Invitation Printing 101 – An overview of the processes, timing and cost

Thanks For Joining Us!

Welcome to Invitation Printing 101! We know it’s not every day that you shop for fancy invitations so I’ve created several posts to guide you through the various printing processes and help you choose the technique that works best for your style and budget. The invitation is your guests’ first impression of your event so it’s best to choose a design and printing technique that accurately conveys the tone and formality of your day. After all, your guests would most likely be horribly embarrassed if they showed up to your very formal big day in khakis and a blazer because the invitation implied a casual, backyard party instead of an elaborate, Gatsby-inspired affair.

To start here’s a pretty little chart explaining some of the basics…

Process

These are the main printing processes we offer. The process of designing and printing each technique varies greatly in style and complexity. You can dive into more details about each here — digital, thermography, letterpress, foil and engraving.

Look & Feel

There are many variables to consider when choosing a particular printing technique — raised vs. indented ink, shiny vs. matte, the list goes on. While you can get a good understanding of the different ink and foil textures through descriptions and photos, the best way to understand the look and feel of each technique is to see them in person. During your invitation appointment, we'll give you LOTS of paper and ink samples to touch and feel. If you live far away or have a super busy schedule, give us a call. We can create a curated box of samples and send them directly to your home.

Timing

This is a general guide of how long your invitations will take to print. Keep in mind this does not include design and proofing time. For standard orders, the proofing process generally takes 2 weeks. If you’re interested in a completely custom design, expect to add an additional 2-4 weeks to your timeline. In a rush? We can move things along quicker – just let us know before we begin the process 🙂

Investment

As with any other element of a wedding or event, pricing can vary greatly. At you initial Fat Cat appointment, we’re happy to price various options to show you the cost difference amongst the different paper, ink and embellishment options. In general, if you would like to work with us, plan to budget at least $1000 for your invitation suite (this is based on a quantity of 100). An invitation suite consists of your invitation, reply card with envelope and mailing envelope. On average, our brides spend $2500–$3500 on their invitations and about $1000-$2000 on their day-of stationery (menus, seating cards, programs, etc).

As always, feel free to contact us with any questions. We’d love to help you find the perfect paper presentation for your event.

Happy planning!

xo, Fat Cat