DIY Wedding Invitations: Benefits and Printing Tips

Calculate the Cost

Even if you are printing at home, the cost of ink and paper will still set you back a bit, especially if you spring for high-quality paper stock or heavily saturated inks. Be sure to factor in details such as the size of your invitations, your paper type, whether your invitations will be flat or folded, and other embellishments such as a belly band or wrap. And don’t forget postage and envelopes. All of these elements will help you determine if the cost savings outweigh ordering from a pro.

Identify Your Style

Before you spend hours searching online, consider the style you want for your invitation. Do you want something simple and elegant? Bold and colorful? A watercolor motif? Take some time to look at different options before searching through designers' profiles. "It's helpful to create a Pinterest board as a mood board to identify your style," explains Weber. "Pin everything you love, and then go back to look at what you're pinning a lot of." Weber suggests that if you find a trend in certain fonts being used or similarities in colors, you should consider starting with designers who utilize those elements.

Designer and DIY lifestyle expert Lia Griffith advises keeping in mind that some designs are better suited for at-home printing than others. "Designs with more white space and lighter color backgrounds will look better on home printers—and save on your printer ink bill," she says.

Schedule and Plan Ahead

Printing your own invitations may be more affordable than having them printed by a pro, but that doesn't always mean it will be faster. Be sure to give yourself time, grace, and patience when printing at home because it can get a little complicated. As Amy Gonzales, a designer at Smitten on Paper, a custom wedding invitation company, points out, invitations should be mailed eight weeks before the wedding date, so plan your printing time accordingly. "Make sure you have about 10 percent more supplies than you actually need (like ribbon, paper, ink, and envelopes) in case of mistakes or the need to reprint something," Gonzales explains.

Choose Your Vendors

Online options such as Minted, Shutterfly, and Zazzle offer gorgeous invitation templates at affordable prices (and discount codes, too!). And typically, you’re able to find a design complete with everything you’ll need for a full suite, from invitations and menu cards to thank-you cards. You can also find a variety of talented designers on Etsy who will customize their templates for you.

For printing, take into consideration the print-at-home option along with the option of sending your completed file to a larger printer such as Costco, Office Depot, or your neighborhood printing shop. "A print shop will be able to help select the best paper for your design, trim the cards to the perfect size, and provide that professional touch your wedding invitations deserve," says Griffith.

Plan Your Customization

According to Weber, you'll typically have the option of either doing the customization on a template yourself or having the designer do it for you. "If you're going to do it yourself, it does limit the ability to change things, such as fonts or colors," she says.

The most inexpensive option is to download the template and change the details on your own, but if you want any of the design elements changed, the designer is typically able to accommodate and send the ready-to-print file back to you. Christine Logan of Logie Paperie notes that language you land on is just as important as the design. "Ensure you choose wording to suit you as a couple," she says. "Decide if you want it to sound traditional or contemporary. This depends on the theme and style of your wedding."

As you're editing the wording and finalizing your design, be sure to run it past multiple sets of eyes before you hit the print button. "Have a third party read the words to check for errors and spelling mistakes," says Logan. "I would also suggest reading it out aloud to check for grammar errors."

Find the Right Fit

Even though you’re choosing the DIY route, you still want your invitations to look hot off the professional press. To achieve this, try using a design that "bleeds" for the most professional look. The trick is having a design that reaches the edge of the paper with no white margins. This effect, called a full bleed in the printing industry, is achieved by creating a design slightly larger than the final cut size. The extra will be trimmed off and discarded. Your best bet is to center the design on larger paper, giving you space for margins and plenty of room to trim neatly.

Pick Out Your Paper

When it comes to paper, you definitely want something other than that regular thin printer paper. "Generally, the thicker you go with the paper, the more luxurious it will feel," says Weber. According to Weber, a 120 lb. uncoated cardstock will offer a gorgeous look and feel. "Consider using something with a bit of texture to it as well, such as a linen or felt texture," she says.

Weber suggests heading to a specialty stationery store or a print shop to choose your paper. Logan agrees: "Visit them and ask to feel the paper to see if it will be up to your standards," she says, noting that an in-store expert will also be able to help you select the best option or weight for your printing method, whether that's foil printing, UV printing, or digital printing.

Then, before you commit to buying a whole ream, take a few samples home; test several options on your printer at home to be sure it will be a good fit.

Consider File Types

Be sure to let the designer know ahead of time what type of file you'll need for printing to avoid too much back and forth. "Printing as a PDF will have higher quality than a JPEG will," says Weber. "But each option for printing, whether it's online or at a local print shop, will have a different file type requirement." Logan also says to ensure your "template resolution quality is 300 DPI or higher to ensure a crisp, clean print."

Figure Out Your Ink Usage

You’ve thought about how much the paper will cost, but the ink can get expensive, as well—so if you choose a design with a colorful background, know you'll use a lot of ink, which can boost that bottom line. Another consideration: Many home printers aren't suited for a full-color print job, which means imperfections and discoloration for these more vibrant designs. Letting the paper show through while including colorful touches in the design may be the best way to go when printing at home.

Check Your Computer and Printer

If you’re printing at home, it’s important to make sure all of your equipment is working properly. "Your computer screen may not give you a great depiction of how the design will actually print," says Weber. "Home printers tend to be a shade or two darker, while cost-effective web or local printers are usually a bit lighter."

Spend time printing tests and adjusting the settings on your printer to get the colors you want, and invest in a sample or two if you’re having a professional do the heavy lifting so you can get the color balance to come through perfectly. Once you're all set, it's time to hit the print button.

Select Your Envelopes

Of course, you'll need envelopes to put those beautiful invitations in once all of that printing is said and done. "Find envelopes that will fit and match your invitation," recommends Weber. "It's important to get envelopes that aren't the exact same size as your invitation, giving it a bit of room, and don't forget about envelopes for RSVP cards."

Set Up for Easy Assembly

The quickest way to get clean cuts for your invitations at home is to use a paper cutter with a new, sharp blade. "This is a great job to delegate to a bridesmaid who is offering to help," says Griffith. Assembling layers or adding envelope liners? Griffith recommends using glue dots or double-stick tape instead of glue—and she advises the same to seal the envelopes, too.

Head to the Post Office

Once you have an invitation completely put together (with all the embellishments and inserts), stick it in an envelope and go to the post office to have it weighed. Remember that the shape of the envelope will also impact the cost. Hoping for hand-canceling to avoid any potential ripping or damage? Mention that to your postal worker while you’re calculating postage in case there are extra accommodations that need to be made (such as printing "Hand Cancel, Please" on each envelope).