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Witchy Wedding Invitations | A Guide from Birdhouse197
Witchy is its own thing, distinct from full gothic. Lighter, more colourful, and rooted in a very specific bit of nostalgia for us.
We grew up on the whimsical goth of the 90s. Practical Magic, The Craft, Sabrina the Teenage Witch, that whole world of suns and moons and spooky-but-cosy decor. It's a genuine source of inspiration for our designs, and honestly for our home too. If your wedding is leaning into that lighter, more whimsical side of gothic, that's completely our vibe, and this guide is here to help you find your way into it.
What "Witchy" Actually Means To Us
It started with Charmed and Buffy the Vampire Slayer growing up, and it never really left us. Those shows were the beginning of a love for the magical that followed us into our adult lives, into the home we've built together, and into the studio. We still rewatch Buffy regularly, it's not nostalgia we've grown out of, it's genuinely part of who we are now. That's the specific flavour of witchy we design toward, colourful and a little nostalgic, but felt rather than borrowed.
We tend to think in pastels and purples for this, colours that capture that period and theme. It's genuinely lovely to speak with couples whose whole aesthetic sits in that world, since so many of our designs already feed into it.
“Absolutely beautiful designs for someone who appreciates spooky esthetics!”
Kristina K. | Read all our Google reviews
Our Witchy Wedding Invitations, by Vibe
Witchy isn't one look. Some couples want moons and stars, some want skeletons and bleeding hearts, and some want something that feels like it was found in an old curiosity shop. So we've grouped our collections into four moods, the same way you'll find them on our site: Celestial & Mystical, Gothic & Dark Romance, Tarot & Symbolic, and Victorian & Vintage.
Every design can be printed in any colour or gradient, so if you fall for an illustration, we can almost always shift it into your palette.
I
Celestial & Mystical
The lightest, most whimsical side of witchy. Suns, moons, stars and crystal balls, for couples who want their stationery to feel enchanted.
Crystal Ball
This is where everything began. The idea was a tarot card that was an invitation: not just tarot inspired, but an actual card, in shape and in form, with the weight of something you'd pull from a real deck. That one design led to every collection we've made since. It sits somewhere between gothic and boho, whimsical and witchy. See the Crystal Ball collection.
Celestial Sun & Moon
One of our earliest designs, arriving just after the Crystal Ball. The inspiration was honestly our own home, and that 90s whimsy goth world we grew up in. We wanted something that sat between an art print and a wedding invitation, and it shows off our foil range more beautifully than anything else. If Willow and Tara were to get married, we'd hope they'd choose this one. See the Sun & Moon collection.
Dusk & Dawn
The sun and moon were part of our world long before Birdhouse197 existed, and Dusk & Dawn grew straight out of that. It's one of our most loved designs, especially in foil, because its large surface was made for foiling. Our favourite is the foiled 3-piece suite in a dark to midnight blue gradient with gold throughout. See the Dusk & Dawn collection.
The Sun & The Star
The softer, more celestial end of our range: not full gothic, not full boho, but something otherworldly in between. The arched foiled Sun is totally this vibe, and that illustration always makes us think of funky 90s whimsical decor. The kraft brown version has become one of our most recognised pieces. See The Sun & The Star collection.
II
Gothic & Dark Romance
For witchy with more shadow. Skeletons, anatomical hearts, swords and ghosts, still romantic at heart.
'Til Death Do Us Part
Our flagship gothic design, which began in 2019. The original skeletons came first, and the Skeleton Lovers illustration came later. It was the first design to earn serious attention, and it showed us there were thousands of couples out there who felt the same way we did. One couple even had it tattooed. See the 'Til Death Do Us Part collection.
The Bleeding Heart
This one is personal. The Bleeding Heart was our own wedding invitation in 2022, and it's grown into one of our most developed ranges since, mixing anatomical heart illustration with tarot imagery and gothic romance. See The Bleeding Heart collection.
