Cheap Wedding Invitations Online: Budget Digital Ordering

Okay So Here’s The Deal With Cheap Wedding Invitations Online

Look, I’ve been doing this wedding planning thing for almost two decades now and honestly the number of couples who blow their entire budget on invitations before they even book a caterer is… it’s a lot. So let me just jump right in because you asked and I have thoughts.

First thing – cheap doesn’t mean ugly anymore. Like back in 2015 or whatever, yeah, budget invites looked budget. But now? There are so many online companies doing really gorgeous digital printing that honestly most of your guests won’t know you spent $0.80 per invite instead of $8. I had this couple in spring 2023 who were convinced they needed letterpress invitations because the bride’s sister had them, and I literally had to sit them down and show them side-by-side comparisons because they were gonna spend like $2000 on invitations alone for a 150-person wedding.

Where To Actually Order From

Alright so the main players you wanna look at are Zazzle, Vistaprint, Minted (during sales), Etsy templates, and Canva. I know there’s like a million others but these are the ones I keep coming back to with clients.

Zazzle is kinda great because they have sales literally all the time. Like don’t ever pay full price there, just wait three days and there’ll be a 50% off code. You can customize most of their templates pretty heavily and their paper quality is actually decent. Not amazing, but decent. The turnaround time can be weird though – sometimes it’s five days, sometimes it’s three weeks, so plan accordingly.

Vistaprint gets a bad rap because they used to put their logo on everything, but they’ve cleaned up their act. Their standard cardstock is thin, I’m not gonna lie, but if you upgrade to the premium or the textured paper it’s perfectly fine. What I like about them is you can order samples of basically everything for cheap, so you’re not guessing. Oh and their customer service is actually helpful when things get messed up.

Minted is technically more expensive but here’s the thing – they have really good sales around Black Friday and sometimes in January when wedding planning season kicks off. If you can wait for a sale and you’re not picky about having like 47 color options, you can get some really beautiful designs. Their paper quality is legitimately good. The foil options are where they get you though, those prices jump fast.

The Etsy Template Situation

Okay this is where it gets interesting. You can buy templates on Etsy for like $8-25 and then edit them yourself in Canva or Photoshop or whatever, then upload them to a cheap printing service. I’ve had brides do their entire invitation suite this way for under $100 including envelopes and it looked incredible.

But – and this is important – you gotta be comfortable with basic design software. I had a bride in summer 2021 who bought a template, couldn’t figure out how to change the fonts, got frustrated, and ended up paying a designer $300 to do it for her anyway. So like, know yourself. If you’re the type who gets stressed when technology doesn’t immediately work, maybe just go with a customizable template from Zazzle or something.

The other annoying thing about Etsy templates is that some sellers are really specific about what you can and can’t edit, and the file formats can be weird. Make sure you read what format you’re getting – PDF, PNG, PSD, whatever – and that you actually have software that can open it.

Canva Is Honestly Your Friend

I resisted Canva for so long because I’m old and I was used to doing everything in InDesign but… nah, Canva is actually perfect for this. They have free wedding invitation templates and paid ones (usually like $1 each), and you can customize everything. The fonts, the colors, add your own photos, whatever.

Then you just download it as a PDF and upload it to basically any online printer. I usually send clients to Catprint or GotPrint for this because their prices are really low and the quality is fine. You’re looking at maybe $50-75 for 100 invitations if you do it this way, which is kinda insane when you think about it.

The Canva pro subscription is like $13 a month or something and honestly if you’re designing invitations, programs, menus, thank you cards, it’s worth it for one month. Just remember to cancel it after your wedding stuff is done or you’ll be paying for it forever. Ask me how I know this. Actually don’t, it’s embarrassing.

What About Paper Quality Though

So here’s where people get weird. Everyone’s suddenly a paper expert when they’re planning a wedding. “Is it 110lb cardstock?” “What’s the GSM?” Like… your guests are not gonna hold your invitation up to the light and judge the paper weight, I promise.

