Luxury UK wedding stationery displayed on a dramatic gothic table with green velvet, tarot accents, brass candelabra, and lush florals.

Alternative Wedding Planning: Save the Date, Invitations & Beyond...

Alternative Wedding Invitations | Birdhouse197

Not Your Traditional Wedding Invitations

I design and sell what I love. Every single design in our catalogue is something I would genuinely choose for my own wedding. That is not a marketing line. It is just how we work.

Birdhouse197 is not going to sell you bright floral invitations, because that is not who Joshua and I are as designers or as people. That is no disrespect — the white wedding with soft florals and calligraphy is many people's dream and it is a beautiful one. But we are here for the couples who want something genuinely different. Non traditional wedding invitations for people who have never wanted a traditional wedding.

If that is you, you are in the right place.

People in formal attire with light art projection on a wall - Halloween Wedding Shot

Our Wedding, Our World

Joshua and I got married at Halloween in a converted Loft in West Yorkshire. Dark walls, exposed brick, candles everywhere. No white tablecloths, no matching bridesmaids, no DJ playing Mr Brightside at 11pm. We threw the rulebook out completely and every single one of our guests knew exactly what kind of wedding it was going to be before they arrived, because the stationery told them.

That is what good alternative wedding stationery does. It sets the tone before the day. It tells your guests who you are and what kind of celebration they are walking into. And it means that by the time they arrive, they are already excited rather than surprised.

We have been designing creative wedding invitations for couples who think the same way since 2020. Every design is hand-illustrated, fully personalised, and made to order.

Luxury gothic wedding stationery with arched menus, dramatic burgundy invites, moss ring box, dagger and ferns on rustic wood.

Alternative Wedding Invitation Ideas

Not every couple who wants something different wants the same thing. Alternative is a wide world and our catalogue reflects that.

Gothic and Dark Romance

Skeleton lovers, anatomical hearts, crossed swords and memento mori illustration. The Bleeding Heart, Til Death Do Us Part and Star-Crossed Lovers collections are built for couples who want stationery that is genuinely striking. Foiled versions available in gold, silver, rose gold and copper on velvet soft-touch card.

Celestial and Mystical

Sun and moon imagery, tarot card illustration, cosmic symbolism. Dusk and Dawn, Celestial Sun and Moon, The Sun and The Star and Crystal Ball sit in that space between gothic and boho, dark enough to feel considered, light enough to feel romantic. Unique wedding invitations do not have to be dark to be different.

Tarot Card Wedding Invitations

The format that started Birdhouse197. The Lovers Tarot and The Cups Tarot are built around the classic tarot card proportion, that tall portrait format that feels genuinely unlike anything else in the wedding stationery world. Creative wedding invitations in the truest sense.

Victorian and Alternative Vintage

Gothic Victorian illustration, ornate detail, a sense of history. From the Candle and Key cabinet of curiosities gatefold with its hand-drawn silhouette portrait, to the softer pale blues of Lock and Key, to the timeless gold foil of Interlocking Rings. Non-traditional wedding invitations across the full Victorian spectrum.

On the Day Stationery

Your invitations set the tone. Your on the day stationery carries it through into the room. Menus, welcome boards, seating plans, vow books and table name cards, all illustrated, all personalised, all speaking the same visual language as your invitations. If your guests receive a gothic tarot card save the date in the post, they should walk into a room that looks like it belongs to the same world.

Luxury UK wedding stationery styled on a round table with blue velvet, candles, and a mystical owl centerpiece in an elegant setting.

Alternative Means Whatever You Want It to Mean

We hear occasionally that a couple's stationery caused a minor incident with a distant relative. Usually the skeleton lovers. Honestly, we take that as a compliment. If aunty and uncle are going to need a moment, better they have it when the save the date arrives than when they walk through the door on the day. Our stationery sets the tone early and lets people know exactly what to expect.

Alternative does not have to mean black, dark and skeletons. It means anything that steps away from the conventional. A pizza truck instead of a sit-down dinner. A venue that means something rather than one that photographs well. Alternative wedding ideas come in every aesthetic, gothic, celestial, tarot, Victorian, bohemian. What unites them is the decision to do it your way.

Your wedding should be a reflection of everything you love, not everything your family thinks a wedding should look like. If that sounds like your kind of celebration, our alternative wedding invitations were made for you. Photography by Fatima Elreda Photography

The Lovers Tarot Card Gatefold Wedding Invitation featuring a romantic tarot-inspired design on premium matte textured card with customizable colors and included white envelopes

All in One Wedding Invitations | The Gatefold

If you want everything in one considered piece, the gatefold is the format for you.

