Simply to Impress Wedding Invitations: Luxury Stationery Brand

So you’re looking at Simply to Impress for wedding invitations and honestly, I’ve been working with them since like… I wanna say late spring 2019? They’ve become one of my go-to luxury stationery brands when clients have a decent budget and want something that looks expensive without going full custom letterpress.

What Makes Simply to Impress Different

First thing you gotta know is that Simply to Impress sits in this weird middle ground between mass-market sites like Minted and true luxury custom work. They’re not gonna give you hand-calligraphed envelopes from some artisan in Brooklyn, but the quality is legitimately good. I remember in summer 2021, right when weddings were going absolutely insane after all the Covid postponements, I had three brides all order from Simply to Impress in the same week and every single suite arrived perfect. No misprints, no color issues, nothing.

Their specialty is foil stamping and that’s really where they shine. The foil options are extensive – rose gold, gold, silver, copper, and they keep adding more metallics. The application is clean and doesn’t flake off like some cheaper foil invites I’ve seen.

The Product Lines You Should Know

They’ve got several main categories and umm… it can get confusing because they organize their site kind of weirdly, which honestly annoys me? Like why is the navigation so cluttered when you’re trying to browse quickly with a client looking over your shoulder.

Foil-Pressed Invitations

This is their bread and butter. Real metal foil, heat-pressed onto thick cardstock. You’re looking at prices that range from reasonable to pretty high depending on how much foil coverage you want. A simple foil border is gonna cost way less than a design that’s like 60% foil.

The cardstock they use is usually 120lb or thicker, which feels substantial when you hold it. That weight matters more than people think – I’ve had clients literally change their mind about a design just from feeling the paper quality.

Letterpress Collections

Now these are interesting because they’re not actual letterpress – they’re digitally printed with a letterpress-style design. Some planners get really uptight about this distinction but most couples can’t tell the difference and it’s like $400 cheaper than real letterpress so… yeah. The designs mimic that pressed impression look pretty well.

Luxe Invitations

This line combines multiple techniques – foil with embossing, layered cardstock, vellum overlays. I used these for a fall 2022 wedding where the bride wanted something “fancy but not too fancy” which is the most common request I get and also the most useless description but anyway. The Luxe line delivered exactly that.

Customization Options

Here’s where you need to pay attention because the website makes this seem more flexible than it actually is.

You can customize:

• All the text obviously
• Fonts from their library (maybe 40-50 options)
• Foil colors
• Paper color on select designs
• Layout orientation sometimes

You cannot customize:

• The actual graphic elements much – like if there’s a floral border, that border is staying
• The overall design structure
• Spacing as much as you’d want (this has caused me problems)
• Adding your own graphics or illustrations

I had a bride in spring 2023 who wanted to use a design from Simply to Impress but swap out their geometric pattern for her own custom monogram and they just… couldn’t do it. We ended up having to pick a different design entirely that had space for a monogram. She was pretty frustrated and honestly so was I because their customer service kept saying “maybe” for like two weeks before finally admitting it wasn’t possible.

The Ordering Process

Alright so here’s how this actually works when you’re ordering for clients.

You pick your design, customize it using their online tool which is actually pretty intuitive compared to some sites. You can see your changes in real-time which clients love because they’re visual people. Then you order samples – and yes, you need to order samples, I don’t care how good it looks on screen.

Sample turnaround is usually 5-7 business days but I’ve seen it take longer during busy season (April-June is insane). The samples are actual printed pieces, not just paper samples, so you’re seeing exactly what you’ll get.

Once samples are approved, production time is typically 10-15 business days, then shipping. So you’re looking at basically a month from order to having invitations in hand. I always tell couples to budget 6-8 weeks total to be safe because something always comes up – they want to revise the wording, they realize they forgot to include the website, whatever.

Pricing Structure

This is probably what you really wanna know about right?

For just the invitation card (no envelope, no extras), you’re typically looking at $3-8 per invitation depending on the design complexity. That’s for quantities around 100. The price per piece drops as quantity increases but not dramatically – maybe you save 50 cents per invite if you order 200 instead of 100.

Then you add:

• Envelopes (included with most but upgrades cost extra)
• Envelope liners – around $1-2 each
• RSVP cards and envelopes – another $1.50-3 per set
• Details cards, reception cards, etc – $0.75-2 each
• Envelope addressing – this varies wildly, $1-4 per envelope

So a complete suite with invitation, RSVP, details card, lined envelope, and printed addressing? You’re probably at $12-20 per guest. For 150 guests that’s $1800-3000 just for invitations.

I always have this conversation with couples where they see “$4 per invitation” and think they’re spending $400 for 100 guests and then I have to break down all the actual costs and watch their faces fall. It’s my least favorite part of the job honestly.

What Actually Looks Good From Their Collection

Okay so I’ve ordered from Simply to Impress probably… 40+ times? 50? I’ve lost count. Here’s what I actually recommend:

The geometric foil designs are consistently gorgeous. Clean lines, modern, the foil makes them feel expensive. They photograph really well too which matters because every couple wants those flat-lay invitation photos now.

Their floral designs are hit or miss. Some look elegant and some look like they’re trying too hard? It’s hard to explain but when you see them in person you’ll know what I mean. The watercolor floral ones in particular can look muddy if there’s too much color variation.