That said, you do want something that feels substantial. The standard cardstock most cheap printers use is around 100-110lb and that’s totally fine. It doesn’t feel flimsy. If you want it to feel fancier, look for textured options – linen, felt, laid – those finishes make even cheaper paper feel more expensive.

Matte finish usually looks more elegant than glossy for wedding invitations, just my opinion. Glossy can look kinda… I dunno, like a birthday party invitation? But some people love it so whatever works for you.

The Stuff Nobody Tells You About Digital Ordering

Okay so you’ve picked your design and you’re ready to order. Here’s what you need to know that’s gonna save you from making mistakes I’ve seen a thousand times.

Order Samples First

I cannot stress this enough. ORDER. SAMPLES. Most places will send you one or two samples for like $5-10 and it’s worth it. The colors on your screen are not the same as the printed colors. I had a bride who ordered 200 invitations in what looked like a beautiful dusty blue online and they arrived straight up purple. Like… Barney purple. She was crying on my couch and I had to call in favors to get a rush reprint.

Also you wanna feel the actual paper and see the print quality in person. Sometimes what looks crisp online comes out slightly blurry, or the colors are way more saturated than you expected.

The Envelope Situation Is Annoying

This is the thing that annoys me most about cheap online invitations, actually. A lot of places charge you separately for envelopes or they give you the cheapest possible white envelopes that look terrible with your nice invitation. You end up having to order envelopes from somewhere else which adds cost and hassle.

Cards & Pockets is good for cheap envelopes in lots of colors. JAM Paper too. You can get colored envelopes for like $15-20 per 100 which isn’t bad. Or honestly, if your invitations are nice, plain white envelopes are fine. I know Pinterest makes you think you need colored envelopes with custom liners and wax seals but like… you don’t.

Oh, and make sure you know what size envelopes you need BEFORE you finalize your invitation size. Standard sizes (5×7, A7, etc.) are cheaper to mail. Weird custom sizes cost more in postage and you might need to hand-cancel them at the post office which is a whole thing.

Proofreading Is Your Responsibility

Most online printing companies will print exactly what you upload. They’re not checking your spelling or making sure you didn’t put the wrong date. I’ve seen invitations go out with typos, wrong venues, dates that don’t match the day of the week… it’s rough.

Get like three people to proofread before you submit. Check the date, the time, the venue address, the RSVP info, everything. Check it once, walk away, come back and check it again. Then have your mom check it. Then have a friend check it. I’m serious.

Turnaround Times Are Longer Than You Think

When a site says “5 business day turnaround,” that’s production time. It doesn’t include shipping. So you’re really looking at 10-14 days minimum from order to arrival. During busy season (like January through June), it might be longer.

Order your invitations at least 3-4 months before your wedding. That gives you time to get them, address them (which takes forever, trust me), and mail them out 6-8 weeks before the wedding. If something goes wrong with the order, you have time to fix it.

I had a client once who ordered invitations 6 weeks before her wedding because she kept putting it off, and they arrived with a printing error, and we had to scramble to find a local printer who could do a rush job and it ended up costing three times what the original cheap online order would’ve been. Don’t be like that.

Actually Putting Together Your Order

So you need more than just the invitation itself, right? You need the actual invitation card, RSVP cards, envelopes for those, maybe details cards or direction cards or whatever.

Here’s how to keep it cheap: only include what people actually need. Do you really need a separate details card if you have a wedding website? Probably not. Just put your website on the invitation. Do you need a separate accommodations card? Or can that info go on your website too?

The more pieces you include, the more expensive it gets – both in printing and in postage. A simple invitation with just an RSVP card is usually enough. You can fit ceremony time, venue, and your website URL on one card.

