2026 Cards & Pockets Invitation Design Contest
Now accepting entries
The 2026 Invitation Design Contest
Show us the invitations you’re proudest of. Professional designers and DIY couples, this one’s for you.
Entries close Sunday, November 22 at 11:59pm EST
Entries open
November 2
Entries close
November 22, 11:59pm EST
Winners announced
December 11
Show us what you made this year
Every year, our papers turn into invitations we never could have dreamed up ourselves. This contest is our way of celebrating the people behind them. Enter your favorite suite from this year for a chance to win C&P gift cards, a custom award plaque, and a feature on our blog, website, and socials.
How to enter
1
Pick your category
Professional or DIY. It’s based on your experience, not the style of your design.
2
Photograph your suite
Choose your best shot! Upload one clear, well-lit, high-resolution photo of your suite.
3
Submit the entry form
Fill it out by November 22 at 11:59pm EST. That’s it. No posting or tagging required.
Which category should you enter?
Your category is based on your experience, not the style or complexity of your design.
Professional
You’ve been paid to design or produce stationery for another person or business in the last 3 years. This includes:
- Freelance designers and calligraphers
- Side gigs and Etsy shops
- Owners and employees of stationery, design, or print businesses
Making your own wedding stationery as a pro? You still enter Professional.
DIY
You made it for your own wedding or event, or for friends and family free of charge. And:
- You haven’t been paid for stationery work in the last 3 years
- You don’t sell stationery designs, templates, or printed goods
Designed it for a paying client? It belongs in Professional, entered by the designer. We review every entry’s category before judging and may move an entry to the correct category.
The top 3 in each category win
In both Professional and DIY.
A C&P gift card
$5001st
$3002nd
$1003rd
A winner badge
and a feature on our blog, website, and socials.
A custom award plaque
made in-house by our team.
Two more ways to win
Every entry is automatically in the running for both. A category winner can win a bonus award too.
How judging works
Entries are judged by the Cards & Pockets team and only compared to others in the same category. Each one is scored on:
First Impression
Would it stop someone mid-scroll?
Design and Readability
Are the details easy to read? Do the colors and fonts feel like they belong together?
Craftsmanship
Is it clean, neat, and well made?
Creative Use of Paper
Does it make the most of pockets, colors, textures, layers, or laser cuts?
Meet last year’s winners
A little inspiration from the 2025 contest.
The quick rules
- Open to U.S. residents 18 and older.
- Each entry must be your own original design.
- Designed and produced on or after November 23, 2025.
- Designs entered in a previous Cards & Pockets contest can’t be entered again.
- Your design must include at least one Cards & Pockets product.
- Up to 3 entries per person.
Full contest rules are on the entry form. Read the official rules
Questions? We’ve got answers.
Do I need to post on social media to enter?
Nope. Entries are only accepted through the entry form. (We’d still love a tag if you share it!)
Can my entry win more than one award?
Yes. A category winner can also win Best Laser Cut Design or the C&P Choice Award.
Can I enter more than one design?
Yes! You can submit up to 3 entries. Each one is judged on its own.
I entered a design last year. Can I enter it again?
Designs entered in a previous Cards & Pockets contest aren’t eligible, but we’d love to see something new from you!
What should my photos look like?
Upload one high-resolution photo per entry. It should be an original photo of your real, printed suite, so no AI-generated or AI-edited images, please. Natural light and a simple background help every detail shine.
How will I know if I won?
We’ll email winners privately before the public announcement on December 11.
Will you share my entry?
Entries may be featured on our website, blog, email, and socials, always with credit to you and your photographer.
Mark your calendar
Entries close Sunday, November 22 at 11:59pm EST. Winners will be announced Friday, December 11. Open to U.S. residents 18+.
This contest is not sponsored, endorsed, or administered by Instagram or Meta.