For formal traditional weddings, their classic bordered designs with simple foil frames are perfect. They look like something you’d get from a fancy stationer but without the fancy stationer price tag.

The vellum overlay designs are stunning but – and this is important – they’re harder to work with when you’re assembling. The vellum can shift around and if you’re doing belly bands or ribbons it gets fussy. I learned this the hard way with a DIY bride who called me crying because she couldn’t get her vellum pieces to stay put. I ended up going to her house with double-sided tape (my dog was so mad I left him home alone that evening, he knocked over the entire trash can in protest).

Envelope Addressing Options

They offer several addressing methods and this is where things can get complicated or like… you really need to guide your clients.

Digital printing is the cheapest option. It’s printed directly onto the envelope in a font you choose. Looks clean and modern but some traditional families think it looks cheap. I’ve had mothers of the bride literally complain about this.

Guest addressing in a script font looks more formal but it’s still obviously printed. Good middle ground for most weddings.

Recipient addressing means they print both the guest address and your return address. The return address printing is usually included or cheap to add.

They don’t do actual calligraphy – for that you’d need to hire a calligrapher separately and honestly for 150+ invitations you’re looking at $400-800 for hand calligraphy so most couples skip it.

The Return Address Thing That Annoys Me

Okay so here’s something that drives me crazy about Simply to Impress specifically. Their return address formatting is weirdly rigid? Like you’d think you could just put whatever return address you want however you want it formatted, but they have these preset layouts and if your return address doesn’t fit their template cleanly it looks awkward.

I had a couple whose return address was like “The Henderson-Martinez Residence” and they wanted it formatted across two lines in a specific way and Simply to Impress’s system kept auto-formatting it wrong. We went back and forth with customer service maybe four times before we just gave up and formatted it their way. Not a huge deal but annoying when you’re trying to get everything perfect.

Paper Quality and Durability

The cardstock is good quality, I already mentioned the weight. It doesn’t feel flimsy or cheap. The foil doesn’t scratch off easily – I’ve literally tested this by rubbing my nail across samples because I needed to know if they’d survive the mail system.

Envelopes are standard but sturdy. They’re not those gorgeous cotton envelopes you get from like Bella Figura or anything, but they’re not gonna rip when people open them.

The printing quality is sharp. Text is clean, colors are accurate to what you see on screen (mostly – metallics are always a bit different in person but that’s true everywhere).

Their Design Aesthetic

Simply to Impress definitely has a look, and that look is… contemporary traditional? Is that a thing? They’re not cutting-edge modern and they’re not super traditional either. Most designs would work for a nice hotel wedding or garden wedding or vineyard wedding – that sort of upscale-but-not-stuffy vibe.

If your couple wants something really unique or artistic, this probably isn’t the right fit. If they want something really traditional and formal like engraved invitations with tissue paper inserts, also not the right fit.

But for the 80% of couples in the middle who want nice invitations that look expensive and sophisticated without being weird or boring? Perfect.

Color Accuracy

This is gonna sound random but I was watching The Great British Baking Show while writing up notes about Simply to Impress color matching once and I realized their color system is kinda like… you can choose from their color options and they’ll be consistent, but you can’t just give them a Pantone color and expect them to match it exactly.

Their navy is a true navy, their burgundy is actually burgundy (not wine or maroon), their blush is a soft pink not a hot pink. If you have specific wedding colors you’re trying to match, order the samples and compare them to your color swatches in natural light.

I’ve found their colors photograph true though, which is great for the invitation flat lays everyone wants now.

Timeline Management

Real talk about timing because this is where couples panic.

Invitations should go out 6-8 weeks before the wedding. That’s standard etiquette whatever. But to have them ready to mail 6-8 weeks before the wedding, you need to:

1. Have your guest list finalized – good luck with this, it never happens when it should
2. Order samples – 1 week
3. Review samples and make any changes – usually takes couples another week even though they swear they’ll look at them immediately
4. Place final order – 2-3 weeks for production
5. Receive invitations – 3-5 days shipping usually
6. Assemble if needed – depends on complexity but budget a few days
7. Address if you’re not using their printing service – could be weeks if you’re hand-addressing or hiring a calligrapher
8. Mail them – done

So from starting the process to mailing you’re looking at 6-8 weeks minimum. I tell couples to start looking at invitations 4 months before the wedding just to be safe.

Customer Service Experience

Their customer service is… fine? Not amazing, not terrible. Response time is usually within 24 hours via email. Phone support exists but I’ve had mixed experiences – sometimes you get someone super helpful and knowledgeable, sometimes you get someone who’s clearly reading from a script and can’t answer specific questions.

The thing that bugs me is they don’t really do rush orders or if they do, it’s not clearly advertised. I’ve had situations where couples are behind schedule and need invitations faster and Simply to Impress is just like “nope, 15 business days is what it is.” Which I get from a production standpoint but it’s not helpful when you have a panicking bride.

Assembly Requirements

Most Simply to Impress invitations require some assembly – you’re putting the invitation suite together, tucking pieces into the envelope, adding any belly bands or ribbons or wax seals.

This isn’t complicated but it is time-consuming. For 150 invitations, budget 3-5 hours if you’re doing it yourself. More if you’re adding extras like ribbon or wax seals.