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Updated Mar 06, 2025Industry Intel on How to Save Money on Wedding Invitations
Consider this our open *invitation* to save on stationery.
Photo: The Knot Invitations,Design: Tiana Crispino
Whether your stationery budget is $50 or $5,000, it never hurts to be savvy with your spending. When it comes to how to save money on wedding invitations, there are some general strategic choices you can make, whether you work with a talented wedding stationery designer (find one—along with calligraphers and more—on The Knot Vendor Marketplace) or opt for an online retailer. You don't even need to select inexpensive wedding invitations to assemble a budget-friendly stationery suite, just be wise about what else you tuck into that envelope. To get some expert eyes on the topic, we touched base with Katie Skaggs Kormushoff, a stationery pro with 17 years of experience and the owner of SERIF and SANS in Norwood, Massachusetts. Nail every tactic in terms of how to save money on your wedding, starting with the stationery tips below.
1. Do Research Before You Determine Your Budget
Before you can decide what your stationery budget should be, do a little research. A great starting point: The Knot Budget Tool. This handy gadget will give you data on how much couples spend on stationery in your area as well as local vendor recommendations that suit your spending parameters. Additionally, you can take the national average cost of wedding invitations from The Knot 2023 Real Weddings Study into account. Couples spent $530 on wedding stationery as a whole, with $240 dedicated to their invitation suites. Gut check those numbers and see how they feel to figure out how to save money on your wedding invitation in a way that works for you. Do note that this number is more on par if you order from a stationery retailer instead of a stationery designer. "We try to do our best to reach everyone's budget with different print techniques, but our minimum order is $950 for 100 invitations," says Skaggs Kormushoff.
2. Skip the Fancy Additions
"Foil, engraving and letterpress are all drastically more expensive," says Skaggs Kormushoff. "Also, the embellishments can add up." You heard the pro: Skip bells and whistles like wax seals, belly bands and fancy envelopes to save during both the design and mailing stages of handling your wedding invites. Additionally, remember that certain luxe printing techniques like letterpress and foil stamping can quickly add to your overall cost. Though, when it comes to must-have design details, the pro urges marriers not to skip the envelope liner: "It makes an impact without spending a lot of money."
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3. Keep Sizing Standard
Skaggs Kormushoff suggests that couples select a 5x7 invitation size to save on wedding invitations. This is the standard size for this type of correspondence and it'll make it easier to purchase inexpensive envelopes and prevent extra mailing fees (since strange sizes or shapes of invitations will cost more to send).
4. Look Into Semi-Custom Stationery
If customization isn't a priority for you, look for semi-custom invitation options. For example, at The Knot Invitations, you can play around with different fonts and colors or request design assistance, free of charge. You can even update the text, add a QR code or insert a photo. Additionally, some independent stationery designers might offer semi-custom designs of their own.
5. Cut Back on Paper Weight
When you consider how to save money on postage for wedding invitations, a heavy envelope is the number one culprit of raising the price of your mail. It'll make your wedding invitation stamp cost rise, since your envelopes will require second and even third stamps to make it to your guests' doorsteps. The solve to save on postage: Don't pack your envelopes with lots of extra enclosure cards. "The fewer cards, the better," says Skaggs Kormushoff. Additionally, the pro recommends that couples working with a stationery designer ask if 1-ply cotton cardstock (one of the lightest paper weights) is available for their preferred design.
6. Don't Try to DIY
Sure, you might see a few Reddit threads here and there about how easy and cheap it is to make wedding invitations yourself. But when you account for the high cost of print shops (not to mention the extra time and labor on your end, all for a result you can't guarantee will turn out well), it's not worth the effort or the cost, which ends up being higher than a typical online stationery site. The talent and eye for detail of a professional stationery designer is truly unmatched, so we always recommend prioritizing one if you're in the market for something truly custom. But if your budget is making you lean toward DIY, just head over to The Knot Invitations instead. There are hundreds of designs that suit every wedding aesthetic, from old money, to cottagecore, to classic, that are all pretty budget friendly. Find designs for full stationery suites (including save-the-dates), with quite a few foil-bedecked options that sparkle for just a small extra cost. Plus, you can filter by price to simplify your search.
