13 ways to save money on wedding invitations

Let’s face it, weddings can be a bit pricey—well, really pricey. However, the trick to budgeting your wedding is all in the details. That said, one of the most important details of wedding planning (that can add up quickly) is creating wedding invitations. There are many decorative elements and fun ways to let your guests know about the big day. However, you don’t need to break the bank. Read on for our top tips regarding how to save money on wedding invitations.

1. Keep it simple

Nowadays, decorative elements are seemingly endless with the ability to customize your wedding invitation any way you’d like. Everyone hopes that their wedding invitation ideas will come to life and stand out from the crowd. From wax seals to foil pressing, there are numerous ways to design your wedding invitations. However, sometimes simple is simply better, especially when you are on a budget. 

2. Limit decorative elements

When it comes to designing your wedding invitation, choose one or two elements that you consider “must-haves” for your invitation. Start with the basics and add one or two decorative elements. You’d be surprised how much a simple touch can tie the invitation together beautifully without going overboard.

Consider which decorative elements will be more expensive in the long run. For example, a wax seal or belly band will significantly add to the overall weight of the invitation. That’s because each invitation will weigh slightly more, which will increase the overall shipping price. Instead, opt for lightweight decorative elements such as foil pressing or calligraphy.

3. Use a simple envelope

The decorative aspect of wedding invitations also includes the envelope and envelope liner as well. If there is an area to cut back on when it comes to decorative elements, it’s the envelope. A wedding guest will be more focused on the contents of the envelope. Sadly, guests are likely to throw the envelope away entirely after opening it. With that in mind, consider choosing a simple yet elegant envelope without decorative elements. This will save you a good amount of money that you can apply to other areas of the wedding instead.

4. Avoid using top-of-the-line paper

Similar to printing style, paper type also plays a significant role in the cost of your wedding invitations. Cotton or linen will all be on the pricier side when it comes to wedding invitation stationery. For a cheaper option, opt for cardstock or a cotton blend instead which is typically on the cheaper end when it comes to paper types.

5. Trim the number of invitation layers

Another way you can keep your wedding invitation costs to a minimum is by being mindful of how much you are adding to your invitation suite. A wedding invitation suite typically includes the wedding invitation itself, a response card, reception information, and any other details regarding the event. A good way to limit the number of layers in your invitation suite is by going digital with detailed information regarding the wedding. You can skip the enclosure cards that typically include the more minute details and instead include a link to a website that has this information. In doing so, you will save on extra printing and shipping costs when sending out your wedding invitations.

6. Go with online wedding invitations

Making use of technology during your wedding invitation process can save you quite a bit of money in the long run. Traditionally, details of the wedding day are expected via mail in an invitation suite. However, with a variety of digital wedding invitation options in today’s day and age, many couples are opting for online options which not only save money but save a few trees as well. 

When looking for a cost-effective wedding invitation, one of the best options is to send invitations online. Not only are online wedding invitations affordable, but they are also incredibly convenient for you and each wedding guest.

7. Go digital with Paperless Post

At Paperless Post, we offer a wide variety of beautifully crafted, paperless online invitations. Given that shipping and printing services are not necessary with an online invitation, opting for a paperless wedding invitation can significantly reduce the cost of your wedding invitation budget. 

In addition to saving money, online wedding invitations have an extra layer of convenience as well when it comes to RSVPs and tracking responses. Not only do we make it easy to communicate with your guest list all at once, but the built-in RSVP tracking makes the rest of your wedding planning much easier as well. With the little things taken care of, you can spend more time focusing on the details of your wedding!

We also offer exclusive designs to make online invitations feel just as luxe as their printed counterparts. From Oscar de la Renta to Anita Dongre, we have elegant, classic, and modern wedding invitations to kick your wedding off in style. 

