Cheap Ways To Send Wedding Invites

Wedding invitations can be costly, but there are ways to save money without sacrificing quality. One option is to use digital invitations, which can be as low as $2 per invite and save time and the environment. Another option is to use Seal and Send invitations, which are long invitations that fold up and do not require envelopes. These typically cost under $2 per invite and are easy to mail. For those who prefer traditional printed invitations, there are many affordable options available from companies like Vistaprint, Zazzle, and Walmart, with prices starting as low as $0.50 per invite.

Seal and Send Wedding Invitations

There are two types of Seal and Send formats: with and without an RSVP postcard. If you choose to include an RSVP postcard, your guests will receive the invitation in the mail, open it up to read, and find an RSVP postcard attached below the invitation wording. They simply tear away the response postcard on a perforated line, fill it out, and drop it in the mail. If you opt for no RSVP postcard, you can collect RSVPs through your wedding website, text, or phone. These invitations have a pointed flap, creating a polished presentation when mailed. You can add any custom wording to create the look you love most!

Digital Wedding Invitations

Advantages of Digital Wedding Invitations

• Save time and money: Digital wedding invitations are significantly cheaper than physical invitations, which cost between $5,000 and $8,000 on average. Digital invites also save you time, as you don't need to worry about envelopes, stamps, or handwriting addresses.
• Environmentally-friendly: Digital invites are perfect for couples planning a green wedding, as they don't require any paper.
• Seamless design: It's easy to create a cohesive package with digital invites, as you can make your save-the-dates, invitations, wedding website, and thank-you cards all part of the same design suite.
• Easy RSVPs: Online invitation services make it simple for guests to RSVP, as they can just check "yes" or "no" on your wedding website. This also means you instantly have their response.

Top Sites for Digital Wedding Invitations

• Greenvelope: Costs begin at $19 for up to 20 people and include RSVP tracking. You can edit the background, colours, and text, and even customize the digital envelope with a virtual liner.
• Evite: Premium invitations start at $15.99 for 15 invites. You can add photos, embellishments, and custom designs.
• Paperless Post: This site offers elegant, runway-inspired designs from top fashion houses like Oscar de la Renta, Rifle Paper Co., and Kate Spade New York. You can create a custom URL, add photo galleries, and track RSVPs.
• Bliss & Bone: Modern and sleek designs with unique features like texture and shadowing. Invites are priced per recipient and start at 90 cents per person.
• Etsy: Etsy offers downloadable templates for digital invites, with prices as low as $2.
• Riley & Grey: This site specializes in creating unique, luxury wedding websites and offers save-the-dates and wedding invitations that match your website. Prices start at $35 per month for site hosting, which includes a digital invitation design.

DIY Wedding Invitations

Creating your own wedding invitations is a great way to save money and add a personal touch to your special day. Here are some tips and steps to help you create beautiful DIY wedding invitations.

Materials and Tools

First, you'll need to gather the necessary materials and tools. These include:

• A digital application for designing your invitations (e.g. Adobe Illustrator, Photoshop, or InDesign, or beginner-friendly options like Canva or Microsoft Word)
• Paper for printing (uncoated cardstock is popular, or you can choose paper with a cotton, linen, or felt finish for a more textured look)
• A compatible printer that can handle the weight and size of your chosen paper
• Ink for your printer
• A paper cutter or craft knife for straight edges and to cut smaller pieces for insert cards
• Embellishments such as ribbons, wax seals, or envelope liners (optional)
• Envelopes that are larger than your cardstock, including envelopes for RSVP cards
• Glue dots or double-stick tape for sealing envelopes and assembling layers

Design and Wording

When designing your invitations, consider your wedding aesthetic and the tone you want to set. Sketch out your ideas, and keep your printer type in mind—designs with more white space and lighter colour backgrounds usually print better on home printers. You can also search Pinterest for inspiration.

The wording you use is just as important as the design. Select a tone that reflects your wedding aesthetic and your personality, whether it's traditional, conversational, or formal.

Proofreading and Printing

Before printing, proofread your design and wording carefully, and have someone else look over it too. Save your final design as a PDF, which will print with higher quality than a JPEG, and with a template resolution of at least 300 DPI for a crisp result.

When you're ready to print, run a few tests first, as home printers often display images that are darker than your digital design. Adjust the settings as needed until you're happy with the colour balance. If your design has a full-colour background or you're unsure about your printer's abilities, consider using a professional printing service for precise colour-matching and cutting.

Assembly and Postage

After printing and cutting your invitations to size (usually five inches by seven inches), it's time to assemble your invites. Place your inserts inside the corresponding envelopes, seal them, and add any adornments like ribbons or wax seals.

Before mailing your invites, visit the post office to determine the correct postage, which will depend on the total number and weight of your invitations. Mention if you want hand-cancelling to avoid potential ripping or damage. Address each envelope and add the correct number of stamps, using your own handwriting or printed labels.

