Designing Printed Wedding Memories – Custom Elopement Cards

My love for print… marrying my love for My Love? I got married! It was a little bit elopement style, and of course I needed to design something to mark the occasion. What better way than with wedding greeting cards! Printed thank you cards, and actual physical photos.

As the owner of Cameron graphic design based in Santa Rosa, California, I love creating tangible, beautiful pieces that people can hold in their hands… is what I do best!

It’s not every day your loved ones get dressed up super fancy, so it’s important to capture those moments. And while digital photos are great, a little treat I love to do is print those photos out. Nothing crazy expensive, just a simple gesture that says, I see you, I care about you, and I’m so grateful you were part of this milestone.

For this wedding project, I designed a special mailer greeting card. One side features a photo collage from our day, and the back has a curated media section. Why? Because most of my family lives in a different country, and gathering everyone together in this country didn’t make sense. But they still wanted to experience the day with us. So, I designed a solution that combined my love of print with the reach of digital media. A keepsake that speaks.

The back of the card includes a QR code that links to a Spotify playlist that played during the day, I also including the song I walked out to, and I added links to YouTube videos. 

One of my favorite resources for capturing the day? The Sonoma County Library! They let me rent a 360 camera for free with my library card. This camera allowed us to film the entire ceremony in immersive video, where viewers can literally look around as if they were there. Guests can glance sideways at other audience members, spot our dog wandering in the background, or focus on the flowers swaying overhead. It’s a personalized experience, and it made sharing the day feel more real for loved ones far away.

Designing the cards themselves was a joy. I kept the layout clean, modern, and a little whimsical, which tends to be my usual personal Cameron Graphic Design style. Inside each card, I wrote a handwritten message to each person. I’ve handwritten about 25 cards so far, with a few more left to go.

To finish them off, I ordered baby-animal stamps from USPS. I love finding the right stamp for the right occasion. Though traditional floral wedding stamps were available, the whimsy of the animal stamps felt more authentic to me: a little bright, happy, and playful.

Creating these cards allowed me to share not just photos, but the whole feeling of our wedding day. It became more than just a store bought “we eloped” announcement, it was a physical reminder that they were thought of, even from far away. And that’s what graphic design is about for me: communicating a message through intentional design.

Are you planning an elopement-style wedding or small ceremony but feeling a little sad about not sharing the moment with everyone? I know that feeling. These elopement greeting cards helped me feel confident in my special day. It’s a simple but powerful way to connect with friends and family, no matter where they are.

If you’d like a custom design to share your day too, I’d love to help. At Cameron Graphic Design, I specialize in creating custom printed pieces that tell your story, whether that’s a wedding thank you card, a custom logo, or any other printed material. Let’s make sure all your loved ones can celebrate your day with you.