How Much Do Wedding Invitations Cost?
Wedding planning has begun - you pick up your dream wedding theme and venue, captivating gown, and your dream wedding date. Now's the time to announce your wedding date with your significant others by a wedding invitation.
You want your wedding invitation to be memorable, budget-worthy, and beautifully crafted. It must be one that deserves to be displayed, not just kept inside a drawer.
How much do wedding invitations cost nowadays? Read on to know more about the most recent wedding invitation pricing guide toward creating your personalized wedding invites.
Average Wedding Invitations Package Cost
To date, the average price of wedding invites for a total of 100 guests range from $400 to $800. That is approximately $3 to $8 per person on a wedding invitation, according to fash.com. Price is mostly influenced by the printing method more than the paper type, according to brides.com.
Usually, the wedding invitation package is fit for 100 guests. But how about the amount if you have more or less than 100 guests? Like, how much do 50 wedding invitations cost? Check out this rundown of the average price for wedding invites per guest:
Number of Guests |
Average Invitations Cost in dollars |
25 |
$75 to $200 |
50 |
$150 to $300 |
75 |
$250 to $500 |
100 |
$400 to $800 |
150 |
$600 to $1,200 |
200 |
$750 to $1,600 |
You may also view this video for the invitation pricing.
Considerations for Invitation Pricing
If you want to shy away from the typical invitation package, you may consider choosing your invitation elements. This way, you can produce a more personalized wedding invitation.
Many factors influence the wedding details, including how much do wedding invitations cost per invite. Prices are affected by the target number of guests, wedding motif, types and source of materials, and printing styles? Let us have a rundown of the latest costs to help you decide on how your invitation cards will appeal to your guests:
Price Per Paper Type
The paper choice for your wedding can provide a shiny, rustic, or colorful look on your invites. Here are the specialty paper types and their current prices:
Paper Types |
Average Cost per 100 guests |
Cotton Fiber |
$29 |
Felt Cardstock |
$22 |
Matte |
$2 to $5/envelope |
Glossy Paper |
$2 to $5/envelope |
Parchment |
$15 |
Vellum |
$17 |
Glassine |
$17 |
Handmade Paper |
$20 |
Recycled Paper |
It depends on the materials used. |
Linen |
$17 |
Cotton Fiber
This paper gives your invitation card a classic, sophisticated look and can be customized through a letterpress.
Felt Cardstock
It is a bulkier type of paper, which is quite costly than standard cards.
Matte
This paper type has standard thickness for paper with a formal, neat, and firm look. It is the standard paper type used for online-produced invitations.
Glossy Paper
It is a paper with a similar thickness to matte paper, but with a shiny finish. This paper type is a common invitation option because of its budget-friendly cost and eye-catching shine.
Parchment
It is the cheapest paper type for invitations with a formal, rustic look. Parchment can be overlayed with vellum.
Vellum
It is a unique, see-through paper from calfskin perfect for layering papers for invites. For vegan couples, there is vegetable vellum perfect for their needs.
Glassine
It resembles Vellum paper in appearance and cost but has a more waxed appearance. It is grease and water-resistant paper.
Handmade Paper
It is a green paper that trends nowadays because of its personalized take on the invitations.
Recycled Paper
It is similar to handmade paper as it allows you to form paper from recycled, homemade items. It gives your wedding invites a personal touch and provides a rustic and nature-friendly vibe to your wedding invitation.
Linen
This paper is an excellent choice for partners who want high quality invites at a low price.
For a view of these different paper types for invitations, check out this video.
Price Per Printing Style
Printing styles mainly affect wedding invitations' cost. So, how much does it cost to print wedding invitations? Here are the printing types and their prices:
Printing Styles |
Average Price Range per 100 Cards |
Digital Printing |
$300 to $1,200 |
Thermography |
$800 to $1,200 |
Offset Printing |
$800 to $1,200 |
Letterpress |
$700 to $1,600 |
Engraving |
$1,500 to $2,200 |
Digital Printing
If you are looking for a budget-friendly, less hassle, and colorful option to print your invites, digital printing is a great choice. Digital photos are opened and edited on the computer and eventually printed on the invite. You do not need to mix ink or use multiple materials for such.
You can now use your attractive digital photos and incorporate them into your wedding invitations at a reasonable price. It's a great way to share the couple's excitement and beautiful pictures with the guests.
Thermography and Offset Printing
Offset printing involves mixing of inks and transfer of design to your wedding invitation through a press. You get a high quality, color-specific print similar to digital print. Thermography is somewhat identical to offset print but with a powder-added ink to add an embossed texture on the paper.
Letterpress Print
Do you still have the means to stretch your budget for a classic, elaborate invite? Use letterpress to do that classy effect to your wedding invitations.
Engraving
Do you want to make your invitations stand out or have that elegant feel in them? If you have more budget for your invites, you can use engraving or lettering to do that trick. Engraving gives a formal, embossed feel to your invitations, at a pricey amount stated above.
You can also check out these wedding invitation printing methods by clicking this link.
Price Per Design Accent
Design accents give that ‘personal touch’ to your invitation cards. Designs range from simple types to elegant and more elaborate ones. How much to charge for wedding invitation design will rely on the number and type of accents you choose.
