{"id":4636,"date":"2015-06-10T12:22:16","date_gmt":"2015-06-10T02:22:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/paperlust.co\/blog\/?p=4636"},"modified":"2022-08-31T12:08:36","modified_gmt":"2022-08-31T02:08:36","slug":"the-gatsby-effect-a-look-at-art-deco-wedding-invitations","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/paperlust.co\/blog\/the-gatsby-effect-a-look-at-art-deco-wedding-invitations\/","title":{"rendered":"The Gatsby Effect: A Look at Art Deco Wedding Invitations"},"content":{"rendered":"

The \u2018Gatsby effect\u2019 has made itself felt in weddings since the release of Baz Lurhmann\u2019s extravagant 2013 remake of F. Scott Fitzgerald\u2019s classic tale The Great Gatsby<\/em>. Rather than a roaring return of the opulence and extravagance of the 1920s, Art Deco has added a touch of old world charm to wedding invitations (think vintage glamour).<\/p>\n

From the invitation design to the wedding day itself, Art Deco design is characterised by bold geometric forms, symmetry, high contrast colour and the industrial chrome of the brave new world (how appropriate for the event that marks the beginning of the next part of your life?!).<\/p>\n

We thought we would take a look at Art Deco Wedding Invitations<\/a> and break down the design. Be warned. You might just fall, irrevocably, in love.<\/p>\n

SEVEN BEST ART DECO WEDDING INVITATIONS<\/h2>\n

(Invitation examples)<\/p>\n

1.\u00a0\"Wedding<\/a>Sourced: https:\/\/www.pinterest.com\/pin\/263671753160297817\/<\/a><\/p>\n

This gold foil press on white is perfect. Variation can be created across a wedding invitation stationery set<\/a> with a change in foil or paper colour but how beautiful is the geometric pattern pressed in silver on blue?<\/p>\n

2.\u00a0\"Wedding<\/a>Sourced: https:\/\/www.pinterest.com\/pin\/263671753157118510\/<\/a><\/p>\n

Imagine you and your partners name in that bold typeface, framed by this wonderful geometric border (you were warned that Art Deco themed design would be dangerous! Here\u2019s the reason why).<\/p>\n

3.\u00a0\"Wedding<\/a>Sourced: https:\/\/www.pinterest.com\/pin\/263671753157117674\/<\/a><\/p>\n

How great is this wedding invitation? Check the orange, green, black and white colour palette<\/a> of this floral geometric design, punctuated by diamonds.<\/p>\n

4.\u00a0\"Wedding<\/a>Sourced: https:\/\/www.pinterest.com\/pin\/136093219965652856\/<\/p>\n

We love the floral design of this wedding invitation<\/a>! Maybe it\u2019s a little bit more 1920s than Art Deco, but aren\u2019t the colours and shape gorgeous? The dome top of the central panel makes it feel like a stain glass window.<\/p>\n

5.\u00a0\"Wedding<\/a>Sourced: https:\/\/www.pinterest.com\/pin\/211880357443870461\/<\/a><\/p>\n

Again, there is the black<\/a> and gold <\/a>but with space to give the invitation a touch of elegance.<\/p>\n

6.\u00a0\"Wedding<\/a>Sourced: https:\/\/www.pinterest.com\/pin\/16395986116866310\/<\/a><\/p>\n

Paisley colours can be used to great effect. In this invitation design the muted greens<\/a> and pinks<\/a> are contrasted by the dark green<\/a>.<\/p>\n

7.\u00a0\"Wedding<\/a>Sourced: https:\/\/www.pinterest.com\/pin\/52495151882046930\/<\/a><\/p>\n

\"Wedding<\/a>Sources:\u00a0https:\/\/www.pinterest.com\/pin\/171418329542516138\/<\/a><\/p>\n

Gold<\/a> and black<\/a> are common elements of Art Deco Invitation<\/a> designs. Here, they\u2019ve repeated the soft lines of the stylised leaves with bold circles.<\/p>\n

FONTS<\/h2>\n

The weight and shape of Art Deco fonts can vary. Designer, writer and typographic consultant, Ilene Strizver, says <\/a><\/strong>,<\/p>\n

Art Deco type styles range from uncomplicated, low-waisted monostroke designs, such as ITC Anna<\/a>, Bernhard Fashion, Busorama<\/a> and Coquette<\/a>, to more intricate, decorative type styles, such as Beverly Hills, Chic<\/a>, Broadway Engraved<\/a>, Gallia<\/a>, ITC Mona Lisa Recut<\/a> and Philco Deco The most ornate Deco designs feature double, triple or multi-lineal stroke details. Art Deco typestyles can be angular or curvy, elegant or playful, but all have the attitude of swank sophistication we associate with that period.<\/p>\n

So, you can see, there\u2019s enough room to play with what you like. The variety complicates the decision. These are great examples but how do you use them?<\/p>\n

\"Wedding<\/a>\u00a0sourced: http:\/\/www.fontscape.com\/<\/a><\/p>\n

\"Wedding<\/a>sourced: http:\/\/www.fontscape.com\/<\/a><\/p>\n

If you\u2019re getting a customised Art Deco wedding invitation set, your designer will tell you that these fonts are decorative so they probably won\u2019t suit for all the text on your invitation.<\/p>\n

