For wedding invitation artwork, send the original file in the format your stationer requests, with the intended printed size and a clearly labeled preview. Vector artwork suits scalable lines and lettering; photographs and painted artwork need enough pixels at their final size. Keep screenshots for reference, preserve an editable master, and confirm the production requirements before exporting.
Start with what you are handing over
A small illustration to place above your names is a different handoff from a complete invitation layout. Tell your stationer which you have. An individual artwork file may need room around its edges so the designer can position it; a finished layout needs the correct page size and production setup.
Before sending anything, identify the item, placement, and approximate size: “Botanical sprig for the details card, about 1.5 inches tall.” If the same artwork will appear on multiple pieces, list those uses together. The smallest application can expose overly fine details, while the largest can reveal limited image resolution.
This conversation also establishes whether supplied artwork is accepted for the product you are ordering. A beautiful file alone does not establish that a particular invitation design or printing method can accommodate it.
Look inside the file, beyond its extension
Vector artwork describes shapes and paths. Raster artwork stores a grid of pixels. Adobe’s guide to raster and vector files explains that PDFs can contain both. An illustrator’s vector border and a screenshot placed on a PDF page can therefore share the same file extension.
For clean linework, ask the creator whether an original vector version exists. For a photograph or painted texture, a good raster original may be the appropriate source. Changing a filename or exporting a small image into a different container does not establish that the artwork has become scalable vector paths.
- AI, EPS, or SVG: possible sources for vector artwork, subject to the stationer’s accepted formats and inspection of their contents.
- PDF: useful for sharing a layout, but its images, fonts, and export settings still need checking.
- JPEG, PNG, or TIFF: image formats whose suitability depends on the original quality, pixel dimensions, and intended use.
JPEG compression can discard image detail, as Adobe’s compression reference explains. Keep the creator’s original and avoid making a chain of edited, recompressed copies simply to reduce attachment size.
Calculate resolution at the size it will print
The useful question is “How many pixels will fit into each printed inch?” This is effective resolution, expressed in pixels per inch, or PPI. Adobe describes 300 PPI as a common standard for high-quality prints. Treat it as a starting point for continuous-tone artwork, then follow your printer’s requirements.
Effective PPI = pixels along one dimension ÷ printed inches along that dimension. Check both width and height after the intended crop. These original examples show why the final placement matters:
- A 1,800 × 1,200-pixel image placed at 6 × 4 inches supplies 300 PPI in both directions.
- The same image placed at 3 × 2 inches supplies 600 PPI. It contains the same pixels, concentrated into a smaller area.
- A cropped detail containing 600 × 600 pixels supplies 300 PPI at 2 × 2 inches, but only 200 PPI at 3 × 3 inches.
Count the pixels in the portion you will actually use. A large canvas with generous blank space can make a tiny central motif seem better supplied than it is. Likewise, the full photograph’s dimensions cannot describe a much smaller detail cropped from it.
Simply changing a resolution label to “300” adds no detail when the pixel count stays unchanged. Adobe’s print-dimension instructions distinguish adjustments that preserve existing pixels. If the source is too small, first ask for the original or discuss a smaller placement.
Use screenshots to explain, then retrieve the source
A screenshot can show which version you mean or where a decoration should sit. Label it “reference only,” especially when you also send a production file. This helps prevent a convenient preview from being mistaken for the artwork to print.
A screen capture records what was displayed, including its size, crop, and any interface elements. It does not carry the original drawing’s editable paths merely because the drawing looked crisp on your phone. For example, a motif occupying 420 pixels across a screenshot would supply just 140 PPI when printed 3 inches wide.
Ask the artist for the original export, retrieve the actual attachment rather than capturing its preview, or download the source through the creator’s authorized delivery link. If only a screenshot remains, describe that limitation honestly and ask what alternatives are possible before approving production.
Keep a master, a production export, and a preview
These three versions serve different purposes. The master preserves editable artwork for corrections. The production export follows the receiving stationer’s instructions. The preview makes the intended appearance easy to recognize.