7. Create a wedding website

If however, you decide not to go entirely digital with your wedding invitations, you can still make use of technology to save money. That said, using a wedding website to communicate with your guests helps keep your invitation straightforward and simple. With Paperless Post, your wedding invitation can double as a wedding website with the option to add customizable Blocks to provide information on travel, accommodations, wedding party, and registry link. You also have the option to choose a Custom URL in order to make your wedding website easy to remember.

Not only does going digital with your wedding invitation process provide you and your guests a sense of convenience, but it also helps with organization, reducing the potential misplacement of the invitation.

8. Consider printing prices

Aside from the decorative elements, printing wedding invitations can also get quite pricey depending on the printing style used. That said, engraving and letterpress are relatively more expensive types of printing as opposed to thermography and digital printing. 

When ordering printed wedding invitations, you can request a cheaper, digital printing option. While some designers and suppliers are set on using a certain printing style (read: fine printing), it is worth exploring if digital printing is an option. You can be honest and say you have a specific budget for your wedding invitations. In fact, some designers may even send you the print-ready digital version and allow you to print the invitations yourself at a print shop of your choosing.

9. Take the DIY route

It’s safe to say that DIY projects are easier now than ever with the help of Google and Youtube tutorials—and this is especially true when it comes to DIY wedding projects. If you are looking for the cheapest way to do wedding invitations, you can always create your own invitation.

DIY wedding invitations are a nice way to add a personal touch to an incredibly important part of the wedding process. Not only do you have full creative control over designing and creating the wedding invitation, but you also can make adjustments based on your budget throughout the project.

It is important, however, to keep in mind that DIY projects, such as wedding invitations, can end up being the same price if not more than a wedding invitation supplier. With that in mind, you will want to be sure to plan accordingly and calculate how much a DIY wedding invitation project will cost ahead of time. 

If you are taking the DIY invitation route, don’t forget the “must-have” details. Many people overlook the proper way to format their wedding invitations when deciding to DIY their invites. For tips and tricks, check out our guide to wedding invitation etiquette.

10. Send one invitation per household

Another way to save money on wedding invitations is by being aware of how many invitations you are sending out and making sure that you are sending invitations to households rather than guests individually. For example, if you are inviting a couple or a family, you will want to be sure to send one invitation addressed to both of them or the whole family. In doing so, you will avoid any unnecessary extra invitations which can sneak up in the overall cost.

11. Order extra invitations

Speaking of extra invitations, ordering a few more may seem more costly and tedious, but it can save you money in the long run. More than likely, you will end up needing a few extra invitations. Perhaps you misplaced a card or two, it got lost in the mail, or you forgot to invite someone (it happens), and having an extra invitation ready to send can be a saving grace in moments like these. That said, it is much cheaper to tack on a few extra invitations in your initial order as opposed to going back and ordering more at a later point in time.

12. Proofread, then proofread again

Proofreading prevents any punctuation, grammatical, or misspelling errors while also making sure that all of the necessary information is included. That said, when it comes to your wedding invitations, the last thing you want is a misspelled word or a grammatical error. Unfortunately, mistakes like these are more common than you’d think, however, they can be prevented simply by taking the time to proofread…over and over again. 

When it comes to proofreading, you can’t overdo it. Once you have read over the invitation, ask a friend or family member to proofread it as well. It may help to have a print-out version of your invitation to proofread.  You may catch mistakes you would have missed on a screen, or while proofreading digitally. 

Taking the time to proofread and catch mistakes will save you from potentially having to reorder all of your invitations again at a later date, doubling the initial cost. It may seem tedious, but we promise proofreading is worth the time it takes.

13. Now get to inviting!

Now that you know all of the top tips when it comes to affordable wedding invitations, you can get started on creating a wedding invitation that will be as beautiful as it is affordable. Whether you decide to utilize online wedding invitations, communicate your budget to a designer, or simply take the DIY route, you’ll want to make sure your wedding invitation gets guests excited about your big wedding day to come.

Browse Online Wedding Invitations

Still wondering how much do wedding invitations cost? Our guide will explain the cost factors and the average price you will pay to invite your friends and family to your special day.