Digital invitations may be growing in popularity, but paper wedding invitations remain a cherished tradition for many couples.
To settle the paper vs. paperless debate, we surveyed and discovered that most people still favor the tactile elegance and personal touch of paper invites. But instead of elaborate print jobs with a handful of inclusions, sharing essential details like formal invitations and RSVP cards is the focus in 2024.
With the rise of digital everything, it’s no wonder that paperless wedding invitations are gaining popularity—they’re super easy to send out and often cheaper than printing and mailing paper wedding invitations.
But, as you might imagine, we here at The Paper Mill Store are proud members of Team Paper Wedding Invitations, and here’s why: Paper invitations are not just pieces of paper—they are sentimental keepsakes and a physical reminder of one of the most important days in your life. Even if your guests don’t keep theirs (though we bet some will!), you can frame one and have a special memento of your big day.
Plus, not everyone is tech-savvy, and paper invites allow everyone on your guest list to feel included. They’re also easier to keep track of, and you can share key wedding information so you aren’t hounded for details people may have forgotten in the days leading up to your event. If you have a password-protected wedding website, for example, printing the password on your formal invitation ensures your guests won’t constantly be asking you for it when they inevitably forget or can’t dig up your invite in their crowded inbox.
There’s also a certain joy in receiving something special in the mail. A beautifully crafted invitation sets the tone for your event, whether it’s casual or formal, and it reflects your unique personality and style. It’s these little touches that elevate a wedding from just another party to a once-in-a-lifetime celebration.
To get to the bottom of the paperless vs. paper wedding invitations conundrum, we surveyed our wedding-minded customers to find out how many are planning to send paper invites, what they’ll include in their invitations, and more. Keep reading for the results!
At the end of the day, weddings are about making memories. We believe that beautiful paper wedding invitations are the perfect way to start your journey. In this post, we’ll explore the world of paper wedding invitations, including what to include and how to choose the best paper for wedding invitations. Stick around as we head down the aisle together.
Survey Says…
We received over 50 responses to our survey. Just five respondents were in the process of planning a wedding, but people still had lots to say about paper wedding invitations!
In the analysis below, we’ll filter out responses that don’t apply.
The verdict is in: paper wedding invites are still the preference in 2024. In fact, 92% of respondents have sent or are planning to send paper wedding invites—just one planned to send email invites only!
When it comes to printing invites, printing at home was the clear winner with 58% of respondents planned to print their invites at home, 17% planning to get them printed online using services like Minted or Shutterfly, and the remaining 25% planning to use a commercial printer like Office Depot or a local print house.
We also asked how many invites people are planning to send. Just 5% plan to send between 1-20 invites, and 18% plan to send between 21-50. Most weddings fall in the middle of the road with 53% of respondents sending between 51-100 invites. On the large-event end of the spectrum, 24% plan to send over 100 invites.
Next, we asked what people planned to include with their invites. Here’s what we found:
Besides the formal invitation, RSVP cards, save the dates, and reception cards were the most common inclusions. Registry and website cards were the least popular—we’d guess because it’s easy to include a link to your wedding website on a formal invitation and to include a registry link on your website.
So what’s the takeaway? Here are three key conclusions we drew from our survey:
- Paper wedding invitations aren’t going anywhere. If you consult Reddit on the topic, you might get the sense that paper wedding invites are a relic of days past, but we can tell you they’re still going strong in 2024. A whopping 92% of respondents have sent or plan to send them!
- Printing at home is popular. Over half of our survey respondents plan to print their invites at home.
- Formal invites and RSVP cards are the most common inclusions, suggesting a preference for including only the most important details on the invite, along with a (non-digital) way to RSVP.
The Best Paper for Wedding Invitations
Choosing the best paper for wedding invitations isn’t always an easy task. There are countless paper stocks and cardstocks to choose from, in different colors, weights, finishes, and printing considerations. Here’s how to make the best choice:
1. Consider your theme and style
Choose a paper that reflects your wedding’s theme in a color that complements your wedding palette. For a classic look, opt for traditional options like cotton or linen in white or ivory. For a modern wedding, sleek and smooth papers work well, and you can experiment with printable modern neutrals like gray or light blue.
2. Weight and texture
Heavier paper adds a luxurious feel, but it can be harder to print on and can also increase your postage costs if your invitation is too thick to be processed by machine. We recommend 80-110 lb cardstock for invitations and a lighter weight such as 65 lb cardstock for optional enclosures.
Textured papers, such as vellum, linen, or felt, can also enhance the design and add a delightful tactile quality to your printed invitations.
3. Printer compatibility
If you want to print at home, we recommend using lighter cardstock, such as 80 or at most 90 lb cover stock. It’s hefty enough to add some gravitas and significance to your invites but is still thin enough to be compatible with most home printers.
TPMS TIP: If you’re printing your own invites, we strongly recommend that you start with a test sheet to see how well it feeds through your printer. You may need to feed each sheet by hand, which can take a lot of time depending on how many invites you’re sending. If you’re printing a lot of invites, it may be worth your while to have them professionally printed.
If you’re having trouble printing onto 80 lb cardstock, you could also consider printing onto a lighter paper stock such as 80 lb text or 32 lb writing and backing it onto pre-cut cardstock sheets to add a bit of weight.
