Schedule And Plan Ahead
Printing your own invitations may be more affordable than having them printed by a pro, but it doesn’t always mean it will be faster. Be sure to give yourself time, grace, and patience when printing at home, because it can get a little complicated. Invitations should be mailed eight weeks before your wedding date, says Amy Gonzales, a designer at Smitten on Paper, a custom wedding invitation company. Be sure to count back from your wedding date and plan your printing time accordingly. Make sure you have about 10 percent more supplies than you actually need in case of mistakes or the need to reprint something, Gonzales adds.
Eggshell Wedding Invitation Papers
I used to get really confused when I first started designing invitations, because I thought eggshell was a color. Way to go, Laney. Luckily, I figured out quickly that eggshell is basically the best of all worlds when it comes to papers.
An eggshell finish adds a little texture to your wedding invites, but without the price increase of cotton paper. It is a great in-between for cotton and smooth papers without breaking the bank, and surprise, its available in a couple different shades of white to match the rest of your suite. Double thick eggshell also offers a nice imprint for letterpress or gold foil, if you want to combine those techniques with digital printing. If you order pretty much anything digitally printed from Design by Laney, chances are it will be on eggshell paper, as this is my house stock!
Eggshell wedding invitations with Gold Foil
Faqsfrequently Asked Questions & Answers
1. Are inkjet printers better than laser printers for printing invitations?
Generally, inkjet printers use liquid ink to print, and the print is scattered around with a number of nozzles. While in laser printers, a fine powder is used in the toner for the print.
We recommend using an inkjet printer because they can add droplets of ink-based on how many colors your print needs, so the colors pop better in an inkjet printer compared to a laser printer.
2. What is the best paper for printing invitations?
Generally, we recommend using cardstock papers for printing invitations. Because cardstock papers are thick and they add a premium vibe to any sort of print.
Generally, heavier papers look good. However, you have to make sure theyre compatible with your printer.
3. What is the easiest way to refill a printer?
Refilling your printer is very simple. If you have an inkjet printer, you will have to refill the cartridges.
Some printers have refillable ink that you can put on the printer to use to refill. While some printers need you to change the cartridges.
When it comes to laser printers, the ink is stored in the toner as a fine powder. If the toner runs out, you have to get a new toner to get it running again.
4. How to choose the right printer for cardstock invitations?
If youre planning to get a printer for cardstock invitations, you need to keep a few things in check.
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How Paper Weight Is Measured
Paper weight is measured using three measures of sturdiness:
You may wonder why the weight of a cardstock says 65 lb when the reams of paper dont weigh 65 lb. Thats because weight in pounds isnt calculated by the ream, but rather by the weight of the uncut paper. So, if 500 sheets of uncut cardstock weigh 65 lbs, its called 65 lb stock.
Point is calculated by the thousandths of an inch thickness of sheets of paper. A sheet of paper 0.010 inches thick is 10 pt cardstock, 0.015 inches thick is 15 pt cardstock, etc.
Density is the universal metric measurement of paper density. In North America, this is converted to either pounds or points. Our site uses pounds for the sake of simplicity.
Why Paper Weight Doesnt Fully Describe the Weight of Paper
As you can see, weight doesnt fully describe the calculation process used to assess paper weight. Its actually a combination of two things: weight and thickness.
This is actually a good thing for consumers, even though it is confusing. Because weight takes into account the actual thickness of the paper, you can use weight to determine whether a sheet of cardstock is too thick for your home printer to handle.
On the other hand, paper weight may be standardized, but the methods of producing paper are not. This means that weight can mean something quite different between one manufacturer and the next.
Colored Cardstock For Wedding Invitations
Although you see people recommending âcolored cardstockâ for wedding invitations on a regular basis, especially if you are on any wedding planning social media groups or forums but there are a huge number of different types of colored cardstock. You will often see other featured types of cardstock on our list marketed as âcolored cardstockâ but not give the actual type such as âlinen colored cardstockâ.
This makes it more difficult and if you are checking out an online listing for colored cardstock or you are in your local stationary store and the product you are considering does not actually list the type of cardstock that it is, we would recommend that you avoid it. As we have touched on above, some cardstocks such as felt are not really suitable for wedding invitations so there is no point risking purchasing it by accident.
Real colored cardstock is essentially just colored craft paper that has specifically been designed for use with arts and crafts and doesnât really offer any other advantaged for use as wedding invitations. We have seen people accidentally purchase this due to seeing people recommend that they use âcolored cardstockâ for their wedding invitations.
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Invitation Style: What Kind Of Invitation Are You Making
When choosing an invitation paper weight, it is also important to consider the style and composition of your invites. For example:
Flat Invitation Card? Go a Little Heavier
Since flat invitation cards are simply a single sheet of cardstock, they are typically made with a heavy weight cardstock 80lb cover and up.
Folding Invitation Card? Go a Little Lighter
Folding invitation cards are typically made with lighter stock, as they are twice as thick after folding.
A popular weight range for folding invitation cards is between 65lb-100lb cover.
Layered Card? Whatever You Prefer
Layered invitation cards or those inside of invitation pockets and wraps can be made with a variety of weights, but we recommend keeping these rules in mind.
- Keep your invitation top layer light . Print it, then attach it to a heavier card .
- Your invitation backer or pocket can be as heavy as you like no printing, no restrictions!
- Keep bulk in mind. If you have 3 or more layers, you may want to keep the layers light
When In Doubt Just Customize The Design
If, after reading all this, it turns out youre not as crafty as you thought, remember there are still ways to get creative with your wedding invitations even if you dont go the DIY route.
When you order invites from your local stationery store or sites like Wedding Paper Divas and Minted, you still get to choose the design and colors.
