How to save money on wedding invitations: 9 tips
Planning your dream wedding is a balance of details, logistics, and budget. One key component of wedding planning (that can add up quickly) is designing and sending wedding invitations. Luckily, there are countless ways to make beautiful invitations that stand out and inform your guests of everything they need to know for the big day. With a little creativity and thoughtful planning, you can create stunning wedding invitations that won’t break the bank.
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1. Opt for online invitations
Going digital is a smart solution for saving money during wedding planning. With no printing, postage, or physical materials required, digital wedding invitations save on cost while delivering the same elegance and personalization of printed invitations—plus, they’re more environmentally friendly. Here’s to being eco AND cost-conscious!
The right invitation sets the tone for your wedding, and Paperless Post’s selection of affordable wedding invitations combines style and elegance with exclusive designs, making online invitations feel just as luxe as their printed counterparts. With exclusive partner collections like Oscar de la Renta, Monique Lhuillier, Rifle Paper Co., and more, there are invitation designs that complement any wedding aesthetic, from modern to classic and everything in between.
With our guest management features, you can track RSVPs, manage your guest list, and send timely updates in one streamlined platform. Going digital means everything is organized, customized, and all in one place, so you can spend less time on the details and more on the celebration.
2. Make your invitation your wedding website
With Paperless Post, your wedding invitation can function as a wedding website that centralizes all details in one convenient place. Essential information such as itineraries, venue details, directions, travel accommodations, and registry links are all easily accessible with Blocks, making the planning process easier for you and your guests.
You can even create a Custom URL for your big day, giving you a unique, easy-to-share link for your wedding website. This way, guests can find and reference key details from their laptop or mobile device.
With Paperless Post’s user-friendly platform, you can easily update details as your plans evolve, ensuring everyone stays informed of any changes. This seamless integration of your invitation and wedding website not only enhances the guest experience but allows you to stay organized and on top of it all.
3. Get digital RSVPs
In addition to saving money, digital wedding invitations have an extra layer of convenience when it comes to tracking RSVPs. Paperless Post’s built-in RSVP tracking makes the rest of your wedding planning a breeze. Guests can RSVP instantly, allowing you to manage responses in real-time and organize them using Guest Tags—for instance, you can add tags based on meal preferences or the guest’s relationship to you.
Digital RSVPs also eliminate the need for traditional printed response cards, envelopes, or postage—and any mailing headaches like delays or lost invitations. With Paperless Post, you can easily follow up with any guests who haven’t responded via broadcast message, ensuring that nothing (or no one) slips through the cracks.
4. Keep invitations simple
To save money on invitations, keep it simple by limiting premium elements without sacrificing style:
- If you plan to order printed invitations, stick to standard sizes (4×6 or 5×7). Custom invitation sizes typically require specific paper, envelopes, or more postage—and incur a higher cost. Standard sizing doesn’t mean your invitations have to be basic.
- Embellishments like wax seals, foil stamping, die-cut designs, and individual inserts are visually appealing and unique, but they might not be necessary and could significantly affect the cost of printed invitations. You can achieve maximum impact with a more budget-friendly design.
- Digital printing can be a more cost-effective solution compared to other printing techniques, allowing you to achieve beautiful, high-quality designs without incurring high printing expenses. For those considering digital printing options, Paper Source offers stylish, customizable templates with short lead times.
- If you plan to send online wedding invitations, limit premium design elements to reduce costs. At Paperless Post, we offer a variety of beautiful free and premium design options to cater to every budget.
5. Limit invitations to close family and friends
When it comes to sending out wedding invitations, consider limiting printed invitations to close family and friends. This will help manage costs while allowing you to create a heartfelt keepsake for those who mean the most to you. Sending digital invitations to the rest of your guest list is a practical alternative that delivers the same celebratory spirit of your wedding day.
To ensure a cohesive look between your online and printed wedding invitations, you can utilize Paper Source, our exclusive print partner, to create beautiful printed invitations that match your digital Paperless Post design. This way, all your guests will enjoy a coordinated design that reflects your wedding aesthetic.
6. DIY it
If you’re feeling creative, design and print your own wedding invitations. DIY projects are more accessible than ever with the help of Google and YouTube tutorials, especially for DIY wedding projects.
DIY wedding invitations have their perks: they’re ultra-personal and allow complete creative control. However, keep in mind that DIY projects can potentially cost just as much, if not more, than working with a wedding invitation supplier. Plan ahead by calculating your DIY project cost and accounting for all the essential details. Our guide to wedding invitation etiquette ensures you’ll have everything covered for your special day.
If you’re planning on printing your DIY invitations, opt for an affordable paper option like a matte—rather than a glossy, textured, or heavy-weight paper—to keep costs low. Laser printers and ink cartridges can be pricey, so choose a simple design template that can be printed in black and white. Streamline the information to create a one-sided invitation and use templates for mailing labels.
7. Plan ahead
If you have the ability to place an invitation order early in the planning process, do so. Ample lead time helps you avoid costly rush orders that can put a significant strain on your budget and your stress levels. Ordering early also allows time for thorough review, edits, and fine-tuning of your design without having to make decisions under the pressure of a tight deadline.
Ordering in advance can also help you coordinate with other elements of your wedding planning, such as save the dates and thank you cards, creating a cohesive look throughout all your wedding events. By ordering early, you can find affordable wedding invitations while maintaining a high-quality product—and keep your cool through it all.
8. Proofread…then proofread again
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. Luckily, they can be prevented by simply taking the time to proofread and triple-check your work.
Proofreading prevents any punctuation, grammatical, or spelling errors. Taking the time to proofread your printed invitations and catch mistakes will save you from having to reorder and reprint all of your invitations again at a later date, doubling the initial cost. It may seem tedious, but we promise it’s worth the time.
With Paperless Post’s digital wedding invitations, you have the flexibility to make edits or adjustments at any time—even after you’ve sent them out!
9. Be a savvy shopper
Keep the cost of your wedding invitations down by looking for promotions, discounts, and special offers. Many companies frequently have seasonal sales, holiday discounts, or rates for first-time buyers. Stay in the loop by following your favorite companies, like Paperless Post, on Instagram and by signing up for emails, so you’ll be the first to hear about exclusive deals and special offers.
Send affordable wedding invitations with Paperless Post
Now that you’re equipped with our top tips for affordable wedding invitations, you can find the perfect invitation that reflects your unique wedding aesthetic while staying within your budget. Whether you choose to make Paperless Post your one-stop shop for all wedding planning, prefer a DIY approach, or opt for a combination of both, you’ll create a wedding invitation that impresses your guests and keeps your expenses in check.
Customizable designs from Oscar de la Renta, Rifle Paper Co., kate spade new york, and more.
