The Average cost of wedding invitations in 2020
By Eivan’s Wedding Team
Your big day is around the corner! You have settled on the wedding date, venue, theme and your guest list. At this point, you ought to start laying down the wedding planning budget starting with the wedding stationery. How much do wedding invitations cost? When it comes to your wedding budget, the first most important thing is to figure out how many guests you are inviting. The total cost of the wedding invitation budget is determined by the number of guests.
We have compiled a guide to help you know the average cost of wedding invitations. We will also offer you some tips on how you can costs without cutting corners.
Wedding invitation costs to consider before sending them out
Your wedding invites should be as unique as you are. Design style, paper type, envelopes, and all any other additions you want to add on. Here’s how we make it affordable and unique.
Wedding invitation design elements. Every invitation is unique because of the details you choose to add. The design is what tells your guests if your wedding will be elegant, formal or simple and casual. Design details to consider include:
Photography – Printing your engagement photos on the wedding invitations is affordable and a cool way to show off yourselves as a couple. Most couples go for this option because its’ easy to get the perfect invitation cards.
Engraved design – If you want to make your invitation stand out, then go for this design. It will cost you a bit more but give you the exceptional results you desire.
Letter pressed – This design gives your invitation cards a classic look that most couples want. If you have a roomy budget, you can go for letterpress.
Thermography design – It is a modern mix design between the spot color and engraving. It uses heat to melt ink and glue on to the paper giving you a shiny plastic like cards. Thermography is best if you have a good budget allocated to the invitation cards.
Foil stamping – This design come in a variety of colors to choose from and adds definition to the cards. They are quite affordable ad most couples pick them because of the statement they make.
Calligraphy – This design writing is a bit higher generally ranging between $200-400. It could go higher depending on the calligrapher or the package agreed. That said, this inscription stands out from the normal printed cards.
Glitter – If you like your invitations sparkling go for glitter design. They are quite affordable adding only up to 10% to your overall card cost. Etsy and other online shops stock a variety of glitters you can choose from.
Color – This is a fun way to add flair to your invitations. Use your wedding theme colors on the invitations to alert your guests on the colors of the big day. Colored invitations are quite affordable.
Embossed design – If you opt for a monogram or large scale text, choose this design. It’s unlikely to use this printing method for the invitation cards alone. To maximize its usage, you may opt to use it for response cards or thank you notes as well.
Digital printing process – Depending on the printer they are working with, they could use digital, flat or offset printing which is generally an affordable option. It is effective on most paper types making it the one of the most useful printing method.
Wedding invitations paper types.
There are many different types of papers that are used to make cards. Here we discuss the types of papers to help you find the appropriate and the most affordable.
Matte – This is a common wedding paper for use across the states. It is quite affordable in price and has a clean crisp look making it stand out in a simple yet elegant way.
Cotton fiber – This paper is best used with the letterpress. It is high in price costing about $30 for 100 sheets.
Glossy – It is similar with the matte type but shinier. It is affordable in price and commonly used in most wedding invitations.
Felt cardstock – It is a thicker type of paper, costing a bit more than the standard card paper. It costs about $25 per 100 sheets.
Handmade paper – This is trending in the modern day weddings. It’s affordable costing about $20 per 100 sheets and encourages many couples to go green
Recycled paper – It is similar to the handmade paper. It’s a DIY paper from recycled materials and plants. It is an affordable choice especially for couples who want to emphasize the use of recycled materials to take care of the environment.
Vellum – This is a see through paper that is great for layering with a thicker paper. It is affordable costing about $17 for 100 sheets.
Parchment – This is the most affordable option at $15 per 100 sheets. It can be easily layered with the vellum paper to create an outstanding design.
Linen – This is an affordable option for couples who have a tight budget and don’t want to sacrifice too much for the invitation cards. It costs about $17 for 100 sheets.
Glassine – It’s very similar to vellum in both price and look but it comes with a waxy look.
Wedding invitation cards envelopes.
If you happen to purchase your cards online, most companies will include the cost of envelopes in the card price. Some companies even give you an option to have your envelopes customized to your style. Others will offer you free address printing to help you manage the workload of addressing each card and sending them out. Bottom line, we advise you to use the online sellers for better services. However, if you choose to buy envelopes separately, plan to spend about $15-30 per 100 envelopes. Be sure to check the size of your cards before making an order.
Additional material and info on the cards.
What else do you want added on the cards? Do you want the wedding invites tied with a bow or lace? Do you want a customized stamp, wax seal, belly band or an inner envelope? All these additional materials are great details but you must consider their cost before settling on what exactly to use. These materials cost around $0.20 per card or higher depending on where you source them. Also do consider other things like directions, itineraries, rsvp cards and reception information that you may want to include separately for your guests. Though they may seem small, they are important because they will add more weight to your card which will cost more in postage.
The complete wedding invitation package: A great way to cut costs on your wedding invitation package is by using the same material, design and theme for all of them. Your save the dates, invitations and wedding stationery will still look unique and beautiful matched together. There is a temptation to customize each invitation with a different theme. Remember with each customization, there is a rise in price. Simple elegant package may cost as low as $300 or as high as $10,000, choose wisely!
Shipping costs: Average postage costs $0.49 per envelope below one ounce for domestic packages. Here you will spend more if you have guests abroad or if your invitation package weighs more than an ounce.