Here are the latest custom invitation design pricing for design accents:
Design Accent |
Average Price Range per 100 Cards |
Foil Stamping |
$400 (single color) to $1,800 (full foil stamp) |
Deckle Edge Paper |
$580 |
Debossing and Embossing |
$300 to $400 |
Bevel Cut |
$400 |
Wax Seals |
$200 to $300 |
Insert Cards |
$150 to $500 |
Envelope Liners |
$250 to $400 |
Calligraphy |
$200 to $500 |
Color |
It depends on the color palette. |
Foil Stamping
Foil stamping involves using chosen metal foils such as silver or gold to decorate your invitation. It comes in various colors, emphasizing and adding a shining appeal in your invitations. You can have your names in gold foil for a classic, metallic and shiny feel.
Deckle Edge Paper Design
It gives a soft, textured 'torn' look for your modern motif wedding invitations.
Blind Debossing and Embossing
These two design accents are done as the same process with letterpress but without ink involved. Blind deboss creates a dent on the paper, whereas emboss creates an elevated text on your paper. You can make your invitation personalized by either debossing or embossing your family crests, monograms, and small accents.
Bevel Cut
Add an attractive edge to your main wedding invitation by a bevel cut. A bevel cut decorates the edge of the invitation at a 45-degree angle and paints it. It makes the edge appear more on the invite's front part.
Wax Seals
Give a classic touch to your invites by creating traditionally poured liquid wax on the envelope. As a final touch, you can stamp or use synthetic wax seal stickers with adhesives.
Insert Cards
Insert Cards are supplementary invitation cards other than the main invitation card stock. These cards may show cards for the reception area post-wedding or a welcome party before the wedding.
Envelope Liners
You can add a dramatic touch to your envelopes by adding a liner of different colors and patterns.
Calligraphy
If you want personalized lettering for your invites, you can pick a calligraphy artist to do the trick. The calligrapher can do elaborate and attractive lettering as a package at a high price. Recruiting a calligraphy artist to do the lettering costs $2 to $5 per invitation, aside from the materials, turnaround time, and paper.
Color
Want to make your invite pop out and reflect your wedding motif? Emphasize wedding invites through color palettes, which can be costly depending on the type of palette you choose.
Price of Envelopes
If you purchase invitation card stocks from companies or individuals, envelope prices are included in the envelope package. They may even provide zero-cost location printing to assist you in locating and sending your invitations.
However, if you opt to purchase your envelopes, their prices range from 15 to 30 dollars for 100 pieces. Verify and compare your envelope's size to the cards before ordering to make them a perfect fit!
Shipping Costs
The average price for wedding postage of domestic locations is about $0.49 per envelope below one ounce. That is roughly $50 per 100 cards. Expect more expensive shipping for foreign or thick invitation posts.
Save the Date (STD) and RSVP Invitation Cards Pricing
Couples who have an excellent budget for their weddings can give save the date cards, and RSVP cards to excited guests:
Save the Dates
Couples send save-the-date cards to their friends and loved ones because of the engagement euphoria and wedding excitement. These invitation cards are usually less formal and more on photos than your typical wedding invites.
Save-the-Date Cards are pricey for $50 to $100 per 100 cards, aside from engagement and prenuptial photography costs. These cards often end up displayed on guests' fridges, so take time to look for your best shots!
RSVP Cards
RSVP cards add style to your invitations. These are reserved for guests who are on the wedding guests' priority list. The average cost for RSVP cards ranges from $50 to $200 per 100 cards.
In case your budget can't fill that up, you can resort to online RSVP options.
Where to Order Wedding Invites
You can create your wedding invites from the following sources:
Stationery Stores
Stationery stores produce and supply more custom made cards with different types of materials. However, expect a higher price from the personal handling of a request than online invitation retailers.
Online Retailers
If you want some cost-cutting yet with high quality wedding invitations, online retailers, like Canva and Zola, can provide that service. Technology enables us to send the invites through social media and email, decreasing the hassles of distributing the invites.
Custom-Made
If you’re the type who avoids the hassles of planning, printing and designing your invites, you can go for custom invitations. Online and personal artists can provide greater personalization of your invitation at a larger cost than online retailers.
DIY Wedding Invitations
For those who want a personalized and hands-on experience in crafting their wedding invites, Do-It-Yourself or DIY wedding invitations are perfect.
DIY shows your creativity and personal touch. It also allows control of invitations and has less wedding invitations cost. However, it demands tremendous effort, resources, and time on the part of the couple.
You can canvass and buy your invitation materials in stationery stores or online invitation shops. Or you can buy your paper and use an invitation creator app to do your invitation. Watch this link for more ideas on making DIY wedding invitations.
Final Words
Wedding invitations cost for 100 guests ranges from $400 to $800, which can vary depending on the number of guests, paper type, design element, and printing method.
Preparing wedding invites takes lots of time, preparation, and budget. Face that challenge by an early determination of costs, asking for help from loved ones, and reading this pricing guide.
Create your best memorable wedding invites and see you on the big day!
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