The date is set, the theme has been chosen, and the guest list is complete. No matter what the event- a birthday party, a baby shower, or a wedding- the invitation is the first glimpse your guests will get into your special occasion. You have thought through every detail and dreamed about the perfection of the event, but your friends and family will finally get their sneak peak at what the special day will be like when they receive the invitation. With thousands of options out there, photo invitations are rapidly becoming a more and more popular choice for all sorts of special occasions. There are several reasons to consider this new trend.

1. They are intentionally personal.

Most special events are a personal celebration of some sort. Whether you are inviting loved ones to witness the marriage of your firstborn or celebrating the first birthday of your grandson, these parties mark important events in your life. What better way to invite others to join in than through invitations that include photos of the person to be honored. Guests will undoubtedly be more excited about the special day when they have a picture of the person that will be celebrated. Photo invitations give each special event a personal and intimate feel that cannot be duplicated with plain invitations that just have fancy, embossed lettering.

2. They provide an outlet for creativity.

Most photo invitations give the opportunity for the person ordering them to have a firsthand role in designing what they will look like. Instead of flipping through a book of hundreds of already designed invitations, you can start from ground zero and work your way up to the finished product. Designing your own photo invitations will give you great ownership over the final product, and it provides a great outlet for those with creativity and a flare for artistic design.

3. They serve more than one purpose.

Obviously, the reason for sending invitations is to alert family and friends of when an important party will take place. You typically only send them to ensure their attendance. However, when most people receive a photo invitation, they will not only be glad to be aware of the details, but they will more than likely decide to hang the invitation on the refrigerator rather than toss it into the trashcan. You see, photo invitations not only serve the purpose of informing, they also serve as a memento of the party before it even takes place.

Clearly, there are many reasons to try using photo invitations for your next important gathering. They can bring a very personal feel to the event, while creatively making something for your guests to hold on to.