Managing a wedding budget is stressful. There are plenty of pieces of your big day fighting for a piece of your budget, and it can hard to try to get everything you want for a price you can afford. Plus, Pinterest does not often come with price tags, so it’s hard to look at your inspiration boards and grasp what those pieces may have cost.

The key with your wedding is not to recreate your Pinterest board, but to select options that will create an experience for your guests. One of the first tastes of that experience is your stationery.

When it comes to wedding invitations, there are two main options: custom wedding invitations or customized wedding invitations. So what’s the difference? Custom wedding invitations are designed specifically for you and your wedding, while customized wedding invitations allow you to choose from a variety of templates and personalize them however you like. Which is right for you? Let’s learn more about the difference between custom wedding invitations and customized wedding invitations, to help you choose which option is right for you and your budget.

Custom Wedding Invitations

Custom wedding invitations are entirely unique and created only for you and your wedding. You will work with a wedding stationer to create a unique design that fits your wedding theme, colors, and overall aesthetic. For example, they may include a watercolor drawing of your venue, your pets, or you and your partner. They often include beautiful calligraphy on the envelopes, hand-addressed to each guest. They also include a concierge experience, usually kicking off with a long consultation and including revisions if necessary.

Because custom wedding invitations are made from scratch, they are the most expensive option, averaging about $5,000-$8,000 for a suite of 100 invitations with envelopes, liners, insert cards, and accessories. However, custom wedding invitations give you the opportunity to have exactly what you want for your wedding stationery and really set the scene for your event.

If you have a specific vision for your wedding invitations, have room in the budget, want a personalized experience, and are willing to pay for that level of customization, custom wedding invitations are the right choice for you.

Customized Wedding Invitations

Customized wedding invitations offer a more budget-friendly option for couples who still want beautiful, personalized wedding stationery. With customized wedding invitations, you’ll start with a pre-made template that you can then customize to fit your wedding colors, theme, and style.

You’ll still be able to select the paper, fonts, wording, and other details of your wedding invitations. However, because you’re working off of a template, the overall design process is simpler and less time-consuming than custom wedding invitations. This makes customized wedding invitations a great option for couples who want personalized wedding stationery without the custom price tag.

Within this category, there are two main options. Some stationery designers offer customized suites, which will still look and feel very luxe. These start around $20/suite. You can also go with a bigger retailer, like Minted, and get great suites starting at much less.

If you’re looking for beautiful, personalized wedding invitations but don’t want to spend the money on custom wedding invitations, customized wedding invitations may be the right choice for you.

How to Choose

The formality of your event can be a main driver in this decision. If you are planning a casual affair, perhaps a simple letterpress suite from Minted is just the trick!

For couples that are hosting a formal event but are looking to allocate their wedding funds elsewhere, we often recommend a hybrid approach. We like to choose a beautiful customizable suite, and then make it our own with a colored envelope, wax seal, envelope liner, vellum wrap, or address calligraphy. This not only lets us bring in your wedding colors, but also gives your guests an elevated experience.

One last note – when calculating costs, remember that each household only needs one invitation suite. Do not multiple the cost by the total guest count, or you’ll be far above the amount that you need!

If you want to talk more or see how these invitations might fit into your wedding budget, or for personalized recommendations, please shoot us an inquiry!