Guest Post: Kristen’s $100 DIY Invitations
Today’s guest post comes from DIY Bride Kristen who made 175 invitations for $102. Inspiring!
How I Only Spent $100 On My Wedding Invitations
…and 8 Tips On How You Can Do It Too
Most brides have a similar focus when they finally get their hands on that first bridal magazine, or when they sit down in front of Google for that very first wedding-related search. That magical gown, the wedding dress.
For us craftier brides-to-be, the focus is a bit different. We dream of invitations, programs and stationery. Vellum and engraved and metallic and handmade and letterpress. Wedding invitations are little paper masterpieces, and for brides like myself, they set the tone for the wedding much more than the gown does.
Pretty paper is by no means cheap, though. And when you are on a tight budget, or you have a hefty guest list, wedding invitations can quickly become one of your most expensive items.
My Vision
I knew I wanted an invitation that was something extra special. But, I also knew that I, as well as my parents, could not handle the extra special price tag that went with it. So, DIY wedding invitations it was.
The inspiration for the basic shell of my invite came from one of Khris’ features in DIY Bride. The rest came from flying by the seat of my pants. I learned some great lessons and gained some truly invaluable tips along the way that I believe every bride can use in some aspect of her planning.
**Quick Disclaimer: I am in no way, shape or form promoting the DIY-invitation route as an EASY one. It takes time, work and lots of patience to create your invitations from scratch. You have to decide for yourself if the cost benefit is worth taking on such a large task. For me, it absolutely was.
1. Research, Research, Research
If you decide to do your own invitations, you need to start EARLY. I don’t mean start making them early, but start thinking about them as soon as you can. Search the internet, visit local stationery stores, order samples. You may already have a vision in your head, but seeing that vision in a tangible form may change your feelings.
I sat for hours in different stores around town, going through their books of invitations, making mental notes of what I liked, and what I couldn’t believe some people paid to have done to paper (Eek!). Oh, and don’t let the sales clerks pressure you. You don’t have to tell them you have no intention of buying anything, just say you are only looking today. If they still won’t back off, just leave. Most stores have all the same books anyway.
2. For Materials, Think Outside the Box…Waaaay Outside the Box
Now, I am just as partial to craft and hobby stores as any other DIYer, but when it comes to crafting a wedding invitation, using products from these kinds of stores will cost you – significantly. Get creative with your resources. Just because it doesn’t come pre-packaged and labeled as a craft item, doesn’t mean you can’t make it one.
Exhibit A: the pocket folder or “shell” of my invite. Oh, how I love Office Depot. These homemade folders are each made from a cardstock report cover from the office supply store. These navy papers have a beautiful linen finish to them, and are really easy to work with in terms of scoring and cutting, so that is an added bonus. The best part: $12.99 for a pack of 50.
3. Simplistic Designs are Often The Most Beautiful
When it came time for me to create the printed pieces of my invitation, I decided I wanted something to build around. If you are not experienced in design, this is a great tip to remember. Think about taking an element or a logo and adding to it, so that your entire invitation works as one unified piece.
I created a logo of sorts with mine and my groom’s initials. It took no more than 10 minutes to create in Photoshop, but it added so much elegance right from the start.
4. Get Back to The Basics
I don’t want to be misleading with my opinion on this one, because oh my, what I wouldn’t give for some yummy letterpress invites to send out for my wedding. However, if you can’t break the bank for letterpress, you can use what you’ve probably already got: a basic inkjet printer.
As for what to print your elegant designs on, you can get back to the VERY basics: construction paper. Yes, you read correctly. Do me a favor if you think I’m crazy. Just go buy a pack. Open it, and really look at the pieces of paper. Construction paper has that beautiful handmade texture, with all those little imperfections that give it character and, believe it or not, style.
My light pink construction paper ran through my HP all-in-one printer like a charm. Especially charming is the fact that it’s only 97 cents for a pack of 50 sheets.
5. Don’t Waste Your Scraps
If you are going to be crafty, you also have to be thrifty. In order to save yourself multiple trips to reload on supplies, try and find a use for your scraps.
With my Office Depot covers, I had a rectangular scrap that was cut off each one of them. I recycled all of those scraps and turned each one into a matte for the reception information card.
6. Shop Around for the Items You Can’t Make
I spent weeks looking around for envelopes because I wanted to make sure I found the best deal. And, boy did I ever. I must give a little shout-out love to Cutcardstock.com, for not only the most incredible deals, but incredible service as well. I got 250 white 6″ square envelopes for $26.00 plus S+H. Just incredible.
7. Don’t forget the “Yourself” in Do-It-Yourself
This is your project – a way to really put your own unique touch into your wedding. DO NOT FORGET THAT. Undoubtedly, you will hit a few bumps in the roads when you take on a project of this magnitude (I had 150 invitations brought back to my front door last Friday for not having enough postage – don’t get me started).
