The Price of Wedding Stationery: Pre-Designed vs. Custom

May 02, 2022

You’re engaged - congrats! And overall, the wedding planning is going well. But you have also have to admit, you’ve had a few sleepless nights thinking about some things. Perhaps, one of them being stationery. 

You know you need it. It’s how you’ll tell your guests the need-to-know details of your wedding. But you also want your stationery to go beyond successfully relaying the information. And instead, to set the tone for the entire weekend in a highly-personalized way.

After all, it’s the first “peek” your guests will have into your wedding.

But where do you even start? What does that kind of stationery look like? And what about the wording? Wouldn’t it be easier to pick out something pre-designed and call it a day? 

Is custom stationery really where you should be focusing your attention, energy, and budget?!

First, do yourself a favor and take a slow, deep breath.

Then, keep reading! Because I’m answering your questions and showing you why custom stationery is, in fact, worth every penny. 

IT'S NOT JUST PAPER: BREAKING DOWN THE EXPENSE OF STATIONERY

The price of custom wedding stationery is affected by several factors. Things like color and printing methods (letterpress, engraving, embossing, etc.). Accents such as wax seals, foil stamping, envelope liners. And various paper types and unique materials like leather, wood, and cotton.

The different options are enough to make anyone go cross-eyed.

Since you likely have no idea where to start, you may have already shopped around at places like Etsy or Minted, which offer pre-designed wedding stationery. Maybe you even picked out some save-the-dates. But if we had to guess, you probably quickly realized you didn’t have as much control over the process as you thought you would. 

Which is the real heart of why custom stationery matters. Yes, design is obviously the biggest factor. But more so, it’s the experience you’ll receive along the way. 

We’ve heard from plenty of couples that the material wasn’t quite what they wanted when ordering pre-designed stationery from popular websites. Or their menu cards came misprinted or slightly askew. Whatever the case, in the end, the experience didn’t meet their expectations. 

When you work with a custom designer, you’re not just hiring someone to put some illustrations and words on paper. And you’re not just getting something that hundreds, if not thousands, of other couples have already used. Instead, you’re getting our time, attention, experience, and knowledge. And, in turn, a truly unique, personal, and beautiful piece of art that reflects you and your wedding vision. 

 

A THOUGHTFUL PROCESS

The process of designing stationery isn’t one-size-fits-all. So, we make sure we pair you up with the perfect printing method for whatever stationery style you choose. 

For example, let’s say we look through your inspiration images and see that you gravitate towards watercolor illustrations and handmade paper. In theory, those two sound like a match made in heaven. The problem is, handmade paper is too porous to paint on. So, the end product would look terrible. 

Instead of giving you a low-quality print or denying you altogether, we suggest painting on another material such as cotton paper, as it has a similar texture. And can be distressed so that it looks more handmade. 

Let’s see other wedding stationery sites do that!

 

 

 

MAILING SERVICES

Another thing we handle is mailing services. 

First up, we will review you address list and make suggestions on addressing etiquette. When doing parcel mailings, we cross-reference all addresses with our system to ensure they’re deliverable addresses.

Second, we make sure we get the right type of shipping for the right type of product. Especially when we’re dealing with items that aren’t entirely flat. Because the last thing you want is to have everything sent back to you because it wasn’t packaged properly. Or the wrong postage was used. Lucky for you, we know all the ins and outs of the post office!

And third, we can take care of RSVP management if you don’t already have a planner helping you. RSVP management is where we keep an up-to-date spreadsheet of all of your guest responses. You and your family will have access to this document, which will help facilitate the process for day-of planning and creating day-of items like escort cards, place cards, seating charts, and menus.

 We also assist with your day-of stationery needs, such as escort display set-up, signage, welcome packets, and more. 

However, it’s important that you know that some stationers only handle a certain amount of this work. And aren’t willing or can’t do day-of services. But for us - we’re by your side from start to finish. 

And the finish line isn’t when the ink dries on the paper. It’s when your stationery needs have been completely taken care of. THAT’S the custom experience. 

 

BENEFITS OF CHOOSING CUSTOM STATIONERY VS. PRE-DESIGNED 

First and foremost, you’re in control. It’s about you and your day. So, you can expect to receive a unique, personalized stationery suite that looks and feels like the two of you. It will become a reflection of your wedding because you’ll be a part of the design process. 

But don’t let that overwhelm you. Or leave you to believe you’ll have to spend hours and hours designing your invitation suite. Yes, there are a lot of options to choose from. And yes, you may feel frozen in a sea of choices. But that’s where we come in! We’ll guide the ship to help you narrow down your options. We’ll help you figure out what it is you’re looking for and need. And, in the end, we’ll nail down that vision that’s floating in your head (even if you don’t have a clear picture of what that vision is.)

And speaking of the process! Hiring a design/printing team means you don’t have to take on all the extra stress of creating a quality wedding invitation, collecting RSVPs, and mailing everything. 

We’ll be in your corner identifying what needs to be done and when. We’ll even help you with your budget, go over the anatomy of the invitation suite, and set you up with everything you need for your wedding day.

Remember: Stationery is where your event begins. So it should leave a lasting impression on your guests. Right?!

Not only that, but having custom pieces gives you something to hold onto from your wedding as well. Most everything you invest in will disappear after you’ve made your final exit. Flowers get tossed. Cake gets dumped. Rentals returned. But you can take your stationery and frame it or place it in your wedding album. 

Whatever you choose to do, we’d love to help you create your custom wedding stationery. Save-the-dates, change-the-dates, wedding invites, and beyond. We’ve got you covered! 

Contact us! And let’s talk details.

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