Vera Wang Wedding Invitations: Designer Bridal Collection

Okay So Vera Wang Invitations Are Actually A Whole Thing

The Vera Wang invitation collection through places like Invitations by Dawn and other licensed retailers is honestly one of those designer lines that brides get really excited about when they first discover it exists. Like they’ll come to me saying they want “luxury invitations” but their budget is maybe $300-400 for 100 invites and I’m like okay cool let me show you Vera Wang because that’s actually doable.

First thing you gotta know is these aren’t the same as commissioning custom invitations from Vera Wang’s actual bridal studio or something insane like that. These are licensed designs that carry her name and aesthetic but they’re produced through partnerships with major invitation manufacturers. Which is actually perfect because you get that designer look without the designer price that makes you wanna cry.

What Actually Makes Them “Vera Wang”

The aesthetic is very clean, modern, with romantic touches. Think lots of white space, elegant typography, and details like lace patterns, watercolor florals, or architectural borders. She’s known for that sort of… I don’t know how to describe it except modern romance? Like if minimalism and traditional wedding vibes had a baby.

Most of the collection features:

• Ecru and white color palettes as the base
• Shimmer cardstock or specialty papers
• Laser-cut details on some designs
• Subtle metallic accents in gold, rose gold, or silver
• Floral motifs that feel painterly not clipart-y
• Typography that leans elegant but readable

Back in spring 2023 I had this bride who was absolutely set on the Vera Wang “Love” collection with the laser-cut gatefold and honestly it was stunning but she didn’t realize until we were ordering that the laser-cut adds like $2 per invitation to the cost and she needed 200 invitations so that’s an extra $400 just for that detail. We had to have this whole conversation about whether the laser-cut was worth it or if we could find a similar look in the collection without it.

Where To Actually Buy Them

You can’t just go to some Vera Wang store and buy wedding invitations, which confuses people sometimes. The main retailers are:

Invitations by Dawn – This is probably the biggest carrier and they have the most extensive Vera Wang selection. Their website is easy to navigate and they do sales pretty regularly. I always tell clients to wait for a sale if they’re not in a rush because you can get like 25-40% off.

Shutterfly – They carry a smaller selection but if you’re already doing other stuff through Shutterfly it might make sense to keep it all in one place for shipping purposes.

Ann’s Bridal Bargains – They often have competitive pricing and their customer service is actually really good when something goes wrong with an order.

Wedding Paper Divas – Wait no they merged with Shutterfly so never mind but sometimes the designs show up under both names which is confusing.

Pricing Reality Check

Alright so here’s what you’re actually gonna spend. For a basic Vera Wang invitation with standard cardstock and printing, you’re looking at about $2.50-4.00 per invitation suite. That usually includes the invitation itself and maybe an RSVP card.

But then you add:

• Reception cards if ceremony and reception are different locations
• Accommodation cards
• Direction cards or website cards
• Envelope liners (these are like $0.50-1.00 each)
• Upgraded paper stock or shimmer finish
• Belly bands or ribbon
• Guest addressing services

And suddenly you’re at $6-8 per suite real quick. For 150 invitations that’s $900-1200 which is actually still reasonable for designer invitations but it’s more than people initially think.

The Customization Situation

One thing that annoyed me when I first started recommending these is that the customization options aren’t as flexible as true custom invitations. You’re working within templates. You can change:

• Your wording obviously
• Font choices from their selection
• Sometimes the ink color
• Whether you want certain design elements included or removed

But you can’t like completely redesign the layout or add your own graphics or change the fundamental structure. Which is fine for most people but I’ve had brides who get frustrated because they want to tweak something specific and they just… can’t.

Also the online design tools on these websites are kinda clunky sometimes? Like you’ll spend 20 minutes getting your wording perfect and then the preview doesn’t load right and you have to start over. My cat walked across my keyboard once while I was doing this for a client and somehow saved a version that said “Wedding Ceremttttttttony” and I almost sent it without noticing.

Paper Quality Things You Should Know

The standard cardstock is usually 110lb or 120lb which is perfectly fine and feels substantial. But Vera Wang designs often offer upgrades:

Shimmer cardstock has this pearlescent finish that catches light beautifully. It photographs really well. Adds about $0.50-1.00 per invitation.

Luxury or premium cardstock is thicker, sometimes textured. This is worth it in my opinion if your budget allows because you can feel the difference when you hold it.

Layered designs where you have multiple cardstock pieces assembled together – these automatically feel more expensive and formal. The Vera Wang collection does this really well with contrasting colors or textures.

Printing Methods

Most Vera Wang invitations through these retailers use digital printing which is totally fine and looks crisp and professional. Some collections offer:

Foil stamping – This is where metallic foil is pressed into the paper and it looks expensive because it sorta is. Gold foil, rose gold, and silver are common. This can add $1-2 per invitation but the effect is gorgeous.

Letterpress – Some of the higher-end Vera Wang designs offer letterpress printing where the text is pressed into the paper creating an impression. This is a traditional luxury printing method and you’ll pay for it but if you want that tactile quality it’s worth considering.

Thermography – This creates raised printing that you can feel. It’s less expensive than letterpress but still has that dimensional quality. Not all Vera Wang designs offer this.