Star-Crossed Lovers
At a wedding fair, someone told us the Bleeding Heart reminded them of Baz Luhrmann's Romeo + Juliet. We never forgot it. Joshua took the heart, added crossed swords, and made it more dramatic and more extra. The foiled save the date is one of very few designs where the entire front is foiled. See the Star-Crossed Lovers collection.
In This Life & The Next
This one came from a lifetime of being fascinated by ghosts. Ghost hunting at Shibden Hall, a stag do at Chillingham Castle, even a matching ghost tattoo. A ghostly love story that carries on into the next life, with a gothic rose design alongside it. See the In This Life & The Next collection.
III
Tarot & Symbolic
Tarot is at the heart of what we do. Every card carries a meaning, so your stationery can say something about the two of you before a guest has read a word.
The Lovers Tarot
The closest of all our designs to the original Rider-Waite tradition, with our own spin and charm added. The Lovers card is about union and choice, which makes it a natural fit for a wedding. The black with gold foil is one of our favourites: instantly recognisable, a message without any words. See The Lovers Tarot collection.
The Cups Tarot
It started with the Ten of Cups, the celebration card: joy, fulfilment, everything coming together. Then came the Ace of Cups, the card of new beginnings, and the 3-Card Tarot Spread, which lets you lay out your wedding details the way a reader lays out a reading. See The Cups Tarot collection.
IV
Victorian & Vintage
For the witchy couple who loves an antique shop. Keys, candles, lockets and letters that unfold.
The Candle & Key
Probably our most witchy design of all. It started as a biro doodle from Joshua, inspired by Victorian cameo and silhouette portraits, and the gallery wall inside came from our own gallery wall at home. On the custom version your silhouettes sit on the front, so the portrait parts like a pair of doors when it opens. A little bit haunted house, a little bit Downton Abbey. See the Candle & Key collection.
Victorian Folding Letter
Joshua's idea, and inspired by the paper fortune tellers we all made as children. A single illustrated sheet that folds into a neat square and opens in stages, as a save the date or an all in one invitation. We can fold them for you, or send them flat. See the Victorian Folding Letter collection.
Lock & Key
Another Joshua doodle: a heart shaped padlock with crossed keys behind it. It has a secret garden feel, like an old garden door, in pale blues and pastel greens. The lighter, more romantic side of our vintage work. See the Lock & Key collection.
Interlocking Rings
We both chose plain gold wedding bands on our own wedding day, and that simple choice became a design. Timeless rather than spooky, but on black card with a fully foiled front it fits a dark, candlelit wedding beautifully. See the Interlocking Rings collection.
Not Sure Where to Start?
Light and magical
Moody and moonlit
Dusk & Dawn in midnight blue
Dark and romantic
Tarot lovers
The Lovers or the 3-Card Tarot Spread
Invitations that unfold
The Victorian Folding Letter or the Candle & Key gatefold
Still not sure?
Tell us about your day →
and we'll help you choose
Still torn? Our sample packs let you hold a few of our real designs before you decide.
Wiccan, Pagan and Handfasting Ceremonies
We love hearing from couples who are including Wiccan, Pagan or other traditional witchy elements in their day, handfasting ceremonies especially. We always aim to adapt our wording and designs to properly fit these, so your stationery reflects the ceremony itself, not just the aesthetic around it. If that's part of your day, just let us know when you get in touch and we'll work it in from the start.
There's No Rulebook
Weddings can feel like there's a set of rules you're supposed to follow. We don't believe that, and it's a value we share with other suppliers in this space too. Your wedding should fully represent you, your life and the things you're passionate about, not a template of what a wedding is meant to look like.
We've loved connecting with couples through the Dark Wedding Collective and the Alt Wedding Fair, both built around that same idea, that alternative and unconventional love deserves to be celebrated exactly as it is.
Ready to Start?
Pick a vibe above and explore the collection, browse our unique wedding invitations, or get in touch and tell us about your day.
Love, George & Joshua
and Trish, our Sphynx, who “helps” in the studio
