Ways To Save Money On Your Wedding Invitations
1. Shop Around
Crafting & cardmaking are big business these days & there is a wealth of places where you can get supplies to make your own or buy pre-printed versions at budget prices. Check out stationery stores, card shops or online.
2. Different Printing Techniques
Do some research on the different printing techniques that are available. Engraved invitations are very elegant but are also the most expensive, thermography however, will give the same appearance but cost slightly less.
3. The Little Extras
Some invitations come with a lot of detail & extras such as vellum sleeves, ribbon bows, crystal gems & inner leafs. But give consideration as to the cost of all those extras, you may also be charged a fee to assemble them or you may have to do it yourself.
4. A Package Deal
Look for printers/stationers that can offer you a good package deal, particularly if your budget is tight. Buying a matching range as a full set in a large quantity, can work out cheaper than buying invitations, envelopes, RSVP cards & anything else, separately.
5. One Envelope
It was once tradition to send your wedding invitations in two envelopes so that they would stay pristine. However, these days mail delivery has advanced enough to make just one envelope sufficient. Ask the post office to cancel stamp them by hand to minimize wear & tear.
6. Standard Size Invitations
Don’t be fooled into thinking that you can use first class post as long as your invites weigh less than 1oz. This isn’t the case & besides, most invitations will weigh more than 1oz. You will incur a surcharge of $0.13 on one oz minus envelopes, if any one of the following apply:
* It is a square letter
* It contains very rigid items such as wood or metal
* It has clasps, string, buttons, or similar closure devices
* It has an address parallel to the shorter dimension of the letter
* It contains items such as pens that cause the surface to be uneven
* The length divided by height is less than 1.3 or more than 2.5
The length to height ratio is the main cause for confusion with regards to wedding invitations. Check out the calculator on the post office website, you may think $0.13 doesn’t sound like a lot but it can add up.
7. No Reception Card
If you are holding your ceremony & reception at the same venue then you don’t need to send a separate reception card. Simply write reception to follow or dinner & dancing to follow.
8. Proofread
You should do this for every invitation & every piece of stationery you present to your guests. Many people don’t proof read the invites they send out & it is surprising how many will contain mistakes such as typing errors, mis-spelt names or even the wrong date or time!
9. Postcard RSVP
Your RSVP is simply a card on which your guests will either respond yes or no to your invitation. They are something you file together & will probably flick through regular to check details, numbers or names. They do not need to be anything fancy so you can save money by just including a flat postcard style response card instead of a folded card.
10. Order extra invitations and envelopes
You may think this ludicrous as you are trying to save money, but you will be surprised at how much you will need them! Always have some extra in case of mistakes with the first ones - particularly if you are handwriting them or printing them at home.


