Sending your wedding invitations is one of the most exciting wedding planning milestones because it means your special day is fast approaching.
But before getting the word out to your loved ones, you’ll need to decide exactly what kind of invitations you want to send. Will you go traditional with paper invitations, or take the modern route with digital invites?
It’s no secret we’re big fans of digital invitations here at WedSites, but we understand they may not be the right choice for every couple. So, to help you make a decision, we’ve rounded up the pros and cons of sending digital wedding invitations below (plus, an alternative option you may not have considered!).
Photo by WedSitesIn today’s modern world, many couples are opting for digital invitations as opposed to their traditional paper counterparts. Here are a few reasons why online wedding invitations have become just so popular:
They’re Affordable
Traditional invitation suites can take a decent chunk out of your wedding budget. You’ll need to factor in costs for paper, printing and postage – not to mention additional features like insert cards and return envelopes. Repeat the process for your save the dates, and you can see how the average couple can spend anywhere from $750 to $1500+ on their wedding invitations!
Alternatively, digital wedding invitations can be designed and sent online for free or a small fraction of the cost. If you’re looking for an easy way to trim your wedding budget, switching to digital invites could potentially save you hundreds of dollars.
They’re Eco-Friendly
As well as being friendlier on your wallet, digital wedding invitations are also friendlier on the environment. Your invitations will be sent virtually to your loved ones, reducing unnecessary paper waste. If planning a sustainable wedding is important to you, this is definitely something to think about.
Photo by WedSitesThey Won’t Get Lost Or Damaged
When sending traditional invitations in the mail, there’s always a small chance they could be lost or damaged due to circumstances outside your control. On the other hand, digital invitations will be emailed directly to your guests – giving you one less thing to worry about.
You Can Track RSVPs Online
Some digital invitation platforms also include handy tracking features to streamline the RSVP process. Here at WedSites, our digital stationery is trackable so you can quickly see at a glance who’s received, who’s opened and who’s yet to respond.
You also won’t need to spend any extra time chasing down late RSVPs either. We’ll send automatic reminders to any overdue guests on your behalf!
It’s Convenient For Your Guests
Not only are digital invitations a breeze for you to organize, but they also make it easier for your guests to respond! Instead of making an extra trip to the post office, your loved ones can simply RSVP online at the click of a button. This usually means you’ll receive RSVPs much quicker, so you can begin finalizing your seating chart and confirming dietary requirements with your caterer.
Photo by The Happy BloomWhile digital wedding invitations are a fantastic option for many couples, there are a few things you’ll need to consider:
They’re Less Traditional
Digital wedding invitations are undoubtedly a less traditional option. If you love the idea of your guests receiving a physical invitation in the mail or want to set a more formal tone for your wedding, online invitations may not be the best option for you.
Certain Guests May Be Offline
Depending on your guest list, some of your loved ones may be offline – particularly when it comes to elderly guests. Certain guests may have more difficulty navigating digital invitations and the online RSVP process, so you’ll need to consider printing them an invitation or communicating with them over the phone.
You Won’t Have a Physical Keepsake
Because your invitations are being sent virtually, it means you won’t have a physical keepsake to hold on to. If you want to turn your invitations into a special memento (for example, framing your stationery suite or asking your photographer to capture a flat lay photo), traditional invitations may be a better option for you.
Photo by Tanya MenoniIf you’ve weighed up the pros and cons of digital invitations and can’t come to a decision, consider this alternative: the hybrid wedding invitation!
Using a mix of both digital and traditional stationery is the perfect way to get the best of both worlds. A happy medium could be sending digital save the dates, following this up with a traditional paper invitation, and directing guests to RSVP online via your wedding website.
A hybrid wedding invitation means you’ll still get the benefits of streamlining the RSVP process and keeping your guests’ details together in one place, but you’ll also have a physical keepsake that your photographer can capture, too.
Photo by WedSitesHere at WedSites, we have a beautiful range of digital stationery and online wedding planning tools for couples just like you. Sign up for your free account with WedSites to get started, or learn more about streamlining your wedding planning with digital stationery.
The Pros:
The Cost
What are the pros you might ask? To start, digital invitations are cheaper. Way cheaper in fact as the average cost of paper invitations runs between $400-$650 per couple, whereas digital invites will cost a couple an average of $100. That’s a huge savings, and that doesn’t account for all the time you’ll save without having to package and ship those invites.
Eco-Friendly
I don’t think this point needs much elaboration. You’re saving the lives of some very grateful trees! The standard wedding invite includes 3-4 pieces of paper between the envelope, the invite, and any additional papers inside like RSVPs. Some simple math will tell us that for an average sized guest list, you’d save 360-480 pieces of paper!
No Mail Delay or Loss of Invite
This is probably the second biggest reason why you should consider Electronic Invites (after the price of course). Thanks to the wonders of the internet, your evites will arrive in their respective owners inboxes in a matter of seconds. To add to that, there’s no chance of the invite getting lost while on route! If that’s not some truly incredible peace of mind, then I don’t know what is!
Digital RSVP
Another excellent reason to consider paperless invites, is the ease of use for the intended recipient. Especially when it comes to replying with an RSVP! Most evites will allow the guest to click a link that will lead them to a page where they can RSVP digitally. This simplifies the process in an incredible way as your guests no longer have to hand-write, package and ship their RSVP back to you! It will also give you a more accurate head count and should eliminate the risk of losing RSVPs via the mail service.
Included Digital Links to Your Registry and Wedding Website
Finally, depending on the company and invite you choose, you may be able to add links to your wedding website and or registry via the invite itself or the email it’s sent in. This could be a huge time and problem saver as your guests could click a link instead of having to type in a custom URL.