7. Opt for All-In-One Invitations
Looking for an invitation that'll save you money, but still make a statement? Check out all-in-one wedding invitations. This foldable format combines your wedding invitation, envelope and RSVP cards all in one pretty package, so you'll have all of the invitation essentials at a fraction of the cost. The RSVP card is attached at the bottom with a perforated seam and is all set to mail (thanks to our free guest and return addressing), so guests can just tear it off and drop it in the post bin, while the entire back of the invite acts as the envelope. They're made with premium inks and high-quality paper that'll fit every wedding style (and, most importantly, every wedding budget—they start at $1.49 each).
8. Ask Guests to RSVP Digitally
"You can save money by not doing a lot of cards in the suite and having your guests RSVP online," says Skaggs Kormushoff. "The less pieces that need to be printed, the cheaper it is." If you've got your heart set on keeping some enclosure cards, consider skipping traditional RSVP cards instead. Nowadays, more and more couples are asking their guests to RSVP digitally to the wedding. And it's not just beneficial for a couple's budget (no extra spending on response cards, envelopes and return postage for everyone on the guest list). It makes the process of RSVPing a lot easier for loved ones. They can submit their responses in minutes without needing to find a mailbox (or even step outside). Plus, it couldn't be easier to set up. There are lots of ways to request online wedding RSVPs, including through your wedding website on The Knot.
9. Choose Digital Printing
"The best way to save money on a wedding invitation suite is to print it digitally rather than foil or letterpress," says Skaggs Kormushoff. Digital printing is the technique that you'll find across many wedding invitation websites, like The Knot Invitations, but some pros offer this option in their suite of talents as well. Skaggs Kormushoff notes that print technique is one of the biggest drivers in cost for wedding invitations, so it's also an area where you can majorly save.
10. Use Your Wedding Website Wisely
Use your wedding website to relay additional details to guests instead of enclosure cards (though, be sure you still cover the basics on your invitation, like the date, time and location of your celebration). Include one enclosure card in your envelope that directs guests to your wedding website to find details about hotel blocks, transportation, etc. And if you're after a more cohesive look, you could select a stationery design from The Knot Invitations, since each coordinates with a wedding website design.
11. Order on Time
We can't emphasize this one enough: Make sure you buy early when it comes to wedding invitations, save-the-dates and every other paper product you want for your wedding. Ordering your stationery well in advance doesn't just give you peace of mind, it also helps you cut down on unnecessary costs, like rush printing and shipping. You'll also have more time to double-check the details, so mistakes are less likely to slip by.
12. Proofread Multiple Times
You make one simple typo and you'll have to reprint your entire slate of stationery—at full cost. Luckily, you can avoid this unnecessary expense by carefully proofreading (and then proofreading again and again).
13. Take Advantage of Sales or Bundles
Scouting for sales is an easy way to save money on your wedding invitations without compromising on any (or many) design details. Look out for discounts on save-the-dates, wedding invitations and beyond, especially if your stationery shopping timeline matches up with big sale events like Black Friday. Additionally, if you're ordering multiple types of wedding paper goods from a stationery designer, such as invitations, save-the-dates and wedding menus, there might be potential for a discount.
14. Prioritize Details That Matter
Even if you're focused on saving a few dollars on your invites, don't feel forced to skip the stationery details that you truly love. Prioritize what matters most to you and your fiancé, whether that's choosing eco-friendly cardstock, opting for traditional RSVP cards or embracing the cost of wedding invitation calligraphy with no wallet guilt. You can make up for it in your budget by cutting costs on anything you're less excited about.
15. Order Extra Invites
Yes, it seems counterintuitive to order extra invites, but hear us out: Regardless of if you only need an additional invitation or two, you'll likely have to order a specified minimum quantity. Depending on the stationery designer or website, this could be 15 invites, 25 invites or even more. In the long run, it's much cheaper to add two or three extras to your initial order instead of having to go back and buy 15 because one got lost or damaged. It also gives you some wiggle room for last-minute additions to the guest list.