It opens from the centre like a pair of doors to reveal your main invitation, order of the day and finer details inside, all in one piece, nothing separate to lose. It is one of the most immersive ways to present your wedding details and it suits every aesthetic in our catalogue from the darkest gothic to the softest celestial. Available across most collections.

Browse all Wedding Invitation Suites

Real Alternative Wedding Inspiration - Amanda & Daniel

2nd November 2024 - Photography by Fatima Elreda Photography

A dramatic wedding stationery set styled on emerald velvet, with candles and florals for a mystical, gothic UK luxury setting.

Luxury UK wedding stationery on a teal velvet-draped table with gold detailing, candles, and a dramatic owl centerpiece.

Luxury UK wedding stationery with a gothic, mystical design rests on blue velvet amid tarot cards, brass, and lush florals.

Luxury black wedding seating chart with mystical tarot designs, shown on an easel with greenery in a dramatic UK indoor venue.

A vintage formal UK dinner table with luxury black-and-white personalised wedding stationery, crystal glassware, and a gothic owl centerpiece.

Flat lay of luxury wedding stationery with a dramatic gothic design, vintage photo book, perfume bottle, and eclectic details on brown.

Shop by Collection

Celestial & Mystical

Gothic & Dark Romance

Tarot & Symbolic

Victorian & Vintage

Our Top Alternative Wedding Invitation Picks

Star-Crossed Lovers Save the Date card with romantic celestial design for wedding announcement

‘Til Death Do Us Part’ foiled tarot wedding invitation suite with RSVP on velvet paper featuring skeleton lovers design

Crystal Ball foiled tarot wedding save the date card with mystical design and luxury foil accents

Luxury UK gatefold wedding invitation with a dark purple gothic and celestial design, vintage boho details, and dried florals.

Luxury personalised wedding thank you card with a dramatic celestial heart design, shown on wood with boho dried foliage and photo.

Luxury UK wedding stationery save the date card with dark, dramatic floral design, white roses, and gothic-inspired details.

A dramatic black-and-white photo features a gothic angel statue beside a mystical tarot-inspired luxury wedding welcome sign with skeleton art.

A luxury UK gothic wedding invitation flat lay with mystical ghost couples, gold foil leaves, runes, and ritual motifs on premium card.

How to Order Your Alternative Wedding Invitations

Personalised products only

Place Your Order

Choose your quantity (personalised items are sold in sets of 10), pick your colours and add your wording in the personalisation box.

Receive Digital Mock-up

Within 7 days you’ll receive a digital mock-up by email so you can see exactly how your design will look before printing.

Unlimited Revisions

Request any changes and I’ll send updated mock-ups. You can make as many adjustments as you need until everything feels perfect.

Printing & Postage

Once the design is approved, I’ll print, pack and post your order, and share your tracking details. You’ll work directly with me, George, throughout the whole process for a fully personalised service.

Frequently Asked Questions

What makes a wedding invitation alternative?

Alternative wedding invitations are anything that steps away from the conventional... gothic illustration, tarot card formats, celestial symbolism, Victorian ornate detail, dark romance.

At Birdhouse197 every design is hand-illustrated and fully personalised, so your stationery reflects your wedding rather than a generic template.

Can I get alternative wedding invitations in any colour?

Yes. Every design is available in a full range of background colours including gradients. If you have a specific colourway in mind that is not shown, just get in touch and we will let you know what is possible.

Do you offer full alternative wedding stationery suites?

Yes. Most designs are available as a full suite including save the dates, wedding invitation suites, evening invitations, and on the day stationery including menus, welcome boards, seating plans and vow books. Everything illustrated in the same style for a consistent look across your whole day.

Can I mix design elements from different collections?

We can usually accommodate this. If you have something specific in mind, get in touch before placing your order and we will let you know what is possible.

What is the lead time for alternative wedding invitations?

Our current lead time is four to five weeks from order to delivery, including your digital proof and any revisions.

For save the dates we recommend ordering six to twelve months before your wedding date.

Do you ship internationally?

Yes. Complimentary worldwide shipping on all bespoke orders. We work with couples across the UK, US, Europe and beyond with full tracking on all dispatched orders.

A dramatic rustic tablescape with luxury UK celestial wedding stationery featuring a sun and moon design, crystal glasses, and florals.

Ready to plan your Alternative wedding stationery?

From illustrated gothic save the dates and invitation suites through to menus, seating plans, welcome boards and vow books, we design everything as a cohesive suite. You work directly with George and Joshua throughout. No templates, no generic results.

Fill out the form & let us guide you

Award-Winning & Industry Recognised

George & Joshua

You'll be working with us directly to achieve the perfect stationery for your big day

Digital proofs

See a full digital mock-up of your order before it's printed