Monograms add a touch of professional polish and elegance to invitation ensembles, programs, menu cards, or any of your wedding stationery. You may be surprised to see that the simple addition of a script letter or two can completely transform the tone of your design.
If you are interested in creating a monogram for your invitation design, read the following step by step instructions for creating one using Microsoft Word.
Note: Microsoft Word 2008 for Mac is used to illustrate the following steps. Although you may be using a PC or a different version of Word, the outline of the steps will be similar.
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Format your Wedding Invitation document first; add a monogram last
Tip: It is easier to visualize your monogram’s placement, size, and appearance if you add it to your invitation design last.
It is recommended that you fully format your document before creating your monogram. Before beginning, be sure your text is in the font, size, color, and location of your choice. A fully formatted invitation card document is shown below.
1 – Insert A Text Box
You will be using a text box to create your monogram, typing the letters into a box that is separate from the rest of your text.
To insert a text box, navigate to:
- Insert
- Text Box
This is illustrated below.
To create the box:
- Place your mouse anywhere in your document
- Drag the mouse to create a box that will be the general size of your monogram
Don’t worry about creating a precisely sized or placed text box. You can always make adjustments later.
Note: When you create your text box, it will most likely push your previously entered text onto another page, as shown below. This will not affect the final appearance of your design, as this will be changed later by altering the layout of the text box.
2 – Type The Monogram Letter(s) Into The Text Box
Now, type the monogram letter or letters of your choice into the text box.
To create a large monogram, change the font size of your letter as indicated below.
3 – Experiment With Fonts
Now, experiment with various fonts for your letter(s) to find the one you prefer. Keep in mind that script fonts are a popular choice for monograms.
4 – Set layout of text box to Behind Text
Once you are satisfied with the size and font of your monogram, you will need to place it behind the invitation text. Do this by formatting the layout of the text box.
To format text box layout, navigate to:
- Format
- Text Box
A window will pop up with various formatting options.
- Select Layout in the top menu
- Click Behind Text
See below:
After changing the layout of the box, your document will look something like the following. Notice the document now fits on its original single page.
5 – Change The Monogram To A Lighter Color
Since you want your monogram to be just a subtle touch to your invitation, you will need to lighten it up and change its color, if you wish.
Choose a lighter shade for your letter by highlighting it, then selecting a new font color, as pictured below.
Once you are satisfied with the color of your monogram, you can reposition and resize it as you see fit.
That’s all there is to it! In just five easy steps you can create a professional, elegant monogram for your wedding design.
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My printer only has these options: square, through, tight, top and bottom, none
There is no behind text of front of text. What should I do?
Hi Brenda,
It sounds like you are just using a different version of Word than what was used in this article, so your settings may be a bit different than the ones you are seeing in the screen shots.
Reading through the text box formatting options you listed, it sounds like “through” would be the option to use to get your monogram behind your invitation text.
I hope this helps, and if you have any questions, please let us know.
I tried this and it worked very well, however, when I print I see the very light blue text box. what did I do wrong?
Thank you,
Sall
Hi Sally,
It sounds like the “Line” properties of your text box are set to light blue, which would make the light blue box print. This is really easy to fix!
Simply right click on your text box, then click “Format Text Box” in the drop down menu that appears.
Next, a “Format Text Box” menu should appear.
In this menu, under the “Line” section, you should see a “Color” option. Click “Color” and a drop down menu should appear. Select “No Line.”
Of course, all versions of Word are slightly different, but the previous steps should be similar in any version. I hope this helps!
Hi Kristen,
It worked like a charm! Thank you!!!!
Sally
Hi, I was just wondering what font the “Z” is? Thanks!
Hi Jillian,
That font is Henry Morgan Hand. You can download it for free by searching for it by name online.
Hi Kristen,
I was wondering if you can help me. I followed all the instructions but mine didn’t came out the same way. The monogram does not look like what you got at all. It was just on top of my text. Please help! thanks.
Hello Allelie,
To get the monogram behind the text, you have to format the text box and set it to “behind text.” You also have to choose a very light color for the monogram so that it does not interfere with the text. If you would like to give us a call, I would be happy to talk you through formatting on the phone.