Birds of Paradise Typeface
Birds of Paradise is a calligraphy script font designed by Guilhem Greco and published by his foundry, Herofonts (copyright 2014). Its big, looping capitals and connected lowercase make it a popular choice for wedding stationery, monograms and tattoo lettering. The free version is for personal use only.
Try Your Own Text
What Makes It Recognisable
It looks like it was written with a pointed dip pen. The letters lean forward and flow into each other, so a word reads like one movement of the hand rather than a row of separate shapes.
The capitals do most of the work. Their swashes loop well above the normal letter height, which is why one capital can carry a whole monogram, and why the font looks best with one or two words rather than a full sentence.
The lowercase is tighter and more regular. Thin hairline upstrokes meet heavy downstrokes, just like ink from a nib you press harder on the way down. That contrast is lovely at large sizes but disappears below about 18px, so keep it big.
Key Features
Font File Details
From the .ttfWhere to Use It (and Where Not To)
Good fits, bad fits, and what the free license covers.
Wedding invitations & save-the-dates
Couple names, "Save the Date" headers and place cards. This is where the font gets used most.
Monograms & name designs
Initials, name signs, gift tags and framed prints for your home.
Tattoo lettering
Names, dates and short words, set large enough for the hairlines to survive.
Paragraphs & body text
Not built for sentences you have to actually read.
Logos, packaging, books & videos (on the free version)
Brand marks, product labels, book covers, YouTube thumbnails and ads.
Similar Fonts You Can Use Commercially
These are free on Google Fonts under the SIL Open Font License, so they're an option when you can't buy a Birds of Paradise license.
Great Vibes
The closest free match. Similar looping capitals and a smooth connected lowercase, and you can use it commercially.
Designer: Robert Leuschke (TypeSETit)
Google Fonts, SIL Open Font License
View on Google Fonts →
Allura
Calmer and easier to read than Birds of Paradise. A safe pick for invitations with longer names.
Designer: Robert Leuschke (TypeSETit)
Google Fonts, SIL Open Font License
View on Google Fonts →
Alex Brush
Heavier strokes, so it holds up better on vinyl cuts and small prints.
Designer: Robert Leuschke (TypeSETit)
Google Fonts, SIL Open Font License
View on Google Fonts →
Parisienne
More relaxed and upright. Good when Birds of Paradise feels too dramatic.
Designer: Astigmatic
Google Fonts, SIL Open Font License
View on Google Fonts →
Designer credits for the alternatives come from their Google Fonts pages. See the full comparison in our alternatives guide.
Get Birds of Paradise for Your Design
The free personal-use version (a 153 KB .ttf file) is linked from our download page, along with install steps.