People often say that after turning 21, the fun stops. That is certainly not the case! Your twenty first birthday opens many doors of opportunity for you in ways that your younger self simply could not enjoy. Treat this occasion as exactly what it is—special! When throwing the big 21 birthday celebration, go with Paperlust's 21st birthday invitation cards to give your guests a little taste of the fun that is in store at your 21st party.

Paperlust knows that everyone is unique in their tastes; no one style fits all. That is why we have a number of design styles for you to choose from, ensuring that your 21st birthday party invitations reflect your personality to a tee. We’ve got a huge range of 21st birthday invitation ideas, including options such as ethnic birthday invitations, hand drawn birthday invitations, adorable birthday invites and unique birthday party invitations. With your style chosen, you can decide to print it in a standard way, or go with one of our incredible print styles! These styles range from digital cards and letterpress and can be mixed and matched with any of the designs for a stunning effect for your 21 st birthday.

Paperlust employs a number of expert designers all over the country whose experience will help you craft the perfect card every time. If you find yourself in need of shopping for other stationery for your 21st bday, we have that available to you as well. Products like save the date, place cards, information cards and wishing well can be customised just as easily as the party invitations can! Any occasion will do for these cards, including 30th birthday invitations, 40th birthday invitations, 50th birthday invites and 60th birthday party invitations.

We make it easy for you to find and edit your party invite online. Browse our editable birthday invitations, then use our intuitive online design tool to drag, drop, delete and resize elements to your liking. Can’t find anything you love? Enquire about our custom design service: we will design a birthday invitation from scratch, completely unique to your event.

Make your 21st birthday party memorable with enticing 21 bday invites that your friends will absolutely adore. 

EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT WRITING YOUR 21ST BIRTHDAY INVITATIONS

We’ve got answers to all your most pressing birthday questions right here: Invitation wording, guest lists and themes. 

WHO SHOULD I INVITE TO MY 21ST BIRTHDAY?

First up, decide what circle - or circles -  of people you want to send a 21 birthday invite to, and include in your celebrations. This might be influenced by the number of guests you are able to host. For a smaller event, you might keep it to family only: either immediate family or extended family (cousins, grandparents, etc.) depending on the size of your family and how close your relationships are. Some people also like to stick to friends of one gender, having a girls 21st birthday weekend spa retreat or a boys night on the town. 

Beyond family, consider what friends will be invited to the big ‘birthday 21’. Will you include work colleagues? Are you planning to use the event as a reunion for old friends? If you’ve only known someone a few weeks or months, will they get an invite? 

It’s important to think about how different groups of your friends will interact. If some of your friends are likely to have a wild night of drinking, think about how your family or colleagues might see this. It might be easier to have separate events with different groups of people if there are significant differences that could cause tensions. You don’t have to have a stuffy, classy 21st birthday party if you don’t want to, but make sure a wild night isn’t going to cause your reputation any damage. At the very least, try to make sure there are a few people from every ‘group’ so that nobody will be left sitting awkwardly alone, feeling out of place. It’s a lot to think about, but a little bit of planning goes a long way to making your party a huge success. 

WHEN SHOULD I SEND MY 21ST INVITATIONS?

Invitations should always be sent out about 4-6 weeks prior to the big day. If people are going to be travelling, however, you should let them know the date as soon as possible so they can make their own arrangements. You can send a save the date card in advance of the invitation, or a phone call or email will suffice. 

If you’re in the year of 21sts that many people experience as all their friends mark the big milestone, you may need to think about staking out a date well ahead of time and making it known to others so that there aren’t significant clashes. If this is the case for you, a save the date card is the best option. This can be sent out several months before the occasion. A proper invitation should always follow a save the date, and every person who received the save the date should also receive an invitation. 

21ST BIRTHDAY INVITATION IDEAS AND STYLES

It can be overwhelming when you’re looking for ideas for 21st birthday invitations and there are so many different styles to choose from. Luckily, we’ve got all the 21st birthday invitation ideas you could need, and we can help you work out what’s popular and what’s right for you. Our blog is also full of inspiration and suggestions for 21 bday ideas, so feel free to browse if you’re stuck for ideas for 21st birthday invites or any other aspect of the day. From the most simple birthday invites to something more ornate like foiled pink and gold birthday invites, we’ve got something for everyone. Whether you’re looking for a minimalist text birthday invitation or a beautiful illustrated design, there are plenty to choose from. 

All our styles are popular in a range of different print types. Digital print (plain ink on premium paper, either matte or glossy) is the most affordable option, but many people like to splash out for their 21st with a fancy choice like real foil or letterpress to really stand out. We also have photo cards - a popular choice for people who want to incorporate a 21 birthday picture of them as a child, or anyone who has had 21st birthday pictures taken and want the opportunity to share a recent picture of themselves. This sort of photo shoot is less common in Australia, but graduation or 21st birthday photos are common in some parts of America and other countries. Why not be the first one to bring 21st birthday pictures to your friendship group? 21st birthday images are a great way to capture the joy and celebration of this wonderful milestone. Soon all your friends may be doing 21st birthday pics. Nice work, trend setter!

SHOULD I USE FREE 21ST BIRTHDAY INVITATION TEMPLATES?

21st birthday invitation templates, editable birthday invitations and birthday invitations online free are popular for people planning their party on a budget. After all, saving a little money with birthday templates means you can put more on the tab at the bar. So it’s a no-brainer, right? 

21st invitations templates or bday invites online can be a lifesaver if you’re on a tight budget, which is why we offer a few customisable birthday templates over in our main birthday invitations article. These are easy to download, customise with all your own information in Word or Pages, and print off using your own printer. But free online 21st invite templates aren’t always the best choice. Make sure you weigh up all factors when it comes time to make your decision, and if you’re looking to make party invitations online free, why not choose the option that you know is giving credit to the original designer? Our birthday templates at Paperlust are a safe, reliable option - and you can even send them out digitally if you don’t have a printer (or are sending them out a little late).

