Finally! We have arrived at the portion of wedding planning that I was certain I would love. Except that is not how I felt while handling the invitations. Okay… I am definitely over-exaggerating, but I do believe that there are pros and cons to dealing with wedding invitations. Below is a pros and cons list that I strongly suggest you check out before making any final stationary decisions:
CONS
I am starting with cons because I believe in starting with negative news first. This allows the positive news to make you smile even after hearing something unfortunate. Now, these cons are not THAT negative, but they certainly are worth considering.
- Cost – The cost of invitations are ridiculous. There… someone said it. I refuse to pay over $100 for invitations if they will end up in the trash a week after my wedding, sometimes sooner. Not to mention, most of the time, the cost does not include calligraphy (if you choose to go that route) or RSVP cards (which are mandatory). What grinds me gears most about the cost of invitations? The fact that some of the expensive invitations appear cheap or tacky. Why should I spend $100+ on an invitation that lacks any creativity? I can design my own invitations to look better for a quarter of the price… Do not buy invitations through a website simply because you think it is the best/easiest option. I have another option for you.
- No originality – David and I are a pretty unique couple. We have done things way unorthodox already in our relationship, so why stop there? While looking at invitations online, I noticed that so many looked the same. The difference? Not much. Maybe color scheme or font choices. Again, why do I want to spend a large amount of money on something that hundreds of other couples have?
- You will be judged – It does not matter how amazing your wedding invitations are, people. You could spend $4000 on the most perfect wedding invitations and someone will STILL not like them. Remember that every person has an opinion. If you spend too much (and it is noticeable), you are going over the top. If you send out invitations that are lackluster, you are cheap. Even if that isn’t the case… people will formulate their own opinions based off what they see. With that logic in mind, I am going to choose an invitation that I can 1. afford, and 2. one that I actually like. Simple as that.
PROS
On to the pros! I think the pros will outweigh the cons, so you do not have to bury your desire for wedding invitations.
- They are fun – Wedding invitations are so much fun! Despite the stress that may accompany the search for the perfect invite, it is still an exciting process. You are in complete control of the decisions (you should be, at least). David and I asked for input from others, but in the end, we made the choice with which we were most happy. There is something so satisfying about choosing an invite (or designing one) and ordering them. It is even more satisfying to see them in person. Touching your wedding invites for the first time… wow. It makes the event feel so real and SO close. Now that sounds like fun to me! :)
- Invitations reflect you and your fiance – When you choose wedding invitations, they should reflect you and your person. When people look at the invite, they should think, “This is so *insert names here*.” I believe the invite can set the tone for the wedding, so let your event be your inspiration. Will you be at the beach? Think beach. On the farm? Think farm! David and I are getting married in Hawaii, so we used Hawaii as our inspiration. It totally worked. The moment we saw our design… we looked at each other, smiled, and said, “I love it!” It truly depicts us and how we want our wedding to feel.
- You do not have to spend an arm and a leg – No, seriously. You don’t have to! Honestly, at first, I felt obligated to buy invitations off one of those ridiculously priced websites like Minted or Ann’s Bridal Bargain (bargain my butt). I posted a Facebook status and asked for advice from anyone willing to share opinions. Many suggested websites that I already scoured through and found nothing, some suggested designing my own, and one person suggested a website that changed my life (sort of haha). I could have designed my own invitations. I actually almost did. My issue is that I am way to meticulous. I will ALWAYS find something wrong with my designs. I would spend far too much time on it and they would never get sent out. I then decided to visit a website, suggested by a Facebook friend, called Fiverr.This website ROCKS! You can hire a designer to design whatever you want basically for $5. No joke. Now, the more you add on to your order, the more it will cost. However, one designer I found designed my invitation (front and back) and RSVP (front and back) for $5. Yup. That’s it. After we decided on the invitation, we used Vistaprint and got everything printed (with envelopes) for $70. We could have probably saved a little more by printing them ourselves, but I did not feel like doing all that work, to be honest. So we let the professionals handle that part. Altogether, that is a grand total of $75. Spending less than $100 for invitations IS POSSIBLE. Be willing to do something out of the ordinary. I ask that you at least give it a shot. If you do not like the designs, then turn to those wedding websites. In the grand scheme of things, if you are willing to spend $100+ dollars on invitations, what is $5 more? Haha.
I am not a wedding professional by any means. I can only offer my opinions based off of being a bridesmaid a few times, a marketing specialist for a wedding venue, and now, a bride. If you bought your invitations off a website like the ones I mentioned above… that is your prerogative. Every person has his or her own preferences. I wanted something different. I wanted to save as much money as possible. I tried it the other way and hated it. So, I tried it a new way and loved it! It worked out the way it did and that is the way it is.
Do not feel overwhelmed with the number of invitations you get to consider. Start looking far in advance so you are not rushed. I also suggest having your guest list finalized so you know how many to order, ordering a sample to ensure it looks correct, and smiling once it is all over! You are one step closer to your big day! :)
Below is an example of one of the invitations created by a designer on Fiverr. This is NOT the invitation that we chose. I will share that when the event is over. I want to surprise family and friends, first. I also took out important information with an awkward white box. Please disregard that. Focus on the design lol!
