In the years that I worked as an invitation consultant, I tried my very best to match each bride with the perfect invitation for her wedding celebration. Nine times out of ten, I was successful in my efforts and watched my customer walk away happy with her choice.
However, I'd occasionally get a bride who could not find what she wanted, no matter how many appointments she made or how many sample books she looked through.
In desperation, the bride would just tell me, "I guess I'll have to make my own so I can get exactly what I want." This statement would usually be followed by something to the effect of "DIY is easier/ cheaper/ quicker/ better anyway."
While those brides were correct on their first reaction to DIY--handmade invites will allow you get just what you want--they were sadly mistaken on the latter.
DIY wedding invitations are many things, but simple they are not. As one of those brides who chose to go the DIY route because she just couldn't find what she wanted, let me share with you the myths of DIY invitations, and the truths behind them.
Myth #1: DIY invitations are budget-friendly and far less expensive than store-bought ones.
Fact: It all depends on what materials you use.
Yes, in general, store-bought invites are more expensive, but both purchased invitations and DIY invites run the gamut when it comes to budget.
If you are deadset on saving money in your wedding budget, there are plenty of store-bought invitations that are only a dollar or so each (the all-in-ones come to mind), so don't believe the rumors that going DIY will automatically save you money.
Those inexpensive store-bought invites aren't going to be engraved and on 200 lb. paper, but if you're looking for a cost-effective, simple invite, they might be a good option.
On the flip side, there are DIY invitations that cost upwards of $5 apiece--the pricing largely depends on the quality of the paper you choose, how much ink you use to print, and how many insert cards you include. The DIY invitations that I made were over $3 each in raw goods and materials, and the eighty invitations took me around twelve hours to make; if you include my labor costs, I could have purchased a much more expensive store-bought invitation for the same price. In my case, I wanted a color combination that I could not find elsewhere, so my decision to go DIY was motivated by something other than the cost.
Myth #2: DIY invitations are super easy to make.
Fact: If you want anything more substantial than a pre-cut invite that you merely print your info onto and then mail, you'll need at least an intermediate level of crafting ability.
If you're looking for something easy and quick , I would suggest the invitation sets that are sold at Michael's, Hobby Lobby, A.C. Moore, and the like. Using a basic template in Word, you can have these invites printed and in the mail in a matter of hours. You can feel satisfied that you were completely responsible for your invitations--and you'll be able to check another item off of your wedding to-do list with little to no hassle.
If you're crafty and good with a computer, you may find the challenge of creating your own invites from scratch a fun experience. Creating custom, substantial DIY invitations (and in particular, pocketfold invitations) require an eye for design and plenty of patience. At minimum, I suggest an in-depth knowledge of Microsoft Word to create the layout of your invites; knowledge of Photoshop or Illustrator is always a plus. If you're up to the challenge of making more intricate DIY invites, there are gorgeous pocketfolds , papers, and custom fonts to choose from on the internet, so find the unique combination that best represents your wedding.
Myth #3: DIY invitations can be made extremely quickly.
Fact: While it's true that very simple invites could be done in one afternoon, most will require many hours (and the willing participation of family and friends!) to complete.
Some brides believe that DIY invitations are so quick that they make the mistake of leaving this task until the last minute. Even the most basic boxed invitation sets can turn into a nightmare if your printer jams or your ink runs out. Don't plan to format, print, seal, and send your invitations in the same day--those simple invites still need you to spend some quality time with them to ensure that they come out looking like you wanted them to. For simplistic invitations, I would allow one day to print, one to assemble, one to address envelopes, and one to stuff envelopes, plus an additional day in case anything goes wrong along the way.
If you go the pocketfold route, you'll want to secure plenty of helpers as the assembly of these can be extremely time-consuming. You'll need to print all of your invites and enclosure cards, cut your papers to fit, glue your invitations and backing mats onto the pocketfolds, stamp and address your RSVP cards, and attach ribbons, belly bands or charms before addressing and stamping the outer envelopes. DIY on that scale is not for the faint of heart or those with a limited time frame, but it is a labor of love with a gorgeous result.
