How Much Do Wedding Invitations Cost? A Price Breakdown

Your wedding invitations set the tone for the ceremony, soft launch the wedding theme, and provide guests with the key details of the festivities. Depending on how you’re choosing to celebrate, the main invitation may be just one of many wedding mailings you’ll be sending out. You may also need save the dates, RSVP cards, and thank you cards as well as bridal shower and bachelor/bachelorette invites. 

If you’re in the budgeting stage, this may leave you wondering, “How much do wedding invitations cost?” We’ve got the answers you’re looking for with a price breakdown of digital and printed wedding stationery. Once you know your options, you’ll be able to decide on the right design and mailing options to match your style and wedding budget.

The Average Cost of Wedding Invitations

Design: Signature Greenvelope | Mediterranean Elegance Invitation

The average cost of wedding invitations depends on a variety of factors, including whether you choose digital or printed invitations. Below, we’ll talk more about all the design elements and mailing options that go into the full cost of wedding invitations, but let’s start by looking at the basic per-invitation price tag.

A base printed invitation is usually 5 inches by 7 inches with:

• Squared corners
• Plain white envelopes
• Matte finish
• Standard paper thickness
• Regular printing with standard ink (meaning no foil and no letterpress)

The cost of this base-level design often ranges between $1.28 and $3.58 each for up to 200 printed invitations.

For digital invitations, pricing isn’t tied to how elaborate or simple the design is. Instead, the cost is based on how many people you send to. The cost of digital wedding invitations is usually between $0.99 and $1.18 each for up to 200 recipients.

How many invitations you need will affect both the per-invitation and total cost. You will often pay more per invitation for a lower quantity and receive a volume discount for ordering a larger quantity.

Keep in mind, these prices are only for the main wedding invitation. If you need a full wedding invitation suite with saves the dates, enclosure cards, thank you cards, etc., the cost will go up. Also, note that the prices listed for printed invitations don’t factor in the cost of postage to send them out to guests. 

Why Do Printed Wedding Invitations Cost More?

Design: Cass Loh | Romantic Linework Wreath Invitation

Printed wedding invitations cost more than digital invitations because they require ink and special quality paper, even for a budget-friendly basic invitation.

The cost then increases depending on the custom design selections you make, such as:

• Premium paper or cardstock thickness
• Foil stamping
• Letterpress or embossing
• Die-cut shapes
• Envelope liners
• Vellum wraps and belly bands
• Wax seals

Beyond the design and printing, postage is a major reason printed invitations take up a bigger chunk of your invitation budget. Currently, stamps for standard-sized rectangular envelopes are $0.78, while stamps for square, oversized, or unusual-shaped envelopes start at $1.27. If you plan on a full wedding invitation suite, be sure to factor in the cost of postage for the save the date, RSVP response cards, and thank you cards into the total cost too. 

For example, if you send 100 invitations with a standard-sized envelope, that’s $78 for postage for just the wedding invitation. Multiply that by four to complete the wedding suite, and it’s over $300 in postage alone.

The Benefits and Cost Savings of Digital Wedding Invitations

Design: M. Taylor Design Co. | Ampersand Script Invitation

While some people prefer the tradition of sending paper invitations, digital wedding invitations offer quite a few benefits. That’s why more and more newlyweds-to-be are inviting guests to their weddings via digital invitations — or moving toward a hybrid approach where at least some of the wedding suite is digital.

Here are the top reasons to consider online invitations. 

Lower Overall Cost

Going digital means much more affordable wedding invitations. There’s no paper, ink, other printing materials, or postage driving up the price. You simply pay based on the number of people you’re inviting. 

With Greenvelope, you even have the option of an annual membership for unlimited mailings, which is perfect for covering all your wedding-related events and announcements beyond the invitation — engagement announcements, save the dates, bridal shower invitations, bachelor and bachelorette party invitations, rehearsal dinner invitations, and thank you cards. 

For example, if you need to send multiple mailings to up to 150 people, you’d only pay $225 for the year and be able to cover your entire wedding suite. With printed invitations, you’d pay at least $234 in postage alone for 150 invitations and RSVP cards.

Luxe Customization Options

Digital wedding invitations are designed to be every bit as elegant as paper invitations. They have the look of high-quality cardstock as well as different paper materials and colors. Plus, you can still customize the design with luxury embellishments and add-ons.

For example, with Greenvelope, you can change a design template’s text, font, colors, and spacing. Opt for foil text, select a die-cut shape, or upload custom images or videos. 

Plus, the envelope is fully customizable as well. Start by choosing your paper material — felt, metallic, kraft, deckled, vellum, or lace — and color. Then, select the lining, add a die-cut edge, pick a stamp design, or opt for a wax seal.

The best part, these options are all included in the wedding invitation cost. 

Give it a try with Greenvelope’s Free Trial Mode. There’s no time limit, and you can test out all the features and templates for yourself.

More Flexible

Design: Ann Gardner Creative | Ornamental Letterpress Invitation

With printed invitations, you need to wait to receive your order, physically mail them, wait for guests to receive them, and then wait for RSVP cards to be returned. That means you need more planning and lead time.

You don’t need as much lead time for digital invitations. You can set one up today and send it immediately or schedule it for a later time.

Digital wedding invitations also have more delivery options. Instead of gathering mailing addresses for all your guests, all you need is their mobile number or email. You can even send via WhatsApp or Facebook Messenger.

Time-Saving RSVP Tracking

Receiving and tracking wedding RSVPs through traditional response cards can be tedious and time-consuming. You need to keep track of guests, plus ones, and meal choices, and you have to follow up with a text or call when someone is late with their RSVP.

With a digital invitation, guests can RSVP in a few clicks, and your dashboard is automatically updated with the guest count. You can even schedule automated reminders for guests who haven’t RSVPed by the deadline. 

Eco-Friendly

For couples planning a sustainable wedding, digital invitations are an eco-friendly way to save trees and avoid extra waste. Plus, there are specialized National Park Foundation invites and nature-inspired designs if your green wedding is taking place outdoors.

Digital vs. Printed: A Cost Comparison at a Glance

Wedding Invitations Made for Your Big Day

Design: Becky Nimoy Stationery | Ornate Die Cut Invitation

We hope you have a blast selecting and customizing your main invitation card and complementary stationery suite to celebrate you and the love of your life as you prepare to tie the knot.

If you’re ready to get started on crafting your wedding invitation design for the big day, check out our guide on what to include in the invites on our Stationers blog, and peruse our array of classy, elegant, and fully customizable wedding invitations.