It wasn’t easy, but you’ve finally narrowed down your guest list to a manageable number. Whether you’re expecting 25 or 250 people to attend your big day, creating personalized invitations that suit your style doesn’t have to be a budget breaker.

The size and shape of your invitations will determine the cost of mailing them. Sending 250 extra large invitations will cost at least $145.

To keep the cost of postage to the standard $0.41, make sure your invitations are larger than 3 ½” by 5,” and rectangular in shape. Smaller cards or square cards will cost extra because they must be hand-metered at the post office. Also note that if your sealed envelopes are thicker than ¼ of an inch or weigh more than one ounce, it will add to the cost.

Keep your invitations from getting too bulky and heavy by using a flat invitation rather than a folding card. Check out Paper Source (www.paper-source.com) for creative ideas.

 

Response cards and envelopes can add unnecessary bulk – and more expensive postage --to your invitations. Don’t forget, these cards require a stamp, too! Instead of using small cards with envelopes, try using a postcard instead. Not only are they lighter (and cuter) but they cost only $0.26 to mail. This will also save you from opening all the RSVP envelopes when they make their way back to your mailbox.

Postcards are a good potion for “Save the Date” announcements, too. Have a creative friend design the postcard and have them printed on card stock at a place like Staples or Kinko’s.

You don’t have to skimp on quality to save some dough. Some stationers, like Paper Source, sell kits that include everything you need to assemble invitations yourself, saving you hundreds of dollars in the long run.

“Our kits are very popular and appeal to a wide range of brides,” says Michelle Brickel of Paper Source. With hundreds of invitation patterns to choose from, you can create an individualized look with a little creative effort.

For example, ordering 50 blank invitations and envelopes measuring 5” by 7” from Paper Source as a kit will cost $44 to $108, depending on the paper style you choose. If you have Paper Source print the 50 invitations for you, it will cost $435.

“I liked that I could pick out my own colors and special paper. It was much more unique than just having something printed up – and less expensive,” says Jennifer Sonnenberg. She put her family members to work assembling her one-of-a-kind invitations and they were done in no time.

For smaller, more intimate weddings, consider buying fill-in invitations to give them a personal touch. These cute cards feature the classic questions like “Who, What, When, and Where?” Find someone with neat handwriting to help you out. Kate’s Paperie (www.katespaperie.com) offers a line of fill-in invitations created by a group of fashion illustrators. Each box of 8 costs $20 and a portion of the proceeds is donated to breast cancer research and education.

 

Think about it – who saves the envelopes that wedding invitations come in? NO ONE! Save money by having a friend with nice penmanship address your invitations – or even, if your mother can stomach the idea – use clear labels and match the font on the addresses to the font on the invitations.

It doesn’t have to cost a fortune to create and mail elegant invitations. With a little imagination, a printer and a paper cutter, you can put some extra money towards something else – like your flowers, dress or that much-awaited honeymoon!