur featured Nandi/bull pawns; the House of Jaipur, A’s hometown, was represented with elephants; the House of London, the couple’s pre-wedding shoot location, showcased horses; and the House of Jodhpur, their wedding destination, was symbolised through camel or parrot pawns. 

“The modern invite is no longer just a piece of paper; it’s a prelude to the celebration and a keepsake that lingers long after the vows are exchanged,” Ranjani concludes. 

Lead image: Pink Whistle Man, The Bombay Lettering Company 

Also read: Pretty ear-cuffs are the mesmerising bridal detail that we can’t stop looking at

Also read: Contemporary hand veils for the bride who likes all things current and cool