But, unlike with DIY invites, the company takes care of the rest.
Amy Gagnon, for example, used a company called Invitations by Dawn.
I filled out information as to what I was looking for in terms of look, style, theme, etc, she says. They then sent me a folder full of sample paper, color palettes, text samples and so on.
Once shed chosen the perfect combo, she ordered it from the site. It arrived as a single sheet she folded up to mail.
Gagnon loved her invitations, which cost about $1.50 each. My hand touched every part of them, she says. And then these two little hands went out in a snow storm on Valentines Day to send them out because it was cute, darnit.
Thats it! Now you know how to craft your DIY wedding invitations. Now all thats left to worry about is the band, the food, the cake, the dress, the honeymoon
Ready for a glass of wine? I certainly am!
Your Turn: Did you make your own wedding invitations? Was it worth it?
Ready to stop worrying about money?
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What Is A Good Paper Weight For Wedding Invitations
This is one of the most common questions we get from customers making invitations. Because every project, print method and preference is different, we cannot give a simple answer as to what the best paper weight for invitations is. We can help you find the best paper weight for you, however.
Cardstock weight used for wedding invitations varies considerably, and ranges from a low of 65lb / 176gsm up to double thick duplexed cardstock that weighs 222lb and higher.
To choose the right cardstock for your wedding invitations, take the following factors into consideration:
A Minted Wedding Invitations Review
This is just a super honest review of my experience with Minted wedding invitations . This post is in no way sponsored by Minted, so I can give it to you 100% straight.
As a small-scale wedding stationery company, were always getting emails from couples who want quality invites without blowing their entire wedding budget. We always do our best to stretch your budget the furthest, but even so, custom designs just arent in the cards for everyone. And although it might be considered bad for business, if youre one of those couples, I want to refer you somewhere I know can meet your needs at a lower price point.
Which is why I spent hundreds of dollars of my own money testing out the competition
By far and away, my top recommendation? Minted wedding invitations.
Before I started recommending Minted, I put em through the ringer to make sure they live up to the hype and have a product that I would order if I were a bride. I tested their papers, tried out different colors and print selections, and put their high-end options to the test, just like I do for my own clients.
Lets just say, theylive up to the hype, guys.
Rather than approaching it from a brides perspective, I came at it from a designers perspective: What kind of paper do they use? How heavy is it? What are the colors like? Is the printing sharp? How long did shipping take? And then I asked how much I would charge for that exact same thing as a one-person design studio.
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Define Your Wedding Style
Along with listing the location and time of day, the invitationand, more specifically, its stylehints to the formality of your wedding. You should have an idea of the type of event you’re throwingclassic and elegant, casual and relaxed, or glam and modernbefore you start shopping for stationery, so you can choose an invitation style that hits the same note. Then browse stationers’ websites and others couples’ wedding invitations to gather inspiration so you can give your stationer an idea of what you like.
What Counts As Lightweight/medium Weight/heavyweight
Lightweight paper can print in most consumer-grade home printers and is usually up to 60 lbs. This kind of paper can be folded without scoring and can be translucent or average printer paper.
Medium weight paper is generally between 65 lbs to 80 lbspicture the type of paper typically used in cards and youre in the right ballpark. Heavyweight paper runs from 80 lbs to 200 lbs and can be used in anything from business cards to hang tags to booklets, as it is sturdy and substantial.
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The Three Main Types Of Paper I Use In My Studio
STANDARD COVER STOCK:
Standard *cover stock is the most economical of the three paper types I use in my studio. Its *FSC Certified paper and comes in a large selection of whites, ivories, creams, grays and other neutrals. The surface has a smooth matte finish and comes in a 100# or 110# cover weight which is about the same as the thickness of a high quality business card. It works well with digital color printing and comes in a large selection of whites, ivories, grays, and other neutrals. Many standard stocks also have a selection of surface textures available like eggshell, linen, felt and vellum . They are a nice addition to your invitation suite and add a subtle tactile element if you dont like the usual smooth surface. Choose standard paper for your wedding invitations if you are working around a tight budget and want consistency in print quality.
COTTON COVER STOCK:
HANDMADE PAPER:
HONORABLE MENTIONALL THE PRETTY COLORS AND TEXTURES:
The last type of papers I want to quickly mention are colored and textured cover stocks. These can add another level to your invitation design and shouldnt be overlooked. One of my favorite ways to inject color into an invitation suite is to use colored cover stock. I have access to over 250 colors and so many textures like wood, stipple, and animal skin. Check them out if you really want to make your invitations stand out.
*HELPFUL LINKS and OTHER INFO:
Canvas Cardstock For Wedding Invitations
We are not sure if the recent surge in using canvas cardstock is simply a fad or if it is here to stay but more and more brides do tend to be selecting canvas cardstock for their wedding invitations. Similar to linen cardstock covered above, canvas cardstock also has a textured feel to it but the texture is a little more pronounced and noticeable with a rougher touch to it.
If you are wanting to add ribbon or lace to your wedding invitations then the textures definitely do tend to go better with linen cardstock rather than canvas cardstock. Canvas cardstock has managed to carve out a niche for itself in the wedding invitation marker for more traditional, usually hand written wedding invitations though and this is where it seems to dominate.
The thicker, higher GSM rating of the cardstock ensures that it is smooth and easy to write on with a wide range of pens and that it will be free from ghosting or bleeding too. As canvas cardstock does tend to be a little thicker than the other featured options on our list, it can be a pain to get it to work well with entry-level home printers but it can still work.
Another advantage of canvas cardstock over some of the other options on our list is that its primary purpose is for arts and crafts and scrapbooking. Due to this, it is usually available in a much wider range of color options than some other cardstocks on our list without you having to put a special order in.
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