DIY Invitations Vs. Buying

[mainemomof2]

I looked on ebay for invitations or companies that make them...and I found this.
http://cgi.ebay.com/100-Firefighter-Fireman-Wedding-Invitations-Favors_W0QQitemZ280080565837QQihZ018QQcategoryZ102470QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

The first image/saying is really nice. I looked further and these are single sided, and do not fold. Has anyone seen invitations like that?
Also, this is printed on card stock.
Wouldn''t it be cheaper for me to buy cardstock and use my own printer? Maybe ink and cardstock are more expensive...
Does anyone have any ideas or experiences that they would like to share?

Thank you!
Danielle

 

[neatfreak]

Well, if you need a lot of invitations, or want really fancy complicated ones, DIY can be much cheaper. If you want basic ones, by the time you buy the kit, the ink, and your time you probably would have been better off getting them made for you in terms of your sanity.

Most wedding invitations do not fold like regular cards, but instead are a thicker card stock. Many brides have mini folders, or multi layers, but generally they don't fold like regular cards. But I am all for breaking that if you want!!!

Since we needed fewer than 50 and were not picky about the printing style (i.e., thermal vs. engraving...eek too much to worry about), we found a place online called Wedding Paper Divas, where we thought the invites pre-printed were reasonably priced. But there are no frills, so no lace, ribbon, extra paper, just the cards and envelopes. Many brides on TheKnot seem to have had good experiences with them. We just ordered our Save the Dates, so I'll let you know how they come out.

An inkjet and cardstock can be a great idea if you have the time. They will smudge, you'll mess up, it will take much longer than you think most likely. So with that in mind, if you still think it's worth your time, places like Michaels or Paper Source have great DIY kits that aren't too badly priced at all.

Hope that helps!

 

[Jas12]

I just mailed out my invites and although i am getting lots of compliments--i feel like i should since I paid a bundle for them (too much imo), so if you are crafty and have the patience for that sort of thing I say DIY--you''ll save a bundle.

I also looked at wedding paper divas--the same thing can be created with good paper and some computer skills of you own...but since they have pretty good prices, it may not be worth the effort.

okay, i don''t think that helped you much...i flip-flopped hehe

 

[Selkie]

I just finished up my own DIYs, and posted on it in this topic:https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/my-diy-invitations-done-and-sent.61121/. I only had to make 25, and it was reasonably cheap, about $4.50 each. It wasn''t too bad, although I''d recommend using as much pre-made or pre-cut materials as possible (5x7 cards are particularly easy to work with). There are certainly tons of options out there for cardstock and for folding envelopes (pocketfolds) like I used. And cardstock is actually quite inexpensive, especially if you come up with a design where you can get more than one invitation out of a single sheet of 8.5x11. The blue cardstock I used was 28 cents a sheet, and I got two invites out of a sheet.

Just be sure your printer can handle cardstock, and that you buy really good ink. A photo printer should do a fairly good job.

If you want graphics, you can probably do an image search on "firefighter" on google and come up with a bunch of stuff.

 

[mainemomof2]

The more I am looking the better of a deal this ebay auction looks. I am not sure about the post card style RSVP though.

What do you all think of the first card in the auction link that I posted?


Danielle

 

[neatfreak]

I think they could go either way in person, but if you''re not a perfectionist and are flexible (I mean without seeing a sample in person to feel the paper, see how they''re printed, etc.) it''s certainly a good price considering you get a bunch of things.

Not my style so it''s hard for me to be objective on the look of the invites. But I do really like the invite wording! Very cute.

 

[anchor31]

We''ll be making our own. My dad will print everything at work and we''ll invite a bunch of people over for a day to put everything together. We have less than 50 to make so it won''t be too long. It''ll cost us next to nothing, just the material. The postage will cost more than the invites!

 

[basil]

To be honest, those invitations aren''t really my style. Personally, I think they are a little casual for a formal or semiformal wedding, but if you''re doing something really casual, they''d be OK.

If you want something more formal but still firefighter-themed, you could use either the wording on a more formal looking invitation, or the graphic on a more formally worded invitation, instead of both.

If you really like them though, pay no attention to what I say!

 

[Tacori E-ring]

Date: 4/25/2007 12:19:50 PM
Author: mainemomof2
The more I am looking the better of a deal this ebay auction looks. I am not sure about the post card style RSVP though.


What do you all think of the first card in the auction link that I posted?



Danielle

I don''t think you can do it on your own for cheaper. I can buy paper wholesale and I think it would still be a stretch. I had postcard style RSVP and LOVED them! So much easier to track and cheaper postage (which is going up AGAIN by the way). You can search for my thread if you are curious. If you love those then you should get them.

 

[mainemomof2]

Everyone, thank you for the advice. The seller is going to mail me a sample before I commit to buying them. Nice!

Tacori, I am going to look up your thread.

San Diego Lady, did you post a picutre or information about your invites?

Anchor, What exactly are you doing for invites?

Thank you alll!!!
Danielle

 

[Tacori E-ring]

Let me know if you can''t find it. I can always repost the pics.

 

[mainemomof2]

Tacori,
I found them! Those are very unique and very pretty! I need to think out of the box...

Danielle

 

[anchor31]

Date: 4/25/2007 6:39:23 PM
Author: mainemomof2
Everyone, thank you for the advice. The seller is going to mail me a sample before I commit to buying them. Nice!

Tacori, I am going to look up your thread.

San Diego Lady, did you post a picutre or information about your invites?

Anchor, What exactly are you doing for invites?

Thank you alll!!!
Danielle

I''m going to use Ephemery''s pics for inspiration. Mine will be in shades of blue and yellow.

 

[Tacori E-ring]

Date: 4/25/2007 7:22:24 PM
Author: mainemomof2
Tacori,

I found them! Those are very unique and very pretty! I need to think out of the box...


Danielle

Thank you! I like unique and creative things. Mine were DIY and I saved a ton vs. having someone print them using the same idea. If I wanted single page invites they obviously would have been cheaper. I carried the same paper/colors/idea on all my printed material. I don''t think there is anything wrong with traditional invites if that is what you like!

 

[monarch64]

My aunt made mine as she is an avid rubber stamp fan and makes her own cards all the time and had done several other gals'' invites before my wedding. She made my programs, invites, and TY''s and they turned out just beautifullly. They were her wedding gift to us! I did look into having ours "professionally" done and the expense was far more than we wanted to spend for something like that. I DO appreciate a nicely done professional invite that is embossed and looks really expensive, but I totally understand why brides these days do not want to spend a ton of money on paper products that usually get tossed in the end instead of taking that extra money and putting it towards something that really matters more to them.

 

[mainemomof2]

That is what I am thinking.

IMO, people just throw the invites away, so why spend a ton of money on them?

I want them to look nice, but the expense is a tad overboard sometimes, I think.

I am not a girly girl, so this whole wedding thing is tough!

Thanks!
Danielle