If you’re planning for special printing finishes like letterpress or foil stamping, make sure you choose a paper that is compatible with these methods. At our paper shop, you can easily filter papers by printer compatibility, including specialty print finishes.
4. Eco-friendly options
If you’re concerned about paper usage and sustainability, consider using recycled or sustainably sourced papers to add an environmentally friendly touch to your invitations.
Shop for recycled paper and cardstock.
Must-Haves for Your Paper Wedding Invitation Suite
If you’re researching what to include in your invitation suite, chances are you’ve come across a bunch of lists with a dozen different things you simply must include. We’re all for paper wedding invites, but let’s face it—in 2024, a lot of these “mandatory” inclusions just aren’t all that mandatory anymore. Sticking to the basics and adopting a hybrid paper-digital approach is an effective way to check all the boxes. Sentimental paper invite? Check. Sharing key information online? Check. Managing your costs? Definitely check.
Let’s dig into what you actually need to include with a paper wedding invitation in 2024. We’ll take a look at all the various inclusions people generally recommend, and share our advice for whether you really need to include it, or whether you can safely communicate this information online.
Here are the things you should always include with your wedding invitations:
- The actual invitation
- An RSVP card
- The outer envelope
- An RSVP card envelope
And here’s what we think is optional in 2024:
- Details card
- Accommodations card
- Reception card
- Directions card
- Other events card
Let’s take a closer look.
Invitation
Mandatory or Optional?
- Mandatory
Paper or Digital?
- Paper
If you’re inviting people to a wedding, you need an invitation!
We will always vote for paper invitations for their timeless appeal and tangible charm, but in 2024, there’s nothing wrong with opting for digital invites if they suit your event (or your budget) better.
TPMS TIP: If you go the digital route, we recommend printing at least a couple of paper invites. That way, you can keep one for yourself to frame, and send paper invites to guests who might not be as tech-savvy (or who might want a keepsake of their own).
RSVP Card
- Mandatory
- Paper or Digital (Both work)
You can go either way with this one. A digital RSVP is convenient and cost-effective, and it’s easy to include a link to your wedding website for online RSVPs. On the other hand, a paper RSVP can help you cater to all guests and head off any technical issues before they happen. Receiving paper RSVPs in the mail can also be a delightful surprise, and may help you keep track of guests and gifts when it comes time to send your thank-you notes.
If you’re looking to save some cash, try a mix: send paper wedding invitations but do digital RSVPs. That way, you get the best of both worlds without breaking the bank. Ultimately, it’s up to you which option best suits your event.
Outer Envelope
- Mandatory / Optional
- Paper / Digital
An outer envelope is necessary for paper invitations. If you’re mailing anything, there’s no way around this one!
RSVP Card Envelope
- Mandatory / Optional
- Paper / Digital
If you’re including paper RSVP cards, you should also include a stamped return envelope. If you’re sending a paper RSVP card but you’re offering the option to RSVP online, an unstamped envelope is also okay.
Details Card
- Mandatory / Optional
- Paper / Digital
If you’re including paper RSVP cards, you should also include a stamped return envelope. If you’re sending a paper RSVP card but you’re offering the option to RSVP online, an unstamped envelope is also okay.
Accommodations Card
- Mandatory / Optional
- Paper / Digital
If any guests will be traveling to attend your wedding, you should provide the information they might need to book a stay at a nearby hotel. This could include a list of nearby accommodations, or key details for booking at a specific hotel if you’ve reserved a block of rooms.
This information can easily be shared on your website, but if you aren’t going the website route, you should absolutely include an accommodations card in your invitation suite.
Reception Card
- Mandatory / Optional
- Paper / Digital
If any guests will be traveling to attend your wedding, you should provide the information they might need to book a stay at a nearby hotel. This could include a list of nearby accommodations, or key details for booking at a specific hotel if you’ve reserved a block of rooms.
This information can easily be shared on your website, but if you aren’t going the website route, you should absolutely include an accommodations card in your invitation suite.
Directions Card
- Mandatory / Optional
- Paper / Digital
A directions card might help some of your older guests, but chances are most guests will use GPS to find their way around instead of printed directions. We do suggest including a directions card if your location is hard to find or has any special instructions to make sure everyone finds your event.
Other Events Card
- Mandatory / Optional
- Paper / Digital
If your wedding is a weekend-long affair with several pre- and post-ceremony events, it’s perfectly okay to list these events on your website instead of including a separate printout.
Elevate Your Wedding with the Best Paper for Wedding Invitations
When it comes to paper wedding invitations, the sentiment and tradition they carry remain as strong as ever. Despite the growing digital invitation trend, our survey reveals that many still value the tactile and personal touch of paper invites. With most respondents planning to print their invitations at home and focusing on the essentials like formal invitations and RSVP cards, it’s clear that simplicity and tradition both hold a special place in the wedding planning process.
Choosing the right paper for your invitations adds an extra layer of meaning and elegance to your wedding announcement. Whether you opt for a classic, textured cardstock or a modern, sleek finish, the right paper enhances the overall experience and helps set the tone for your celebration.
In the end, the best paper for your wedding invitations is one that reflects your style and fits your budget while delivering the sentimental value you and your guests will cherish.
