For many, designing an invitation can be one of the most exciting parts of the planning process. You’re finished with your guest list and ready to get to the fun stuff, but when it comes to selecting themes, colors and fonts should you go with the traditional printed or the modern digital?
PAPER
PROS
-Excitement: As a guest, there’s something distinctly exciting about opening an envelope and seeing, touching and admiring a physical invitation.
-Added importance: A paper invitation adds a sense of importance knowing that the hosts carefully picked out every detail to set the tone for the event.
-Design possibilities: These days there are endless options to wow your guests ranging from paper weight, material, laser cutting, acrylic, wood, calligraphy, video, sound, balloons, flowers and confetti.
CONS
-Can get lost: Unfortunately, we have all experienced something getting lost in the mail. It’s especially unfortunate when you consider something as special as an invitation that may have a hefty price tag attached.
-Expensive: While the countless design options are a pro, all of the upgraded materials and extra bells and whistles can become very costly. Cost per invite can range anywhere from $10.00 for something simple to hundreds of dollars for something extravagant.
-Not sustainable: Of course, these days there are invitations made with recycled materials, but overall, it’s commonly known that guests will discard their invitation after the event.
PAPERLESS
PROS
-Inexpensive: Throwing a party is pricey. A lot of times, people like to save money where they can, without compromising the event. A digital invite saves not only on printing, but the cost of stamping, stuffing and mailing as well. Some options are free, while others can be a nominal cost, adding up to a few hundred dollars total.
-Immediate Delivery. We all know why snail mail has earned its nickname. The beauty of the digital invite is its ability to be delivered as soon as you hit send. If
there is any issue with the delivery you are immediately notified and can resolve the problem.
-Easy to Track. There’s nothing worse than guests who forget to RSVP or forget to put their name on an RSVP card. Websites like Evite and Paperless Post allow you to easily track invites and RSVPs and even send follow up reminders or other information to your guests.
CONS
-Not Everyone is Online. It may seem like everyone is, but think of your older guests like grandparents and great aunts and uncles who may not have email addresses or may not be tech savvy enough to open a digital invite. These are typically some of the people that matter the most, so we suggest if you do go the digital route, to consider making a printed version for them.
-Less Formal: Depending on the type of the event, a digital invite may take away from the formality of it We use email several times a day for correspondence so at the end of the day an evite can feel like just another email and set the tone for a more casual affair.
-Limited Options: These websites are pretty user friendly and even allow you to upload custom designs, but unless you are a Photoshop wiz or very familiar with the website’s editing features, you are a bit more limited in design options.
Chris Weinberg is a wedding and event producer who designs and produces outstanding, fun, once-in-a-lifetime, memorable events for high net worth clients. Chris Weinberg Events, is founded on three simple ideas: work with awesome clients, exceed expectations, think outside the box. As global event producers, we assist our clients in thoughtfully planning, crafting and producing their weddings and special celebrations anywhere their hearts desire! Chris Weinberg Events has produced successful celebrations for more than 16 years. Our team specializes in creating luxury, large budget, destination and complex multi-day events. We bring our clients’ visions of their important celebrations to life. Our breadth of services, industry relationships, experience and expertise enable us to combine talented creative partners, the finest event production, and latest technology, with seamless execution. We provide a superior level of service, while offering the utmost professionalism, flexibility, creativity and event management. Consultations and inquiries are welcome.
