As technology advances, it’s no surprise that more couples are considering e-invites for their wedding day. While e-invites may seem convenient, they don't offer the same benefits as printed wedding invitations. Naturally, we are biased, but our experience has shown time and time again how much the invitations can add to making the guests feel welcomed and the wedding reflect the unique magic of the couple’s story! Below we offer our reasons for sending a physical, old-fashioned invitations and also offer a middle of the ground approach if you are considering an e-invite.

Reasons to Send A Physical Invitations

Your wedding day should be celebrated like no other day because it is special and a huge part of your life! After spending months (or even years) planning every detail of your special day, the invitations that you send should be as special as the rest of your wedding! Here are just a few ways printed invitations can make a special day even more magical:

1. Personalization: Your wedding invitations are the first glimpse your guests will have of your wedding day, and they set the tone for what's to come. Printed invitations allow for a wide range of personalization options, from choosing the font to adding embellishments like foiling or embossing. You can also customize the design to match your wedding theme, colors, and style, creating a cohesive look that ties everything together. Over the years we’ve been honored to work with couples to make some truly stunning designs from sketches of the venue to invitations that incorporate the same pattern as the bride’s veil! All of these unique touches pay off big when the guests see how much thought and care has gone into creating something that tells the couple’s story in this way.

2. Tangibility: Printed invitations provide a tactile experience that can’t be replicated with digital invitations. The weight, texture, and feel of the paper can convey the formality and elegance of your wedding. Because of this, printed invitations often become a keepsake that you and your guests can save as a memento of your special day. Plus, this gives the guests something to hang up somewhere, like their fridge, so they can keep the date fresh on their mind and have a quick way to reference details they may have forgotten.

3. Formality and Etiquette: Wedding invitations are typically seen as a formal affair, and printed invitations help reinforce that sentiment. They allow you to formally invite guests to your wedding and include all the necessary details, such as dress code and RSVP information, and it adds an air of sophistication that an e-invite just can't replicate. Sending an e-invite may actually give the impression that the event is casual! For weddings that are specifically meant to be more traditional, printed invitations certainly are the best fit.

4. Accessibility: While e-invites may seem like the easiest option, they may not be accessible to all guests. Not everyone has access to the internet or is comfortable with online invitations. Printed invitations are a universal option that everyone can receive and understand. This gives a clarity that can provide peace of mind for both your guests and you as you are sending out invites and confirming the guest list.

Reasons to Send an E-Invite

Putting aside all of the reasons why paper invitations are the gold standard for wedding invitations, we understand that there may be reasons why you need or prefer to send an e-invite. The biggest three reasons that we see are:

1. Cost and Budget: Hands down paper invitations are going to be more expensive than an e-invite. Even if you DIY, a paper invitation still requires materials and postage. Clicking “send” on an email or e-invite costs zero dollars.

2. Timing: If you are in a time crunch, e-invites are fast, and you can send them in seconds.

3. Destination: If you have guests that are far away and/or live in foreign countries, you may see a benefit in sending e-invite that will arrive quickly.

A Middle Ground Approach

If you have any of these above concerns, but an e-invite still does not feel right to you, there is a middle ground approach! You can send a one-piece wedding invitation card directing guests to your wedding website for additional details! The invitation card would have your names, wedding date, venue location and your website.

This approach gives you the benefits of a physical invitations, by allowing you to send a beautiful invitation card to your guests that sets the tone for your wedding. But it also allows you to reduce costs significantly, because there are no insert cards or an RSVP card/envelope. You can even collect RSVPs online through your website! If you have guests that live really far away, you can send them a picture of the invitation online to ensure that they receive the details quickly while the invitation makes it away to them via snail mail.

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While e-invites may seem like a convenient option, in general they just don't offer the same benefits as printed wedding invitations. Printed invitations bring a touch to the invite that really conveys how important the wedding and your guest’s presence is to you in a way that stands out to whoever you send it to. Your day is special, and your invitations can be the perfect way to reflect that! At Little Postage House, we specialize in creating bespoke wedding invitations that capture your unique style and vision. Let us help you create the perfect invitation for your special day!

With us, you can choose to either fully customize your invitation suite or choose from one of our semi-custom templates, see below!