Finally, send your DIY wedding invitations six to eight weeks before your big day.

Wedding Invitation Mailing Tips

Preparation

Before you start sending out your wedding invitations, you'll want to make sure that you've assembled them correctly. This includes putting all the stationery in the right order inside each envelope. You can check out a guide to assembling wedding invitations online. Once you've done this for everyone on your guest list, you can move on to figuring out the postage.

Postage

Take one fully assembled invitation to the post office and have it weighed by a postal clerk. The price for mailing one invitation should be the same for the others. It's a good idea to add sufficient postage before dropping your wedding invitations off. If you arrive at the post office hoping to stamp and mail your invites on the same day, you might not get your desired stamps, compromising the aesthetic of your outer envelopes and costing you more in postage if stamps in smaller denominations aren't available.

Final Checks

Double-check all the details before taking your invitations to the post office. Proofreading addresses might not be fun, but it's an essential part of preparing your wedding invitations for mailing. This will give you peace of mind once your invites start their journey to your guests' mailboxes.

Securing Envelopes

Licking the adhesive liner on an envelope is the typical way of sealing it, but when it comes to a huge stack of envelopes, this can be tiring and unhygienic. Instead, moisten the envelope adhesive with a cotton swab or paintbrush. This makes it easier to cover the entire adhesive strip. If your invitations are bulky or the envelope adhesive isn't working, there are a few other ways to secure them. After moistening and sticking the adhesive, place your invitations under a heavy book or paperweight to reinforce the closure. As a last resort, try using an additional adhesive such as a glue stick or double-sided tape. Keep in mind that this might be messy and will make it harder for guests to open their invitations.

Sending International Invitations

If you're planning on shipping wedding invitations to guests internationally, there are a few extra steps to take. Double-check the postage, as the cost of mailing wedding invitations internationally is more expensive than mailing to guests in your own country. For country-specific guidelines on postage requirements and restrictions, check the USPS website. Make sure to check again right before you mail your invitations in case anything has changed. You should also leave a little extra time for your invitations to reach their destination—send them 8–10 weeks in advance and consider providing a digital RSVP option so that international guests can respond without having to go to the post office.

Where to Mail From

When deciding where to drop off your wedding invitations, there's only one tried-and-true option if you're going through the USPS: take them to the post office and hand them to a member of staff.

What to Ask at the Post Office

There's one question you should ask the post office clerk: if they can hand-cancel your invites. Having your invitations cancelled by hand means they won't be put through a machine, which can cause wear and tear. If your invitations are bulky or contain embellishments on the outer envelope (such as ribbon, twine, or wax seals), you should definitely ask for this service. There may be a small additional fee per envelope for hand-cancelling, and it will take more time for this service to be carried out, so prepare for a longer wait at the post office.

Cheap Wedding Invitations Websites

Wedding invitations can be expensive, but there are plenty of ways to save money. Here are some of the best websites for cheap wedding invitations:

Zola

Zola is a one-stop shop for wedding planning, including invitations. The site has an extensive collection of over 1,000 invitation designs, ranging from classic and formal to fun and whimsical. You get five free samples, free envelopes and addressing, and digital RSVPs if you create your wedding website through Zola.

Artifact Uprising

Artifact Uprising offers a sample kit with a selection of designs and themes, as well as different printing styles. The paper used is thick, archival, and Forest Stewardship Council-certified, making it a good choice for eco-conscious couples.

Zazzle

Zazzle is a digital design site where you can find wedding invitations and other personalised items like coffee mugs and leggings. The website makes it easy to narrow down the options by filtering according to themes, colours, and budgets. There are also digital invitation options for those who want to go paperless.

Etsy

Etsy is a go-to source for anything wedding-related, including invitations. You can find handmade invites created on 100% recycled cotton paper with beautiful wax seals, as well as a wide range of other designs. Envelopes cost extra, but shipping is included in the final cost.

Shutterfly

Shutterfly is a website where you can print your wedding photos and design your invitations. They offer beautiful, photo-featured designs, as well as a variety of other styles and formats like flat, gate-fold, trifold, and even magnets. Shutterfly also has frequent promos and discount codes.

Truly Engaging

Truly Engaging offers all-in-one invitations similar to Minted. They provide free samples of three designs and allow you to include envelopes with addresses for a small additional cost.

VistaPrint

VistaPrint offers an impressive array of online wedding invitations catering to every style, from traditional to modern. The site combines ease of use with affordability, allowing couples to personalise their invites with photos, fonts, and colours. VistaPrint also includes matching RSVPs and thank-you cards.

Ann's Bridal Bargains

Ann's Bridal Bargains offers seal and send wedding invitations, which are unique, affordable, and high-quality. These invitations fold up into a self-mailing format, so you don't need envelopes. They also have two types of seal and send formats: with and without RSVP postcards.

Frequently asked questions