I receive many great questions from my couples about the cost of wedding invitations and the custom design process. To name a few, I’m often asked, “What’s included in the price of invitations?” and “Why should I hire a professional designer when I can go online?” I’m always happy to answer questions like these because I believe wholeheartedly in the work we do at Turnage and Watts. So, I figured I would answer them here as well!

As a couple planning your wedding, you have a laundry list of tasks ahead of you before your big day. As a seasoned stationery artist, I want to help guide you through that process from start to finish. I can help you articulate your artistic vision, navigate the waters of proper etiquette, and answer all of your envelope and postage questions—and those are just a few of the details I manage when designing your stationery! In addition, I work with professional printers and detailing experts to ensure that your invitation suite is the treasured keepsake you deserve.

The Cost of Buying Online

So, picture this: you’ve decided to go the DIY route for your invitation suite. You’ve been hunched over your laptop for hours fielding endless dropdown menus and popup ads, and you still have no idea what your invitations should look like or what they should say. You’re guessing which wording to use, guessing which thickness of paper you need, and you have no idea how much postage to buy. A few weeks later your invitations arrive in the mail, and they’re…underwhelming. But it’s too late to replace them.

I want to provide you with the support, know-how, and quality assurance that online marketplaces simply cannot. There is infinite worth in having a dedicated person to consult and answer your questions when designing your invitation suite. Not having that person can be both time-consuming and costly! With that being said, I realize that customized invitations are an investment. Here’s what’s included in their value, and why I believe they’re worth a line in your budget sheet.

A Professional Designer with the Necessary Skills and Knowledge

Working with a professional removes the guesswork that inevitably arises when attempting to design your invitations yourself. Are you familiar with the saying, “You don’t know what you don’t know?” Well, in this case, it couldn’t be more true! Your designer will take every detail of your invitation suite into careful consideration, including design elements that you didn’t even know mattered. These include, but are not necessarily limited to:

• A color palette, fonts, and artwork that cohesively bring your vision to life

• Wording and etiquette

• Printing techniques and how they affect your budget

• Ordering the correct number of invitations

• Knowing exactly when your invitations should be mailed

• Assembly, envelope addressing, and postage ($, placement, domestic v. international)

• Embellishments that make your invitation suite uniquely yours

• Coordinating day-of items

• Tips and tricks that only come with experience

Peace of Mind

At T+W, you will work one-on-one with me from start to finish. We’ll discuss your vision and all of the possible ways we can achieve it! In addition, we’ll navigate all of the elements listed above together, while I guide you through the design process. Sometimes that means working together for six months, or even 12. Either way, over time we’ll get to know each other and friendships will form. I want to get to know you as a person, and I consider it an honor to play a small part in your special day!

Assurance of Quality Control That Saves You Time and Frustration

My work is a reflection of me and my business. Therefore, I take pride in it! That’s why all of our printing and finishing are outsourced to professional printers, instead of printing in-house. Our paper, envelopes, and embellishments are also of the highest quality. All of this allows me to ensure that your vision is executed to the most excellent standard within your budget. Conversely, creating your invitations on your own could wind up costing you valuable time, and possibly money, when they arrive and aren’t all you envisioned.

A Support System

I may be a professional designer by trade, but I consider myself to be much more than that to my clients! Planning your wedding is an extremely exciting, yet stressful time in your life. It’s also filled with many, many questions. I want to be there to help you answer them and bring you joy in the journey, not stress! When you work with me, you receive professional assistance to walk you through every uncertainty and every setback. It’s a collaborative process that ultimately results in a timeless heirloom for you to treasure forever!

Convinced that the cost of DIY is just too high? Ready to work with a professional designer to realize the invitation suite of your dreams? Contact us here! We’ll reach out to you in the coming days and schedule a planning call. We can’t wait to start this process with you!