Just keep things in perspective, and don’t beat yourself up. Brides have so much stress and pressure put on them, and they put the majority of it there themselves. Take this project on as a way to relieve some of the other wedding planning stress you’ve already got on your mind. You’d be amazed at how therapeutic cutting, folding and gluing can be for you.
Submitted by Kristen Phillips.
Images and text copyright Kristen Phillips 2008.
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Lovely work Kristen! I am extremely impressed and I am sure that your wedding guests are going to be amazed when they find out that you created them yourself!
Love & Soul Always, Kay
Khris, thanks a ton for the opportunity to share this!
Take care of that bebe.
I am in the process of working on some samples for my own invitation – I just sent out my engagement party invites that I made myself! Your experience has helped me feel confident in going forward with doing it myself – because looking at the prices for some of the papers I like, I have started to have second thoughts.
Thanks Kristen!
I am one of the lucky recipients of Kristen’s wedding invitations, and I must say that these photos don’t even BEGIN to do them justice! Her invitations are absolutely stunning (Really? Those are report covers?)… and I keep kicking myself for being one of those crazy people who shelled out big-time bucks for my own wedding invites last year. Khris and Kristen – you guys are an inspiration to so many crafty brides out there. Keep that fabulous creativity flowing!
I’ll be sending letterpress STDs, invitations, and response cards on a delicious Crane Lettra paper. My invitations will cost about $150 when all is said and done. Oh, and there’ll be just over 120 invitations being sent.
How?!
I’m doing them myself.
Check your area for letterpress classes. We’re blessed to have the Minnesota Center for Book Arts nearby. I took a class in letterpress almost a year ago, and those skills allow me to rent time and use the presses to create my own amazing invitations.
They have all the type you need… if you want/need a graphic, eBay has tons of printing blocks for fairly cheap.
I’ve seen online tutorials for doing letterpress yourself, but I find its easiest to stick with the real thing.
FOrgot something:
Kristen, your invitations look awesome! You can see how much time and attention you put into them, and the results are awesome!
Wow! Kristen these are great- what creativity you have!
Great Article!
I am going to be desinging my own invitiations as well. I think my biggest quandry so far is how to make the double layered cards similar to your RSVP card. Any hints, suggestions or ideas would be appreciated.
Thanks so much!
These invitations are great! Thanks for sharing!
You really can come up with some great and inexpensive DIY invitations, what with all the great tools out there geared towards card making and scrap booking. There’s multitudes of fantastic decorative papers to use to boot.
If you need a little inspiration to get started on your own invitations check out Do-it-yourself-invitations.com. The site features tons of tips and ideas for making DIY invitations. There step by step instructions too.
argh! postage! i made my own invitations, and finding out a few days ago that my fiance’s friend had to send away 90 cents (!) extra postage to get our wedding invitation is the only thing that’s given me an emotional breakdown during the wedding planning (so far…?). we know that most people got their invitations with no problem, but how many other guests didn’t get their invitations? we may never know, as the rejected invitations (there have been two others since) seem to be completely arbitrary. it sucks to think that some aunt or cousin may be sitting out there with her feelings hurt while everyone else packs for our wedding next weekend! luckily we did save-the-dates, so hopefully folks would contact me if there were no invitation and they’d really like to come.
word to the wise bride (or groom?): don’t work so hard on the invitations that you’re too sick of it to hit the post office before you mail them.
I really like this and am trying something similar for mine as well. I have been trying various adhesives to find one that I like the best…what did you use??
Wow! Adorable invitations for only $100! That is just awesome! Kristen, you did a great job
I love these invites! I think I’m going to do something like this myself now! And my fiance said he’d even help!
I’m confused though – how did you make the invitation covers/folders? Did you buy them as folders? Or can you post a pattern of how you cut the report paper and folded it into a folder?
Thank you! And great job!
Awesome ideas, very resourceful! I also did my own invitations and found that a lot of the online paper stores give huge discounts on bulk paper and envelopes.
I know I personally love to get a set of handmade/homemade invitations over those standard print shop invites. But of course we all do what we can!
Thanks for sharing!
I am soooo with you on the making invite yourself idea! It means you get exactly what you want and usually for a fraction of the cost. I haven’t got round to doing my invites yet but had a ball with my Art Deco style Save The Date cards which you can see more of here.
how and where do i write up the script at would that just be microsoft word.. for the main wording and the reception cards..
the envolopes are they 6″ square or 6 by 9 email me back regarding. thank you
Does anyone know what she used for pocket folders? I just can’t figure it out. what did she have to do to the ‘report covers” to make them into pocket folders, and where on earth did she find these report covers? I can’t find them at Office Depot.
Wow! I can’t believe those are so cute for only $100!
I cannot wait to try this! I’m getting married next May and have been agonizing over save-the-dates and wedding invites that seem ridiculously expensive. Thank you thank you so much for posting this and I’ll let everyone know how it goes!