However, I'd occasionally get a bride who could not find what she wanted, no matter how many appointments she made or how many sample books she looked through.
In desperation, the bride would just tell me, "I guess I'll have to make my own so I can get exactly what I want." This statement would usually be followed by something to the effect of "DIY is easier/ cheaper/ quicker/ better anyway."
While those brides were correct on their first reaction to DIY--handmade invites will allow you get just what you want--they were sadly mistaken on the latter.
DIY wedding invitations are many things, but simple they are not. As one of those brides who chose to go the DIY route because she just couldn't find what she wanted, let me share with you the myths of DIY invitations, and the truths behind them.
Myth #1: DIY invitations are budget-friendly and far less expensive than store-bought ones.
Fact: It all depends on what materials you use.
Yes, in general, store-bought invites are more expensive, but both purchased invitations and DIY invites run the gamut when it comes to budget.
If you are deadset on saving money in your wedding budget, there are plenty of store-bought invitations that are only a dollar or so each (the all-in-ones come to mind), so don't believe the rumors that going DIY will automatically save you money.
Those inexpensive store-bought invites aren't going to be engraved and on 200 lb. paper, but if you're looking for a cost-effective, simple invite, they might be a good option.
On the flip side, there are DIY invitations that cost upwards of $5 apiece--the pricing largely depends on the quality of the paper you choose, how much ink you use to print, and how many insert cards you include. The DIY invitations that I made were over $3 each in raw goods and materials, and the eighty invitations took me around twelve hours to make; if you include my labor costs, I could have purchased a much more expensive store-bought invitation for the same price. In my case, I wanted a color combination that I could not find elsewhere, so my decision to go DIY was motivated by something other than the cost.
Myth #2: DIY invitations are super easy to make.
Fact: If you want anything more substantial than a pre-cut invite that you merely print your info onto and then mail, you'll need at least an intermediate level of crafting ability.
If you're looking for something easy and quick , I would suggest the invitation sets that are sold at Michael's, Hobby Lobby, A.C. Moore, and the like. Using a basic template in Word, you can have these invites printed and in the mail in a matter of hours. You can feel satisfied that you were completely responsible for your invitations--and you'll be able to check another item off of your wedding to-do list with little to no hassle.
If you're crafty and good with a computer, you may find the challenge of creating your own invites from scratch a fun experience. Creating custom, substantial DIY invitations (and in particular, pocketfold invitations) require an eye for design and plenty of patience. At minimum, I suggest an in-depth knowledge of Microsoft Word to create the layout of your invites; knowledge of Photoshop or Illustrator is always a plus. If you're up to the challenge of making more intricate DIY invites, there are gorgeous pocketfolds , papers, and custom fonts to choose from on the internet, so find the unique combination that best represents your wedding.
Myth #3: DIY invitations can be made extremely quickly.
Fact: While it's true that very simple invites could be done in one afternoon, most will require many hours (and the willing participation of family and friends!) to complete.
Some brides believe that DIY invitations are so quick that they make the mistake of leaving this task until the last minute. Even the most basic boxed invitation sets can turn into a nightmare if your printer jams or your ink runs out. Don't plan to format, print, seal, and send your invitations in the same day--those simple invites still need you to spend some quality time with them to ensure that they come out looking like you wanted them to. For simplistic invitations, I would allow one day to print, one to assemble, one to address envelopes, and one to stuff envelopes, plus an additional day in case anything goes wrong along the way.
If you go the pocketfold route, you'll want to secure plenty of helpers as the assembly of these can be extremely time-consuming. You'll need to print all of your invites and enclosure cards, cut your papers to fit, glue your invitations and backing mats onto the pocketfolds, stamp and address your RSVP cards, and attach ribbons, belly bands or charms before addressing and stamping the outer envelopes. DIY on that scale is not for the faint of heart or those with a limited time frame, but it is a labor of love with a gorgeous result.