Cover photo credit: Mandy Dawn Photography

One of the most beautiful features of printed pieces is the texture of the media. And we honestly believe the right paper can make or break a job.

Texture for us is all about feeling the patterns that you can visually see. And there are many types of paper textures. We’d like to focus this post on 4 of the most popular paper textures that we are seeing.

Before we dive in, there is something about paper textures that everyone should know about! Textures are created by creating patterns of peaks and valleys in the paper (Or bumps and indentations, if that resonates with you more). It’s important to note that the more bumpy, or higher the extremes between the peaks and valleys will drastically impact how the printing will look. Because digital printing relies on a liquid ink or powder toner to coat the page evenly, the more variance there is in the highs and lows, the less even the ink/toner can spread. You may see some areas where that ink doesn’t fill in the low points, and the paper will show through. This will be more visible with dark print on a lighter paper. It’s a natural result of digital print, but may not be the result that couples are looking for.

Now! Let’s jump into our paper types by starting with the most popular paper texture:

Flat.

Yup! Un-textured is still a texture! Many clients love that luxurious smooth finish for their stationery. These paper types usually take ink very well and print vibrantly. They also come in many colours and finishes, so this is a fantastic option for almost all wedding stationery!

Linen.

Linen is one of our favourite textures! It looks so lovely when printed, and looks AMAZING paired with foil, and can come in many colours and finishes. Our clients, wedding planners love it so much that we carry 4 base linens in our standard stock list! We definitely feel the love for this one.

Linens are usually a subtle texture, but they still contain different peaks and valleys. Most linen papers print fairly well, but this is one where you need to tread carefully. The thicker the paper and the darker the printed colour, the higher the chance of some coverage that is not even.

Watercolour.

This is a texture that is certainly making a statement with couples! In the past few months, we have seen our requests for watercolour paper almost triple! And for good reason! Watercolour papers tend to be on the higher weight side of the paper spectrum (click here to see our post from last week about paper weights!). This makes it feel like a luxury product. The texture is also very classic and brings back a vintage vibe.

In addition, the edges deckle beautifully (that torn look that couples just love!) and we can sing a sonnet about how it looks with foil details or with printed watercolour floral details.

As with linen, you will need to tread carefully when it comes to printing. Dark colours will have a harder time with coverage on most watercolour papers, but that does add to the charm of the print!

Wood grain.

Yes, you read that correctly! As more and more couples are moving away from rustic weddings, the demand for this texture is not what it was over the past few years. That being said, it’s still a popular accent feature for stationery sets. It’s a really interesting addition, so no wonder it’s still so loved!

We do not recommend printing on this one digitally. The peaks and valleys are quite pronounced and will cause some areas of the print to not be visible. So then, you may ask, what IS it good for? We are glad you asked! Choose this one for things like pockets, invitation mats, book covers with a statement foil, and other base areas that need a little something extra!

We hope this helps with knowing a bit more about some of the textures available for your stationery paper. It’s always best to feel these papers for yourself before you choose. All of our couples who come in to our office for a consultation receive a package of our standard stocks. We also have hundreds of other stocks to choose from, so book a consultation to see what paper texture works best for your vision!