“When guests receive their invite, they immediately get a sense of the theme and tone of the day,” says Jaynee Bucco, owner of Jaynee’s Party in Englewood Cliffs (201-568-6717). “Couples want to send out something no one has seen before.”

In fact, the trend toward alternative-looking invites is so hot, William Arthur has created a couture tool box, which will allow couples to create one-of-a-kind invites for their special day (the kit will be available in late 2009). In the meantime, here are a few ways you can make yours stand out:

Play up colors Couples are using their wedding-day color palette for their invites—and they’re not afraid to be bold with their choices. Patricia Stewart of the Bag Lady in West Windsor (609-426-4001) recently designed a red card-stock invite with black ribbon for a January wedding. Other color options could include blue and silver for a winter wedding; bright orange, brown, and yellow for fall; and greens and pastels for the spring and summer.

Choose special paper What you print the invitation on can truly set yours apart from others, says Karen Herzig, design manager for weddings at William Arthur (williamarthur.com). The company is currently offering more shimmery and theme-centered options. And Bucco has even started using engraved Lucite in her creations.

Try different shapes The shape of your invite can invoke a certain theme or style. Rounded corners is a trend that is growing increasingly popular, but don’t be afraid to take it a step further. Invitations cut to resemble a flower can introduce guests to a spring or garden wedding, while a snowflake shape can invoke a winter wonderland theme. Scrolls also remain a popular choice for many brides and grooms.
Add some bling Embellishing your invite with a beautiful motif can really add that wow factor that blows guests away. Bucco has used everything from stone brooches and pearls to freeze-dried flowers on her custom-made invitations.

Send them special delivery Many couples are opting to present their invitations—especially the more fragile designs with embellishments—in boxes adorned with engraved mailing labels or the couple’s monogram. Stewart has also used silk presentation envelopes, which are then placed in a regular mailing envelope. One option you can forget about (much to the chagrin of Emily Post): double envelopes and tissue paper in between each layer. They’re both out of style and a waste of paper.