Custom Wedding Invitations and Stationery

Stationery Blog

Professional tips on wedding stationery, paper, printing, and design.

Everything You Should Know About Custom Wedding Invitation Design

Custom Wedding Invitation with a New Orleans venue illustration. Black and white wedding invitation with gold foil monogram.

Want to make your wedding come to life for your wedding guests? Custom wedding invitation design is the best way to excite your guests for your big day. It helps you set the right tone and lets your guests know what to expect.

But how do you get started? How much time will it take? Will the process be difficult? And what will it cost?

If these questions are stopping you from getting your dream invitations, then read on. Hiring a stationer to create custom wedding invitations can be easy and fun!

Rustic wedding invitation featuring daisies.

Myths About Custom Wedding Invitation Design

One common misconception about custom-made wedding invitations is that the process is long and complicated. This couldn’t be further from the truth! For our approach, we love starting out with a great conversation to learn about your wedding style and offer design suggestions. Then we send design proofs to your email via forms that allow easy feedback. And along the way, we’re there to offer our expertise on invitation etiquette, timelines, and answer all your questions!

Custom wedding invitation design is about the freedom to get what you want out of your invitations. If you can have a conversation about what you love (like you have with all your other wedding vendors), then custom design is easy!

Another myth is that custom-made wedding invitations are only for luxury weddings. While custom design does come at a higher price than an online template, that doesn’t mean you need to invest in all the high-end materials and print processes. You can still have great custom invitations that reflect your style and personality without breaking the bank. Perhaps this simply includes custom artwork that has meaning to you. Or a personalized monogram. Whatever you’re looking for, a professional stationer will give you the best chance of hitting that perfect vibe!

Megan Kattengell, owner of Camellia Memories, sitting at desk.

Getting Started with Your Wedding Invitation Designer

Working with a wedding invitation designer (like us!) is no different than working with your other wedding vendors. Just like with your florist or wedding planner, have your wedding inspiration, Pinterest boards, etc. ready to share. We’ll then make suggestions that fit your style and perhaps have great ideas that you haven’t thought of!

Once a proposal and contract are accepted, all you have to do is respond to emails and make payments on time. Always give us your honest feedback on proofs. If you’re unsure about a design, let us know! It’s best to make changes earlier rather than later.

And if you’re unsure where to start looking for your stationer, check out these ideas in this blog post. Or let us know how we can help!

Timeline for Custom-Made Wedding Invitations

With the 2022 wedding boom, wedding vendors are booking up quickly! And wedding invitation designers are no different, so start looking as soon as possible. To get your top pick, try to book 8-12 months in advance!

That said, custom-made wedding invitations typically take a few months to design, print, and deliver, so we start work 6 months before your wedding day. This will allow enough time for both design and production, which will vary depending on the complexity of the invitation set. For custom-made save the dates, we start a minimum of 10 months before your wedding date.

For more about invitation timelines, check out this blog.

Ireland destination wedding invitation featuring a watercolor image of a castle.

How much do custom wedding invitations cost?

The answer to this question varies depending on three things: invitation quantity, the materials and print process chosen, and your wedding stationer’s design fee. Because custom wedding invitation design is so personalized, we price on a case-by-case basis. Therefore, it’s a good idea to communicate your budget upfront.

But what’s a healthy budget? The starting price for 100 custom wedding invitations is typically between $1500-$2000. This price will get you a beautiful digital print on quality paper with one or two embellishments.

That said, premium print processes, high-end embellishments, and additional stationery pieces (i.e., menus, place cards, save the dates, etc.) will push that budget beyond $2000. However, small invitation quantities may fall under the $1500 estimate. For more information about wedding invitation costs, check out these two blogs:

A Real Wedding Invitation Pricing Guide–How Much Wedding Invitations Cost Based on 3 Key Factors
What Do Wedding Invitations Cost? Wedding Invitation Paper, Printing, & Accessories

If you’re interested in custom-made wedding invitations, reach out to us! We love helping couples create wedding invitations that are practical and deeply personal. We are located in New Orleans but enjoy serving couples across the country!