Use matching, descriptive names such as “Carter-Lee_Sprig_v03_MASTER,” “Carter-Lee_Sprig_v03_PRINT,” and “Carter-Lee_Sprig_v03_PREVIEW,” retaining the correct extensions. Include a date if several people are exchanging revisions. Avoid leaving two files both labeled “final” in the delivery folder.
If the stationer requests an editable source package, linked assets may need to travel with it. Adobe’s Illustrator packaging instructions cover collecting linked graphics and identifying missing resources. They also warn that font licenses must permit copying. Have the creator prepare the requested package rather than assuming every supporting file can be forwarded freely.
Make text easy to check and safe to revise
Send the exact names, date, location, and other wording as selectable text alongside the visual preview. This gives the designer a dependable reference for spelling, punctuation, accents, and capitalization. Mark which wording is approved and which details are still pending.
Ask whether the production file should retain embedded fonts or use outlined lettering. Adobe notes that outlined text loses its normal text-editing properties. If outlines are requested, keep a separate live-text master so a corrected name does not require rebuilding the lettering. Review the actual exported file after any change.
Confirm specifications for this printing method
There is no universal export recipe for every invitation. Ask for the required file format, color setup, final size, and any minimum line thickness. Where artwork reaches a trimmed edge, ask about bleed; where text approaches that edge, ask about safe placement.
Fine line artwork may need different handling from a photograph. For example, Boxcar Press’s letterpress file guidance distinguishes high-resolution line scans from halftone images and calls for checking plate-specific line minimums. Those are examples of process-specific requirements, not default settings for all wedding stationery.
Share the printer’s instructions with the artwork creator before paying for a new export or revision. That can prevent a technically polished file from being prepared for the wrong process.
Your artwork handoff checklist
Before sending the folder, confirm these practical details:
- Purpose: Name the invitation item and state whether you are supplying an artwork element or a complete layout.
- Dimensions: Give the intended printed width and height, plus any other sizes where the artwork will appear.
- Quality: Confirm that raster artwork has been checked at its final crop and size; flag any screenshot-only source.
- Versions: Identify the current production file and label previews clearly. Move superseded versions out of the delivery folder.
- Wording: Provide selectable copy and call out details awaiting confirmation.
- Dependencies: Supply requested linked assets and permitted font resources, or have the creator prepare the agreed alternative.
- Instructions: Include requested crop, placement, and color notes. State whether the background is intentional.
- Access: Check that the recipient can open the supplied files or delivery link, and include any applicable artwork-use permission.
A concise handoff note might read: “Please use version 03 for the details card, approximately 1.5 inches tall. The preview shows the preferred placement. The attached wording is approved; please flag any file or size concerns before preparing the proof.”
Check the proof at a realistic size
Review the complete layout and the small details separately. Check that the correct artwork version appears, nothing important has been cropped, and the wording matches your approved copy. A home print at actual size can help you judge proportions and readability, although it cannot establish the final paper, color, or finish.
Ask what proofing is available for the ordered product and what approval covers. Clear files make the handoff easier; a careful final review connects those files to the invitation your guests will receive.
Connect the file handoff to your LunaInvites order
For a product example, the Black Envelope Clear Acrylic Wedding Invitations with Gold Border includes a clear acrylic invitation card and a black envelope. Its product page describes gold printing and personalization of names, event details, fonts, and layout. Confirm any supplied-artwork request with LunaInvites before preparing files; this guide does not establish that every custom illustration or file format is supported on that model.
The digital design draft is the design-approval step for the physical order. Review the layout and request needed revisions before final approval. Under the current shipping policy, U.S. shipping is free and estimated total delivery is approximately 7–8 days after final proof approval, including 2 days of production. This is an estimate, not a guaranteed arrival date; allow time for design preparation and revisions before that approval.
If you are commissioning a drawing, use our venue illustration checklist to clarify the creative brief and usage permission. For judging the finished layout, our invitation readability guide helps you assess the wording at actual size.
Cover: AI-assisted editorial layout based on a real LunaInvites product photograph. Styling props are not described as included in the invitation set. Product and policy information checked October 17, 2026.