Wedding Invitations: Commerical vs. Custom - Which Is Right For You?

Thursday, August 21, 2008

Quick disclaimer - I am a recent Nashville newlywed who learned a lot from her wedding planning days but I am far from an expert. But, this is my take on wedding invitations. There are plenty of great paper experts in Nashville and online who you can reach out to for more info...

Think invitations don't matter? They do! In fact, many people decide their wedding gift based on 1) invitation quality (which tells them whether your wedding is low budget or a grand soirée) and 2) the nature of your relationship.

Invitations matter...did I already say that?:) They introduce your guests to your wedding and tell them what to expect.

But don't work -- you have millions of choices...literally.

DIY or PROFESSIONAL

You can go print them at home or have them created professionally. And while Martha Stewart and others have significantly improved on the store bought invitations that you might find at Michael's, Target, Staples, Walmart, etc, I still highly recommend that you have them created professionally, or at least professionally printed -- if you can.

If you are a bride who is truly on a budget, look for the highest paper quality invitation your money can buy. If the paper is as lightweight as your printer paper - your guest will "feel" the cheapness and will buy you a cheap gift - SERIOUSLY.

COMMERCIAL or CUSTOM

When it comes to professionally designed/created invitations, you have two primary options - custom or commercial. They both offer great options so I recommend that consult with both, discuss your style and figure out which works for you. Don't rule one of the other out without a meeting because you would be very surprised at what you'll find. I can help!

Custom

With custom invitations, you work with an invitation designer and create your invitation.

Pros/Cons: No one will have your invitation, you work directly to design "your" invitation and can take pride in having an exclusive invitation; printing options are limited (most only offer flat printing versus higher end more luxury options like thermography); prices range the gamut.

A few of my fave custom invitation designers are listed below. You work with a designer at all of the companies listed below with the exception of Jean M and Relish, where you build your own custom invitation online.

Custom Invitations - Designs in Paper (Nashville-based)