FAQ's for Wedding Invitations

To make your experience efficient and productive, we request appointments for all custom paper meetings including wedding, custom stationery, party invitation, or accessories (napkins, cups, koozies) meeting. You can click this link to schedule an appointment . Wedding appointments will also need to complete our wedding questionnaire which provides us with valuable information about your event prior to your appointment.

Frequently asked questions:

Table of contents

What do wedding invitations cost?
What is the difference in the various print methods?
How can I "touch and feel" the paper if I am out of town?
What does wedding invitation postage cost?
How long does it take to produce wedding invitations?
What are calligraphy options and what does it cost?
What if I need to order more wedding invitations?
Why do I need extra envelopes?
Do my invitations come with tissue?
Is assembly included in the cost of my invitations?
Why would I choose engraving over thermography or vice versa?
Any additional suggestions when ordering foil printing?
Tips for assembling your wedding invitations
calligraphy options

1. What do wedding invitations cost?

To help simplify the decision process, we often refer to invitations in 4 tiers listed below. Keep in mind the specific design choices you make will ultimately determine final pricing.

Tier 1 invitations: Flat or "digital" print invitations start as low as $2 per invitation. You can browse value invitations here or digitally printed wedding invitations here to explore this tier. Additions like computer addressing, reply cards, and other enclosures incur additional costs.
Tier 2 invitations: Invitations with thermography print start at $6 each set and include invitation, double envelope, return address, and reply enclosure. Optional additions include computer addressing, other enclosures, envelope liners, multi color printing, and more.
Tier 3 invitations: This tier opens the door to printing options like engraving or letterpress from brands like Crane or William Arthur. Pricing at this tier can start at $15 per invitation with double envelopes or $20 per set with a reply enclosure. A wide range of upgrades are available for additional fees.
Tier 4 invitations: Premium choices with artisan letterpress or foil, thick papers, envelope liners, and luxury finishes. While it's difficult to generalize a price given all the customizations available, $30 per invitation set is a good gauge of where the pricing can start for this tier.

Tier 2-4 invitations will also incur a design setup fee based on your design choices. Tier 1 invitations can incur a setup fee if there are design edits requested beyond the setup as shown online. All sample pricing is based on a minimum quantity of 100 invitations. This information is as of 6/1/2025 and is subject to change.

2. What is the difference in the various print methods?

Most of our custom projects are printed in one of the following methods:

Digital or Flat Print

Digital or flat printing produces a smooth image on the paper that has no raised feel or impression. It can be beneficial from a cost standpoint in smaller print runs, or can present the ability to print multiple colors (like a photograph) in a single printing pass for cost efficency. Digital printing can be executed on many paper types including one and two ply options, but certain specialty papers are not compatible with digital printing. Another benefit of most digital printing is the quicker turn around time.

Thermography

Thermography printing was invented to replicate the raised feel often associated with engraving, but the newer procedure eliminates the cost of a copper engraving plate. In thermography, a card is printed with a special flat ink, then dusted with a resin that is heat sealed to the ink surface, providing the raised impression. While thermography resembles engraving, some shortcomings of this process are that the inks are not opaque (and therefore can not be printed on dark papers) and there can be some color variation in the inks.

Engraving or Blind Embossing

Engraving is a printing method where a copper plate is "engraved" and carved with the image to be printed. The plate is inked and placed on top of the paper, and pressure is applied from beneath the paper to push it up into the plate. This provides a raised feel to the printing and also the hallmark "bruising" that customers may see on the reverse side of an engraved image. While engraving is more costly than thermography, the benefits of engraving are that the inks are opaque and more consistent color on a variety of light and dark papers, and metallic inks are a brighter, truer metallic color with engraving. Most companies return the copper engraving plate to their customer for keepsake purposes and possible reprinting. Blind embossing (raised print with no color) is a process very similar to engraving that results in a raised image, but the plate is not inked and therefore the image has no color. Some companies return blind embossing plates for future use and some do not.

Letterpress or Foil

Letterpress is a traditional printing method that has regained popularity for its deep, tactile impression on thick, soft paper. Unlike engraving, it presses a raised plate into the paper from above, creating a distinct, artisan look. Foil printing uses a similar process but adds a metallic foil layer—results can vary based on paper quality and the printer's technique.

3. How can I "touch and feel" the paper if I am out of town?

While we love meeting in person—especially if you're near our Jackson, Mississippi studio—we also work with long-distance clients seamlessly. We begin all projects with a 15 minute "mini meeting" - a virtual consultation that can include you, your mom, your planner, anyone in any location since it's virtual. During this call we review your vision and budget and discuss recommendations. After this meeting we can mail quality samples of papers you are considering. Some samples can be mailed free of charge but some more elaborate samples incur a fee or deposit payment to "loan" the samples to you to review. You can book your 15 minute mini-meeting here.

4. What does wedding invitation postage cost?

Most wedding invitations with double envelopes require 2-ounce postage. Square shapes, wax seals, or envelopes over 6 1/8" tall incur extra charges. We’re happy to help estimate postage, but always confirm with your local post office—stamp purchases are non-refundable, so we recommend waiting until you have your invitations in hand.

