How to Design & Print Custom Invitation Cards Online

7/9/2024

If you’re organizing a party, fundraiser, or business event, your invitations will create the first impression. Your invite’s design and card stock reflect your event and can impact the number of attendees who respond with a ‘yes.’

When it comes to organizing invitations, event planners have many choices. You can visit your local stationer, print invitations online, work with local printers for invitations, or choose e-invites.

This guide will help you understand the pros and cons of digital versus printed invitations and assist you in finding the best print solution for your needs. We’ll also explore various design options and provide tips on where to print your invitations affordably.

Custom Invitation Printing Options

Online Printers:

• Convenience: Online printers offer the convenience of designing and ordering wherever you are. You can easily compare prices and services for invitation printing.
• Variety: Working with an online print company means you can get everything you need in once place. You can use templates, an invitation maker or engage the graphic designer staff to create and print invite cards. If you’ve got print-ready files for your invitations, you can also upload them to have them affordably printed.
• Support Local Business: Though you’re ordering online, you’re still shopping local. All Eventgroove’s custom printing orders are printed and processed in our Montana facility!
• Delivery: Invitations are shipped directly to your doorstep (we turn print orders around in once business day!), often with options for expedited shipping.

Local Printers & Stationers:

• Personal Touch: Working with a local printing shop allows face-to-face communication, which can benefit detailed projects such as more complex invites.
• Support Local Business: Supporting local businesses strengthens your community.
• Quality Control: You can see and feel samples before committing, ensuring the quality meets your expectations.

Designing Your Invitations

There’s a wide range of ways you can create customized event invitations. Choose the one that best suits your skill net and event’s needs.

Online Design Tools

Many printing businesses offer user-friendly online invitation maker tools, allowing you to:

• Create from scratch: Use online software to arrange and layer design elements.
• Add Photos and Graphics: Easily upload photos or graphics to make your invitation stand out. These design tools also usually offer a library of graphics, images, fonts, and QR codes to help you create your party invitations.
• Preview: Instantly access a digital proof of your design before printing, ensuring everything looks perfect.

Printable Invitations 

Invitation templates are an efficient, user-friendly option requiring no graphic design skills.

• Time-Saving: Pre-designed templates save you time and effort.
• Professional Look: Templates are created by graphic designers, taking the guesswork out of creating a harmonious layout and look.
• Customization: You can create personalized invitations by adding your event text and images to template designs.
• Preview: Instant digital proofs allow you to quickly make changes or move on to the ordering process.

Hire a Graphic Designer

For a truly unique invitation, consider hiring a graphic designer:

• Bespoke Design: A graphic designer can create a custom design to reflect your event’s theme, your organisation’s brand, and your style.
• Expertise: Designers bring creativity and expertise, ensuring your invitation is visually appealing and well-structured.

Printed Wedding Invitations: Professionally Printed or DIY?

High End Stationers

If you’re planning a wedding and want elegant, high-end invitations, going to a stationer is an excellent choice:

• Luxury Materials: Stationers offer premium paper types, embossing, foil stamping, and other luxurious finishes.
• Personal Consultation: You can work closely with a professional to create a bespoke design that perfectly matches your wedding theme.

DIY and Online Printing

If you’re looking to save money and still have nice invitations, using a template and then printing via an inexpensive printer is a fantastic choice. Another option is to print them yourself at your home or office.

• Budget-Friendly: You can find beautiful templates online, often for free or at a low cost, and customise them to your liking.
• Creative Control: DIY invitations give you creative control over the design, allowing you to add personal touches.
• Affordable Printing: Print your customized design using affordable online invitation printers, ensuring you stay within budget without sacrificing quality.

Digital Invitations vs. Printed Invitations

Many people consider digital invitations as an alternative to traditional printed invitations. Here’s a look at the pros and cons of both:

Printed Invitations 

Pros:

• Tangible: A physical invitation can be held, displayed, and cherished as a keepsake.
• Personal Touch: Receiving a printed invitation feels more special and thoughtful.
• Formality: Printed invitations add a feeling of formality and importance to the event.
• Design Options: There is a wide range of materials, finishes, and designs to make your invitation stand out and reflect your event.

Cons:

• Cost: Invite cards can be more expensive due to printing and postage costs.
• Time-Consuming: Requires more time to design, print, and mail.
• Environmental Impact: Uses paper and other resources, contributing to waste.

Online Invites

Pros:

• Convenience: Easily created and sent via email or social media, saving time and effort.
• Cost-Effective: Generally cheaper than printed invitations, with no printing or postage costs.
• Eco-Friendly: Reduces paper waste and carbon footprint.
• Instant Delivery: People on your guest list receive their invites immediately, which is great for last-minute events.

Cons:

• Somewhat Impersonal: Can feel less distinct than receiving a physical invitation.
• Delivery Issues: Emails can end up in spam folders, and not everyone regularly checks their email.
• Less Memorable: Digital invitations can be easily overlooked or forgotten in a crowded inbox.

Though online invites are convenient, printed invitations remain popular because they offer a personal, tangible connection that digital formats lack. Whether you’re planning an elegant wedding or a fun birthday party, printed cards provide a lasting impression that sets your event’s tone.

Where to Print Your Custom Invitations

Once you have your design ready, the next step is printing. This part is simple if you design or use a template with an online printing service like Eventgroove. All you must do is choose card stock and quantity and place your order. We’ll print and ship within one business day!

If you’ve used templates or software and now have print-ready files, consider the following options.

Invitation Printing Online

• Easy Upload: Most online printers allow you to upload and print your invitations directly on their website.
• Cost-Effective: They often offer competitive pricing, especially for bulk orders. Look for cheap invitation printing options.
• Promotions and Discounts: Look for promotions and discount codes to save even more.

Local Printers

• Custom Services: They may provide additional services like custom paper choices and exceptional finishes.
• Support: Face-to-face communication with the printer can ensure your specific requirements are met.

Print Your Own Invites

If you have a nice printer at home, you can print invites yourself. However, it can be a time-consuming process if you lack design skills.

• Alignment: Formatting your printer to print your invites correctly can be a challenge. They may print slightly off, causing things to appear askew.
• Materials: You’ll just need cardstock for invitations and to be meticulous about cutting out your individual invites. You can also purchase perforated invitation cardstock, which makes separating each card a cleaner and more precise process.

Choosing the right invitations can significantly affect the tone of your event. There are plenty of options, whether you prefer the convenience of online invitation printing services, the personal touch of local printers, or the efficiency of online invitations.

Whichever option you choose, you can rest assured of low prices, fast turnaround, quality invitation printing, and our customer satisfaction guarantee. We’re your reliable choice for all your event printing needs!