Matching Suite Items

One of the benefits of going with a licensed designer collection is that everything coordinates. Vera Wang collections typically include:

• Save the dates in matching designs
• RSVP cards and envelopes
• Thank you cards
• Programs
• Menu cards
• Place cards
• Table numbers

You don’t have to buy everything from the same collection but having that option makes your life so much easier. I usually recommend at minimum getting invitations, RSVP cards, and programs in the matching design because those are what guests interact with most.

Timing And Ordering Strategy

Order samples first. Always. I cannot stress this enough. The colors on your computer screen are not accurate and you need to see the paper quality in person. Most retailers will send you samples for like $1-3 each.

Timeline-wise you want to:

• Order samples 8-10 months before wedding
• Make your decision and order save the dates 6-8 months out
• Mail save the dates 6 months before wedding
• Order invitations 4-5 months before wedding
• Mail invitations 8 weeks before wedding

But here’s the thing – production time varies. During busy season like spring and early summer, production can take 3-4 weeks. Then you need time to assemble everything, address envelopes, add postage, and mail. So build in buffer time or you’re gonna be stressed.

I had this situation in summer 2021 where a bride ordered her Vera Wang invitations exactly 8 weeks before her wedding thinking that was fine and then there were production delays because of supply chain stuff and COVID-related staffing issues and her invitations arrived 5 weeks before her wedding and she had a complete meltdown because she wanted to give guests more notice and…

Envelope Addressing Options

The envelopes that come with Vera Wang invitations are usually pretty nice – they coordinate with the invitation design and sometimes have cool liners. But you gotta address them which is its own whole thing.

Your options:

Hand calligraphy – Beautiful but expensive. Professional calligraphers charge $3-8 per envelope depending on style and location. For 150 envelopes you’re looking at $450-1200 just for addressing.

Printed calligraphy – Many retailers offer guest addressing services where they print addresses in calligraphy fonts directly on envelopes. This costs like $0.50-1.50 per envelope so way more affordable.

DIY with nice printer and fonts – You can print addresses yourself if you have a good printer. Get a calligraphy-style font and print on plain envelopes as tests first.

Clear labels with pretty fonts – Some people hate this because it’s obviously a label but honestly if you use clear labels with nice fonts it looks fine and it’s practical.

Your own handwriting – If you have decent handwriting just do it yourself with a nice pen. Nobody’s gonna judge you.

Common Mistakes People Make

Not ordering enough. You’re gonna mess up some invitations during assembly. Order 10-15 extra.

Forgetting about inner envelopes. Some formal Vera Wang designs use double envelopes and you need to account for that in your budget and assembly time.

Choosing a design that doesn’t match their wedding vibe. Just because it’s pretty doesn’t mean it fits your actual wedding aesthetic. If you’re having a rustic barn wedding, the ultra-modern geometric Vera Wang design might feel off.

Not weighing assembled invitations before buying postage. If your invitation suite is thick or heavy you might need extra postage. Take a fully assembled invitation to the post office and have them weigh it before you buy 150 stamps.

Assuming everyone can read fancy script fonts. Some of the Vera Wang designs use really elegant script typography which looks gorgeous but if your guest list includes older relatives who struggle with vision, maybe go with something more readable for the key information.

Real Talk About Whether They’re Worth It

For most couples yes. You’re getting legitimately pretty invitations with good paper quality and a cohesive designer aesthetic for a mid-range price. They’re way nicer than basic invitations from like a generic print shop but way more affordable than fully custom invitations from a boutique stationer.

The value is best if you’re someone who wants your invitations to look expensive and pulled-together but you’re not gonna obsess over every tiny detail. If you’re the type who needs everything to be exactly perfect and custom, you might feel constrained by the template limitations.

I usually recommend Vera Wang invitations to clients who:

• Have a $400-800 invitation budget for 100-150 invitations
• Want a classic or romantic wedding aesthetic
• Like having matching suite options
• Don’t want to deal with finding and coordinating with a custom stationer
• Value the designer name and aesthetic

Assembly Tips Because This Takes Forever

Invitation assembly is weirdly time-consuming. Set aside a whole afternoon or evening, pour some wine, put on a show you’ve seen before so you don’t have to pay attention, and set up an assembly line.

Your assembly order usually goes:

• Insert envelope liner if using them
• Stack invitation pieces in order largest to smallest
• Add belly band or ribbon if using
• Place assembled invitation in envelope
• Add RSVP card and stamped return envelope
• Seal envelope
• Add address labels or hand address
• Add postage

Pro tip: do all of one step for all invitations before moving to the next step. Don’t assemble one complete invitation at a time or you’ll be there for hours.

Also if you’re using glue or adhesive give yourself time for stuff to dry before moving to the next step otherwise things shift and look messy.

What About Digital Options

Some of the Vera Wang collections now offer digital invitation options which is kinda funny because like… you’re paying for a designer name on something that’s getting texted or emailed. But whatever, they exist.

Digital invitations make sense if you’re having a really casual wedding or if your guest list is small and you wanna save money. They’re also good for pre-wedding events like engagement parties or showers where fancy paper feels excessive.

You can usually get a digital design for like $20-50 total versus hundreds for printed versions so the savings are significant. But you lose that tangible luxury feeling that’s kinda the whole point of designer invitations in the first place