There are some rules for choosing typefaces that go together, something like: sans serif should go with serif rather than fonts that are too similar to them. That kind of thing.
\n\"Wedding<\/a><\/p>\n

A simple sans serif partnered with an art deco font can\u2019t really go wrong; the lighter weight and positioning below the Art Deco font means that it won\u2019t distract from the beautiful decorative text.<\/p>\n

COLOURS<\/h2>\n

The classic black<\/a> and white photos from the 1920s always seem to be filled with white lace<\/a> and paisley prints. Come night time, the photographs reveal sequins, embroidery, rising hem lines and boxed silhouettes for both men and women.<\/p>\n

In our contemporary reimagining\u2019s, the flat surface of those photos have become soft, velvet-like plum<\/strong>, midnight blues<\/strong> and dark forest greens<\/strong>. The best Art Deco invitation designs contrast<\/strong> these deep colours with the clean, bright silver<\/strong> and gold<\/strong> foils.<\/p>\n

\"Wedding<\/a>Or, they create a relaxed, afternoon-garden-party-with-Miss Marple feeling with subdued tones of these purples, blues and greens.<\/p>\n

Contrast is all about choosing two colours: our eyes automatically decide on a hierarchy between the two so that one recedes as a background and the other stands out as the primary focus. You can generally tell whether you like a colour combination straight away (if it\u2019s all about taste, you know what you like). There are some rules about how colours work together.<\/p>\n

SHAPES, LINES AND PATTERNS<\/h2>\n

Once you\u2019ve found the colour and font for you invitation, you can look to the products of the Art Deco movement for inspiration.<\/p>\n

Looking at architecture, furniture, art, they\u2019re all characterised by straight lines, geometric shapes and stylised symbols of nature. If that\u2019s not what you like, you can always use the great iconographic images of the Charleston, long cigarette holders puffing smoke and cocktails being sipped over the bar.<\/p>\n

\"Wedding<\/a><\/p>\n

Sourced:\u00a0https:\/\/www.pinterest.com\/pin\/283656476507091370\/<\/a><\/p>\n

In art, after Dadaists had been raging against formalism, Art Deco was defined by a meeting of cubism<\/strong>, constructivism<\/strong>, modernism<\/strong> and futurism<\/strong>. There was a deliberate play with the ideal relationship between colours, while the shapes were rounded and soft. Post World War One, a note of hope, and celebration of technology and travel belonged to everything.<\/p>\n

Tamara de Lempicka<\/strong><\/a>\u00a0stands out as the quintessential daughter of the 1920s and pioneer of a unique Art Deco aesthetic. Born in Poland, she studied in Switzerland, lived with her first husband in St. Petersburg until the Russian Revolution, and became a renowned portrait painter in Paris until she moved to America before the Second World War with her second husband. The rest of her life moved between Europe and America, as she developed her luxurious and sensual style markedly influenced by a kind of soft cubism<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

Among a hundred paintings, you could recognize mine, my goal was: Do not copy. Create a new style\u2026colors light and bright, return to elegance in my models.<\/em><\/p>\n

De Lempicka could easily be your model for a woman \u2013 confident<\/strong>, independent<\/strong>, and a little rebellious<\/strong> in her art and in her life. For your Art Deco Wedding Invitation, look at de Lempicka\u2019s work to see examples of the perfect balance of colour and her warm representations of the female body.<\/p>\n

\"Wedding<\/a>Sourced:\u00a0http:\/\/tweedlandthegentlemansclub.blogspot.com.au\/2014\/12\/tamara-de-lempicka.html<\/a><\/p>\n

\"Wedding<\/a>Sourced:\u00a0http:\/\/theculturetrip.com\/europe\/poland\/articles\/art-deco-icon-the-alluring-mystique-of-tamara-de-lempicka\/<\/a><\/p>\n

WORDING<\/h2>\n

While we\u2019ve broken down choosing your general invitation wording<\/a><\/strong>, a theme can be a fun way to personalise the details.<\/p>\n

1920s brought to life a whole new youth culture and slang. Historical themes, like Art Deco, have the possibility for language that we don\u2019t necessarily use every day. Play with that.<\/p>\n

\"Wedding<\/a>Keep in mind, there are still some Do\u2019s and Don\u2019ts of Wedding Invitations<\/a><\/strong>.<\/p>\n

An example for some wedding invitation might be<\/p>\n

Despite the flat tire of their first date,<\/em><\/p>\n

They ended up in the struggle buggy<\/em><\/p>\n

Now <\/em><\/p>\n

Jessica and Peter <\/em><\/p>\n

Invite you to join them as they walk down the middle aisle<\/em><\/p>\n

And then whoopee well into the night<\/em><\/p>\n

The RSVP can be fun too<\/p>\n

ATTABOY\/GIRL!<\/em><\/p>\n

CASH<\/em> (yes) or CHECK<\/em> (no)<\/p>\n

With a little research you might be able to find language appropriate to your Wedding Menu as well, but with the beautiful and extravagant food common to the era you\u2019re probably better off with some creative food poetry. See our Wedding Menu Wording<\/a><\/strong>\u00a0for a place to start.<\/p>\n

Or slang may just not fit the Ritz and glamour you\u2019re going for. Take a leaf from Lurhmann\u2019s movie soundtrack: old meets new to great effect.<\/p>\n