Wedding invitations serve as the first glimpse into what the style of your wedding is going to be, so we all know they have to make a lasting impression, but that doesn’t mean you have to blow your budget here! It’s no secret that invitations, response cards, save-the-dates, menu cards, programs, thank-you cards, and place cards (woah, that’s a lot) can increase your stationery cost v quickly, so we brought in the experts to share their insider tips on how you can get the same look of the stationery suite that’s pinned to your Pinterest board, without spending all the dollars.
Image via Lily & Roe Co., Photo by Sanaz Photography
Order online!
“Working with an online Invitation vendor can be a great way to save money (and time) on your invitations because designer invitations require a lot more time at a designer’s rate and printing can be much pricier too! Design studios and custom printed invitations generally cost 6%-10% percent of your total wedding budget. Online invitation vendors stationery pricing works out closer to 2%-5% of your total budget. At Love on Paper, we offer easy and free online customization with instant preview, enclosures for as many wedding events as you need and the option to add religious and cultural symbols and scripts. And for a luxury feel, you can order a signature folio or pocket with real gold or silver foil on Italian shimmer card stock for a fraction of the stationery cost. This could mean a saving of thousands! – Andaleeb Firdosy of Love on Paper
Image via Azure , Photo by Vanessa Hicks Photography
Skip letterpress and foil details.
“Letterpress and foil stamping are beautiful print methods, but they can be pricey. If you adore the look of these luxurious printing options but can’t afford to print your entire wedding suite that way, opt for letterpress or foil only on the main invitation and print the remaining cards digitally. This is a great way to make your invitation stand out and to stay within budget on your wedding stationery. At Lily & Roe Co. we offer our brides the option to mix and match their print methods to achieve a look that is both beautiful and cost-effective.” – Kori Trotter, of Lily & Roe Co.
Image via Lily & Roe Co., Photo by Sanaz Photography
Choose your words wisely.
“Wording can be a great and often overlooked way to plus up your stationery without added cost. Consider adding a request for a favorite drink or dessert recipe to your RSVP card for guests to write in on the back. Then, when you get these back, be sure to have them bound as a special guest book or recipe book. This kind of request can add to the experience of receiving the invite for the guest in a way that fancy printing does not.” – Andaleeb Firdosy of Azure
Image via Azure , Photo by Vanessa Hicks Photography
Forego Sending a Save the Date by Sending Out Your Invitations Early.
“If you are organized and can send your invites out 3 or more months in advance (instead of 6-8 weeks) you can save by skipping this fairly recent practice of a card that lets people know an invite is coming. And if you include a line for an email address on the RSVP card, you can easily send out a reminder email a month before the wedding.” – Andaleeb Firdosy of Azure
Image via Lily & Roe Co., Photo by Sanaz Photography
Simplify Your RSVP Stationery.
“If your guests are tech-savvy consider going digital for your RSVPs with a single card with details rather than a full Reply card set. This will save you on postage and on printing. Or, you can also go for an RSVP postcard instead of the card and envelope. These options are chic, modern and smart ways to save!” – Andaleeb Firdosy of Azure
Image via Lily & Roe Co., Photo by Sanaz Photography
Still looking to nail down the exact look of your stationery? Check out our favorite stationery trends of the year.