5. How long does it take to produce wedding invitations? When should I order them?

Some invitations like the digital invitations featured online can be produced in as little as 2 weeks from final approval, however for most custom projects we allow 8 weeks in production.

In general our preferred timeline looks something like this:

9 months ahead of wedding date - schedule a virtual "mini meeting" to discuss save the dates, general invitation plans, timing and budget.
8 months ahead - finalize/order save the dates
6 months ahead - mail save the dates, design wedding invitations
5 months ahead - finalize/order wedding invitations
2 months ahead - mail wedding invitations, finalize/order cups, napkins, koozies
1 month ahead - reply deadline for wedding guests, order wedding programs

Because we know life happens and every situation is unique - always feel free to ask us for guidance if you're on a tighter timeline than the one indicated above.

6. What are calligraphy/addressing options and what does it cost?

Fresh Ink only offers computer addressing which is a beautiful and efficient option for addressing your wedding invitations. Pricing ranges from $2.50 - $5 per envelope set plus a setup fee; lists must be submitted via our Google spreadsheet, and edits are billed separately. We are unable to accept outside envelopes for computer addressing. Feel free to contact us for details.

If you are interested in hand calligraphy we are happy to refer you to trusted artists we regularly work with via the list linked below—handwriting starts around $3/envelope and calligraphy with nib and ink starts at $4–$5/set (because rates vary, confirm pricing directly with the artist you contract. They each set their own pricing and are independent contractors not employed by Fresh Ink. Calligrapher List

7. What if I need to order more wedding invitations?

We recommend ordering extra invitations upfront, as reorders are significantly more expensive. It's common for last-minute additions to arise, and having extras on hand saves stress and cost. If you do need more later, we’re happy to help—but options are often limited and pricey.

8. Why do I need extra envelopes?

Mistakes and misfeeds happen, so extra envelopes are essential—whether using a calligrapher or computer. They also allow you to resend invitations easily if any are returned due to postal errors.

9. Do my invitations come with tissue?

Enclosing tissue in wedding invitations is a charming tradition, though it's not always necessary with today's print methods. Originally used to prevent ink smudging, modern colorfast inks no longer necessitate it, and only a few vendors like Crane and William Arthur still include it for nostalga purposes. If tissue is important to your family, let us know—we’re happy to factor this into your choices.

10. Is assembly included in the cost of my invitations?

Assembly is quoted on a case by case basis. Always assume that you are completing any assembly associated with your project unless it is specifically outlined in the price of your quote.

11. Why would I choose engraving over thermography or vice versa?

Both printing processes provide a raised print surface. When using a metallic ink, some customers find engraving inks preferable because of the more sparkly metallic properties. However, if cost efficiency is a major concern, thermography will often present a cost savings. If the nostalgia of a bruised printing impression on the back side of your card is important, only engraving will provide this hallmark.

12. Any additional suggestions when ordering foil printing?

Foil printing, like letterpress, presses a metallic foil into the paper to create an impression. While budget-friendly vendors exist, artisan printers offer superior quality, precision, and more foil color options. We're happy to guide you through the differences to find the best fit for your style and budget.

13. Tips for assembling your wedding invitations

Upon receipt, count everything! Organize items into alternating stacks of 10 for easy count.
Any shortage or damage must be reported within 5 business days.
Check all of your envelopes off for accuracy against the list they were printed or addressed from BEFORE putting them in the mail.
When you are ready to assemble, take 10 invitations, 10 envelopes, 10 reply cards etc and work in sets of 10. This will ensure you don't leave out items by accident. Assemble 10 full sets before moving on to the next 10. Don't forget stamps on your reply envelopes. DO NOT SEAL AND STAMP THE INVITATIONS YET.
Do not put stamps on your invitations until you have taken one fully assembled to the post office to confirm the postage. For this reason we discourage getting stamps in advance because if you guess the wrong amount, stamps are not returnable. Remember things like wax seals will add extra postage.
If you have stuffed all of your invitations, and checked all against your list, the very last thing you will do is put stamps on them, and seal them. We recommend not doing this step until 1-2 days before you take them to the post office. Almost any change in plans can be handled with an enclosure unless the invitations are already stamped and sealed.
You can ask your post office if they allow hand-cancelling but this does not always avoid damage in transit and some post offices do not allow it. We recommend handing them over the counter at your local post office.

calligraphy options; Fresh Ink offers computer calligraphy on invitations that are purchased through our business. We do not accept outside envelopes for computer calligraphy. We work with a wide range of talented calligraphers in various areas. If you were interested in hand calligraphy for something that was purchased through us or other calligraphy services. Please note these calligraphers are independent contractors, and their pricing in terms and service fulfillment methods are negotiated directly with each individual. Please click the link below for a list of calligraphers. We have worked with to start the process.

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1eISvNdgc5YWyIw49edA3f_RxPPNhbDkuv4xQwUHgyzY/edit?usp=drivesdk

This information was updated on (6/8/25) and any changes to pricing or published postage rates are not the responsibility of the author.