Custom or Ready-Made Invitations: Which Option is the Best Fit For Your Wedding?

As a custom invitation designer, I love getting to know my clients on a personal level and tailoring their invitations to be completely unique to them. However, I also know that people need options—and that custom isn’t always possible or the best fit for every couple. It’s important to learn about all of your choices when selecting your wedding invitations, and I’m here to share with you some of the differences between custom invitations and ready-made and the top three advantages of each!

Ready-made invitations are based on a semi-customizable template. You will first pick the design you want from a catalog of options—either online or in a stationery binder at a store. Then, you will be able to make a few changes to that original template. These include details like your names, venue and the time of your wedding. With some ready-made invitations you may also be able to change the colors or font options from a pre-selected variety. It’s good to keep in mind that you will not be able to drastically alter the design so pick one that suits you best and that you don’t want to change very much.

If you choose to go a different route and do fully custom invitations, then the design will be 100% unique to you. It will have never been designed before and will never be used again. Everything will be handcrafted and tailored to your taste—from the first consultation to the final delivery. Templates will not be used and you will get to be a part of the design process, giving your input the entire way. You will have to choose your custom invitation designer based on the past work in their portfolio. If you like the designer’s overall style, that is a good indicator that you will love the custom invitation they will design for you.

Did you know?

A common misconception with custom invitations is that they are always more expensive than ready-made. But that is not always the case! Go ahead and check with your local wedding invitation designers and ask for a quote, as well as checking out the many options for ready-made invitations online and in stationery stores. If you cover all your bases and get all the information, you may be happily surprised as to what fits into your budget!

So, how do you choose? To help you decide what’s the best fit, I’ve put together a list of the top three advantages of each.
 

Top Three Advantages of Custom Invitations:

1. It’s personal

You build a relationship with the designer throughout the process, and you will always have someone there to answer your questions. The designer will guide you in color and font selections and wording and will remind you of the proper etiquette in regards to wedding invitations.
 

2. Anything is possible

There are endless possibilities and customization options when designing from scratch—letterpress, gold foiling, custom maps and monograms. Do you want to incorporate a bespoke watercolor crest? Well, your designer can either help make it for you or outsource to an artist they know and add it to your invitation suite.

3. White glove service

Everything is going to be done for you and with impeccable customer service. The designer will create, print and assemble the invitation suites for you so that all you have to do is drop them in the mail and wait for your guests to swoon. You’re going to be working with someone who knows you personally and will work as hard as they can to make the most beautiful invitations for you in the most stress-free manner.
 

Top Three advantages of Ready-made Invitations:

1. Immediate gratification

You have the perk of seeing it before you buy it. When browsing through ready-made invitations is it easy to decide “yes, I love this!” or “nope, I don’t want that one!” You will know exactly what you are going to get in the end and can often order a sample as soon as you find a design that you love.

2. It’s quick

Generally speaking, ready-made invitations are a quicker process than custom. You see what you want, send in your specific information and details and the order is done. The invitations will be printed and then mailed to you for the assembly. Many ready-made invitations can even be ordered online. So if you really wanted to, you could search online, choose what you want and order—all while sitting at home watching your favorite show.

3. No information overload

Sometimes fewer options can equal less stress. You may find that you like the fact that you only have to choose between five color schemes and five font variations. Often times, fewer choices can make for quicker decision making—which also means getting your invites printed sooner and in your hands!

No matter which option you choose, remember that your invitation will be the first impression your guests will have of your wedding day. Make sure it is memorable and that it showcases your style and personalities as a couple!

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