Wedding stationery is one area that most brides think will save them the most money, but when they add up what they would spend on everything it can easily add up to just as much as, or more than, it would cost to hire a stationer or place an order online.  

List of Wedding-Related Stationery Needed

When most couples get engaged, they think only the wedding invitations are needed and therefore set aside a much-too-small amount of their budget.  As they begin planning more details, they realize not everything was taken into consideration, causing their budget to balloon. 

Before putting any money down on anything wedding related, consider the following list of wedding-related stationery and paper décor:

• Save the Date cards (or magnets)
• Save the Date envelopes
• Bridal shower* invitation paper/card stock
• Bridal shower* envelopes
• Bridal shower* RSVP return envelopes
• Bridal shower* Thank You cards
• Bridal shower* Thank You card envelopes
• Bridal shower* menu
• Bridal shower* dinner table numbers
• Bridal shower* dinner escort cards
• Bridal shower* dinner miscellaneous stationery/paper décor
• Bridal shower* gift tags for favors
• Bachelorette party* paper/card stock
• Bachelorette party* envelopes
• Bachelorette party* RSVP return envelopes
• Bachelorette party* Thank You cards (if they give gifts)
• Bachelorette party* Thank You card envelopes
• Bachelorette party* gift tags for favors
• Bachelor party* invitation paper/card stock
• Bachelor party* envelopes
• Bachelor party* RSVP return envelopes
• Rehearsal dinner paper/card stock
• Rehearsal dinner envelopes
• Rehearsal dinner RSVP return envelopes
• Rehearsal dinner menu
• Rehearsal dinner table numbers
• Rehearsal dinner escort cards
• Rehearsal dinner miscellaneous stationery/paper decor
• Wedding invitation paper/card stock
• Wedding invitation envelopes
• Wedding invitation RSVP return envelopes
• Wedding programs
  
• Wedding invitation Thank You cards
• Wedding invitation Thank You card envelopes
• Wedding reception table numbers
• Wedding reception escort cards
• Wedding specialty stationery/paper decor
• Info packets for out of town guests
• Maps for out of town guests
• Wedding day itinerary/timeline for wedding party
• Gift tags for favors
• Embellishments for all the invitations, RSVP cards, and other stationery (ribbons, flowers, jewels, etc)

*The Maid of Honor/Best Man is typically responsible for this stationery, but if it’s important to have a cohesive look with the stationery, be sure to provide them with the stationer’s information, the DIY templates and paper, or the wedding planner’s information. 

Option 1: Online Stationers

Before deciding that the DIY route is the best option, do some price research.  A great place to start is some online retailers that specialize in all wedding-related stationery.  When deciding on designs that fit the wedding style, add them to the cart to get an estimate of the total.  Be sure to add in tax and any additional fees like shipping or rush delivery.  Also, consider calling them to ask about customization (paper quality, die cuts, ink colors, embossing, etc.) and pre-assembled options to make sure to get the exact product needed.

Here is a quick list of websites in a variety of styles and price ranges to consider:

• www.weddingpaperdivas.com
• www.vistaprint.com
• www.magnetstreet.com
• www.minted.com
• www.invitationsbydawn.com
• www.theamericanwedding.com
• www.looklovesend.com
• www.exclusivelyweddings.com

Option 2: DIY (Do It Yourself)

With this first estimate in mind, visit a local crafts store and investigate the price of the preferred paper, embellishments, envelopes, etc.  Also keep in mind additional DIY costs such as color toner cartridges for the printer and design software for creating templates.  Michael’s craft stores (nationwide) carry the Brides line of DIY stationery that includes free downloadable templates from their website.  The caveat here is that they are sold in smaller quantities (25-50) and they may not be able to find matching stationery for peripheral events, Thank They cards, or out-of-town stationery. 

Option 3: Local Stationer

The third option for wedding-related stationery is to hire a local stationer that specializes in wedding invitation design & printing.  They’ll provide a customized, one-of-a-kind creation and offer more options for die cuts, sizes, and quality for all of the stationery, giving a cohesive look from start to finish.  This option will save lots of time and give the best quality product, but can cost the most money.  If a high quantity is ordered or a wedding planner is hired, a bulk or preferred discount can help reduce the cost.  Do not rule out this option without contacting a few wedding planners to get their expertise for the local area’s stationers.  Two of my favorite stationers in the Houston area are Hello & Co. and Tad & Faboo.  If considering a local stationer without the guidance of wedding planner, be sure to also research the companies.  Read reviews on non-biased websites and not just the companies’ websites.  Other wedding vendors may also be a great resource for recommending reliable, trustworthy stationers in your area.  And don’t skip the Better Business Bureau’s website to find out what their rating is.

5 Strategies for Staying Within the Stationery Budget

There are several great strategies for saving money (even when hiring a local stationer) are:

• Use Evites for smaller peripheral events and hire a local stationer only for the actual wedding invitations.
• Request post card RSVPs from your local stationer to save on the cost of an RSVP envelop and the return postage will be less expensive.
• Select standard sizes for all stationery that will be mailed.  Square, over-sized, or unusual shapes will cost more than one standard first class stamp.
• Invitations need to be mailed out six weeks before the RSVP deadline (which is typically two to three weeks before the wedding day).  Be sure to order them in time to be printed, delivered to you, assembled, stuffed, addressed, and mailed.  Rush fees will eat away at the budget.
• Use wedding favors as escort cards.  Instead of putting the escort cards on the escort table and a favor with a tag at each place setting, consider combining the two!  There are hundreds of ways to do this, but one idea is to place cookie favors in a box with a label or tag with the guest’s name and table number on the escort table.

With all the research that needs to be done, it is recommended to begin as soon as possible after the engagement.  Most busy professionals find that they are consumed with their careers and prefer to invest money in a wedding planner who will provide them with the best options and follow up on details, mail the invitations, monitor RSVPs, etc., and the amount of time that’s saved, the amount of stressed reduced, and vendor discounts can more than make up for their fee.