Wedding Card Dictionary: Printing Terms You Should Know So You Don't Get Cheated!
BY The WMG Bride | 07 Aug, 2015 | 7109 views | 4 min read
There are two things everyone knew about wedding cards. One, select a design you like. Two, ask your printer to print it on marbled paper and just print it out in all it's glory. Copy, paste, repeat. But then, you see, the marriage market became a real market with new ideas, new influences and new technology. And we slowly started becoming fans of high-end stationery and exquisitely created paper. So it only makes sense for you to know all the glossary terms associated with wedding cards so you can throw a few words around and get things done. Just kidding, just knowing these technical printing terms can make you a more aware bride/groom. Read away!
Digital Prints
This technique works wonders if you are looking at enhancing a few elements on the card. If you want a name to stand out or a monogram, all you need to do is raise the preferred text and images using this printing process. It practically etches the design on it and accentuates it.
De-Embossing
It's just like embossing, but this time, the printing is done with no colour. That means, the font or image are simply etched on paper without any coloured ink. It raises itself on the paper and can be hard to spot, so use it with caution.
Letterpress
This is the exact opposite of embossing. Instead of raising the letters, this one sinks them into paper seamlessly. A metal plate is etched with the preferred text and is pressed onto the paper in such a way that the letters get imprinted. The metal plate with the text also uses the exact ink you want on the letters so the colour is transferred.
Thermography
This one is a bit common - it shows a certain lettering and design being printed on a screen or a mesh, pressed against material you like. it is then inked with a roller.
Laser-cutting
This one's as plain as vanilla. It's called flat printing because it works with a stamp, a rather large one that has the text and images and straight away prints it with the preferred ink hue. Most people use good paper to make flat printing look better than ordinary.
Digital Print of Roses: The Royal Rose By Pretty Gilded Designs
This one's fairly easy but not extensively used because it can only be done on slim paper. It uses tiny dots to create images and text making it look like it's homely and simple. Die-cuts
Paper cut into dome shapes: The Wedding Studio by Oh So Boho
Think about it like it's a fancy paper cutter. More fancier because it can be assembled and designed into any design and can be used to cut paper into preferred shapes. Think scalloped edges, paper lace. It's a paper puncher that comes with intricate designs. Embossing
This technique works wonders if you are looking at enhancing a few elements on the card. If you want a name to stand out or a monogram, all you need to do is raise the preferred text and images using this printing process. It practically etches the design on it and accentuates it.
De-Embossing
It's just like embossing, but this time, the printing is done with no colour. That means, the font or image are simply etched on paper without any coloured ink. It raises itself on the paper and can be hard to spot, so use it with caution.
Letterpress
This is the exact opposite of embossing. Instead of raising the letters, this one sinks them into paper seamlessly. A metal plate is etched with the preferred text and is pressed onto the paper in such a way that the letters get imprinted. The metal plate with the text also uses the exact ink you want on the letters so the colour is transferred.
Thermography
Thermography lettering: Customizing Creativity
This one is a bit complicated - it uses heat to infuse ink and powder into the card to raise them up as bigger and bolder fonts. It's almost like engraving a certain text but the advantage is that this technique doesn't leave any residual impressions. When you turn the card about, you see no imprints. Plus, the fonts are a bit shinier! Engraving
Engraved lettering: It's An Affair
A metal plate is engraved with the lettering you want and then pressed onto paper. The selected letters are then raised up. The only difference is that the engraving causes the imprints to show up at the back. Foil-Stamping
Foil StampingThe Ochre Shed
It's the shiny bit on the card. A copper plate pushes any design you want in gold, silver and other metallic foil to make an impression. Screen Printing
This one is a bit common - it shows a certain lettering and design being printed on a screen or a mesh, pressed against material you like. it is then inked with a roller.
Laser-cutting
Cut into intricate designs in paper: Designs by HarPriya Singh
It cuts out nice design details or certain words or creative ideas from the invite with the help of laser. Pretty delicate and lots of attention to detail. Off-set Printing
This one's as plain as vanilla. It's called flat printing because it works with a stamp, a rather large one that has the text and images and straight away prints it with the preferred ink hue. Most people use good paper to make flat printing look better than ordinary.
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