Oh and speaking of RSVP cards – you can do online RSVPs and skip the card entirely. I know some older guests might complain but honestly most people prefer to RSVP online anyway. It’s easier for you to track too. There are free RSVP sites like RSVPify or you can use The Knot or whatever.

Digital Invitations Are Actually A Thing Now

Okay so I know you asked about cheap printed invitations but I gotta mention this because it’s become way more acceptable since COVID. Digital invitations are free or super cheap and some of them are really beautiful.

Paperless Post, Greenvelope, and even Evite (which has gotten way better) have wedding-specific designs. You can customize them, track opens and RSVPs, send reminders, all that stuff. For like $20-50 total.

The thing is, some people still think digital invitations are tacky for weddings. Usually older generations. So you might get some judgment from your aunt or whatever. But if you’re having a casual wedding or you’re trying to be eco-friendly or you just really need to save money, it’s a totally valid option.

You could also do a hybrid – send digital save-the-dates and printed invitations. Or send digital to your younger friends and printed to older relatives. I had a couple do this and it worked fine, nobody really noticed or cared.

Addressing Envelopes Without Losing Your Mind

This isn’t really about ordering but since we’re here… addressing envelopes is the worst part of the whole invitation process. My cat actually sat on my laptop keyboard once while I was working on a client’s address spreadsheet and somehow deleted like 50 addresses, it was a nightmare.

You can hand-write them if you have nice handwriting or if you’re into that kind of thing. You can print labels (not as tacky as it used to be, especially if you use clear labels). You can print directly on the envelopes if you have a good printer. Or you can pay someone on Etsy like $50-100 to do calligraphy addressing.

There are also services that will print and mail your invitations for you, which sounds great but it’s usually not that cheap once you add it all up. Sometimes worth it though if you have a huge guest list and no time.

Common Mistakes People Make

Not ordering enough invitations. Order extras. Like 10-20 more than you think you need. You’ll forget people, addresses will change, some will get lost in the mail, and you’ll want to keep some for yourself as keepsakes.

Choosing a design that’s too trendy. That ultra-modern geometric design might look dated in your wedding photos in five years. Or maybe you don’t care, which is fine. But just think about whether you’ll still like it.

Forgetting about postage costs. Fancy invitations are heavy. Square invitations cost more to mail. Oversized invitations cost more to mail. Just… go to the post office with your fully assembled invitation before you mail them all out and make sure you have the right postage. I’ve seen invitations returned because of insufficient postage and it’s so frustrating.

Not considering your venue’s vibe. If you’re getting married at a rustic barn, the ultra-formal script invitation might feel weird. If you’re getting married at a fancy hotel, the kraft paper invitation might feel too casual. It doesn’t have to match perfectly but it should kinda make sense together, you know?

Getting too caught up in perfection. Your invitations do not need to be perfect. They really don’t. People look at them for like 30 seconds, put the date in their calendar, and throw them away or stick them on the fridge. I know that sounds harsh but it’s true. Don’t stress yourself out or spend money you don’t have trying to make them Instagram-perfect.

My Actual Recommendations For Budget Ordering

If you want the easiest option with decent quality: Vistaprint during a sale, use one of their templates, upgrade to premium paper. Should cost around $100-150 for 100 invitations with envelopes.

If you want something more unique and you’re comfortable with DIY: Buy an Etsy template, edit in Canva, print through Catprint or GotPrint. Get envelopes separately. Should cost around $75-125 for everything.

If you want the best quality for the price: Wait for a Minted sale, order samples first, stick with their simpler designs without foil. Should cost around $150-200 but will look really nice.

If you want to spend almost nothing: Canva free templates, print locally at FedEx Office or Staples on cardstock, buy envelopes from Cards & Pockets. Should cost around $50-75 if you assemble everything yourself.

Honestly any of these options will work fine. Your guests care way more about the food at your wedding than what the invitation looked like, I promise. Pick something that fits your budget, make sure the information is correct, and move on to worrying about the other million wedding details you have to figure out.