Wedding invitations are the first glimpse your guests get of your wedding day - setting the tone, building excitement, a nod to your colour scheme and style and of course, sharing the location. Pinterest, Instagram and TikTok are great places to find design inspiration and incredible bespoke stationery suites – letterpress, layered card, torn edges, foiling, embossing… But these specialist finishes quickly bump up the cost of your wedding invitations. So, what are the alternatives? With a few intentional choices, you can make your wedding stationery budget go further, while still achieving a luxury finish.
Budget Planning for Wedding Invitations
How many wedding invitations do you need?
Calculate quantities accurately and remember that you need one per couple or household, not one per person. This is usually 60% of the final guest count – so if you are having 100 guests, you may need 60 invitations.
Don’t forget to factor in:
- A few spares for last-minute additions or your “B list” – speak with me if you’d like to change or remove the RSVP date on a handful of invitations for your “B” list. It’s possible for you to order 5-10 additional invitations at a later date, but bear in mind that the cost per unit will be more if you do this.
- Extra copies for flat lays and detail shots for your photographer
Rectangular versus shaped card
For bespoke invitation sets, shaped cards are a fantastic way to add a creative twist – they are considered an upgrade though and cost more. Several shapes are available from my printer including round, arched, pebble and wavy, which are more cost-effective than a custom die cut shape. Remember…
- Classic rectangular cards are cheaper than shaped card
- If you do want to introduce a shape, speak with me about the available options my printer already has set up, as these are more cost-effective than custom shapes
- If you are going fully bespoke, then of course, embrace the shaped card trend to personalise your stationery suite
Alternatives to special finishes
We all love those high-end boujie stationery suites on Pinterest - super thick card, embossing, letterpress, foiling etc. While utterly beautiful, these finishes require specialist printing and can cost 3–4 times more than standard digital printing which can impact your wedding stationery budget significantly.
There are other, more cost-effective ways to add creative flair to your invitation design while maintaining a premium finish. Such as incorporating custom artwork like a venue illustration, painting of the local scenery or landscape, a wedding crest, custom map, pet portrait or a special motif. Adding ribbons, wax seals, envelope liners and belly bands is also a more cost-effective way of adding layers, texture and interest than the finishes mentioned above.
Consider bespoke vs semi-custom
Bespoke wedding stationery is perfect if you want something completely unique, with hand painted illustrations, custom layouts and a design fully tailored to you.
However, for smaller wedding stationery budgets, take a look at my wildflower wedding invitations, featuring semi-custom designs that just require a little personalisation. Printed on the finest Italian card stock and supplied with good quality envelopes, each floral invitation is pretty, thoughtfully designed and offers a great way of getting good quality invitations without the bespoke price tag.
Simplify evening invitations
Many clients that opt for folded invitations choose a simple flat invitation for their evening invitations, which works well, as they don’t need as much space for the order of events and detailed guest information. The evening invitations can be designed alongside your main invitations too, keeping everything coherent and looking lovely.
Collect RSVPs online
Collecting RSVP’s online negates the need for traditional mailed RSVP cards, freeing up your stationery budget to spend in other areas. I can add a link to your wedding website or a QR code, which can be placed inside a folded invitation or on the details card for flat invitations. If you do want RSVP cards, but only for some guests (perhaps the ones that are not as tech-savvy with QR codes and the internet) speak with me about printing a small batch (say 20 x ) of RSVP cards for these guests.
Provide information clearly (and double-check it!)
I cannot stress the importance of taking time to check the information you supply. While I know you may be rushing to get information over to each vendor, taking time to check information and wording from the outset reduces the number of back-and-forth revisions, mistakes or reprints.
When approving artwork, pay careful attention to the spelling and grammar, plus any dates and times etc. I recommend having another person proofread it too – so perhaps recruit the help of a trusted family member.
Save on postage where you can
Postage costs can add up quickly, especially with heavier invitation suites. So, hand-deliver invitations to local guests or batches of guests in the same area.
Budget Planning for Day Stationery
Reuse your invitation design
Once your invitations are designed, reuse those elements across your day stationery, including florals, your venue illustration, fonts and typography. There will still be some graphic design costs for your day stationery but doing this is much cheaper than commissioning new hand painted illustrations and ensures a cohesive, considered look throughout your wedding.
Combine stationery products where possible
You can make your ‘day of’ wedding stationery budget go further by merging some of the items:
- Print guest names on menus – this negates the need for place cards
- Add a welcome message to your order of events – this combines your welcome sign and order of events sign, meaning one sign instead of two
- You can also mix bespoke wedding stationery with ready-made items, utilising ready-made table numbers from Amazon or Etsy
Invest in statement signage and stationery
Planning your wedding stationery budget well frees up funds to invest in statement pieces that also serve as décor and styling elements. These become a focal point, act as conversation starters and may provide photo opportunities for your guests.
- Creative escort card display - I designed the installation below for Lauren and Laurie’s wedding, featuring an illustrated back board and shell shaped escort cards with tassels.
- Welcome signs with custom artwork - such as wedding crests or a pet portrait
- Illustrated menus with hand painted ingredients - help personalise your place settings and create a talking point for guests
The Key to Making Your Wedding Stationery Budget Go Further
The most important shift isn’t just saving money - it’s spending intentionally. Instead of trying to include everything, prioritise what your guests will notice, invest in statement pieces to create wow factor, combine or simplify stationery and signage where possible and take guidance from your stationery designer on how to achieve great aesthetics, while staying within your budget.
To chat about wedding stationery for your big day, contact me here.