When you order professional birthday invites, you get more than just a high-quality, premium invitation. You typically get envelopes included, you have professional printers to make sure everything goes smoothly, and you’re covered if anything goes wrong during the printing process. You have customer service at every stage of the process to make sure you have a smooth experience with no worries. 

Free invitation templates are free, yes, but you will also need to factor in the cost of paper, ink and envelopes, along with the time required for you to print them all. You will also need to consider the possibility that something goes wrong during the printing process and you need to reprint. There’s really no such thing as completely free 21st birthday invitations, there’s always a cost involved in printing them, and you don’t want to get stuck last minute sending out a text birthday invitation to all your guests!

It is also worth keeping in mind that your options will be significantly reduced if you’re searching for free 21st birthday invitation templates online. Not only will you not have access to premium print options (letterpress, real foil, etc.), but the number of designs you have to choose from will be smaller. This is especially true if you want legit birthday templates that haven’t been ripped off from an unsuspecting designer.

This doesn’t mean you shouldn’t use 21st invite templates, but you should consider all these different factors before you jump at the chance for something cheap or free and wind up paying more than you expected. 

WHAT INFORMATION SHOULD BE INCLUDED ON MY 21ST BIRTHDAY INVITES?

Make sure your guests have all the information they need to participate in the day, including:

• The name of who the party is for
• The date of the party
• The time of the party
• The venue and address of the party
• The RSVP by date and contact details

You may also choose to include information about travel and accommodation if guests will be coming from a distance, and any gift arrangements you have made. 

Check out our guide to wording your birthday invitations, for help finding the perfect 21 birthday invite wording. There’s something for everyone, whether you’re looking for formal, simple, or even funny 21st birthday invitation wording. 

21ST BIRTHDAY GIFTS: REGISTERING OR ASKING FOR MONEY

You have options when it comes to your 21st birthday presents. The main ones are: 

• Gift registry - using an online gift registry or registering with a local store
• Wishing well - cash instead of gifts
• Charity in lieu of gifts - choose a charity and ask for donations in your name instead of gifts to you
• A specific category of gift - for example, “If you wish to bring a gift please bring something to help me get set up as I move out this year.” 
• No gifts
• No preference - If you just want good old-fashioned gift-giving, don’t specify anything to your guests. 

It’s totally appropriate to be clear about what category you would like for your 21st birthday. This will help your guests spend their money wisely on something you will actually like and use, especially seeing as the 21 birthday is when people tend to throw in a bit more cash. You can include this information on the invitation itself, on a separate card that is sent out with the invitation, or you can let the information spread by word of mouth. Whatever you decide, gift preferences should, of course, always be indicated tactfully!

I NEED 21ST BIRTHDAY IDEAS FOR THEMES!

21st birthday parties are the perfect opportunity for a theme that is fun and youthful but sophisticated and adult at the same time. Sounds like a tough balance, but with the right theme it’s easy. 21 themed parties are extremely popular, often in the form of a costume party, with costumes based around the 21 birthday theme. Some of the most popular themes for 21st birthday parties include: 

• Carnival
• Around the world
• Journey through the past
• Metallic or glitter
• Colour
• Pattern
• Masquerade
• Casino

While these are some of the most popular 21st birthday themes, there’s no rule that you have to stick to any of these! In fact, the more creative, the better. The great thing is that so many of these themes are gender neutral, so whether you’re looking for 21st birthday party themes for guys or girls 21st birthday ideas, your 21st birthday girl and 21st birthday guy can definitely find an option that suits them! You can even look at getting a 21st birthday banner, 21st birthday pin and 21st birthday button in these themes.

Check out our full list of 21st birthday theme ideas for over seventy different categories of inspiration (looking for 21 birthday theme ideas should be fun, not stressful)! Whether you’re looking for formal, classy 21st birthday ideas or more laid back 21 birthday theme ideas, there’s something there for everyone. You may have a formal 21 birthday picture or you could make your guests laugh with a cleverly crafted 21st birthday meme. There are also other articles on our blog especially written to help you come up with 21st birthday celebration ideas (including 21 birthday party ideas for your 21st!) We have 21st birthday ideas for males, 21st birthday ideas for girls, and themes for every occasion.

21 BIRTHDAY CARDS AND 21ST BIRTHDAY GREETINGS

Stumbled on this article because you’re looking for a great 21 bday card for your friend or relative? We sell greeting cards, most of which will work perfectly as a 21 birthday card. To customise 21 birthday cards, just click on the design and follow the prompts on the side to create a personalised 21 birthday card that will suit your loved one down to the ground. Make sure you browse to find a range of 21 birthday cards ideas, from funny 21 birthday cards to cute, heartfelt and serious birthday 21 cards.

We’ve also put together a helpful article on writing messages in birthday cards, so check that out for help crafting the perfect 21st birthday greetings. A great rule of thumb with 21 year old birthday cards is telling the person how much they mean to you and encouraging them in their achievements or abilities - what better way to express 21 bday wishes than a big pumping up of their tyres? If you feel don’t feel quite comfortable saying happy 21 birthday with the emotional approach, recalling a few fun memories with the birthday boy or girl is always a winning recipe for 21st birthday cards. After all, that’s what the 21 birthday is known for - the funny (and embarrassing) stories. If you’ve got too many ideas for 21 birthday stories to fit in a card, maybe you should be expressing your 21 birthday wishes in a speech so that everyone can laugh along!

So no matter the theme, location or number of guests, as long as your 21st birthday party invitation looks amazing and feels uniquely you, you have succeeded. Time to pop the champagne!

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