2023 Wedding Print – DIY vs Designer

Whether you’re opting to create your own DIY wedding stationery or seeking professional help from a wedding stationer, this blog takes you through the pros and cons of each to help you find the right solution for your big day.

So let’s dive in!

Going all out DIY wedding

The Pros

• You’re in the driving seat! While creating your entire wedding stationery suite from scratch can be quite daunting, having full ownership of paper choices, colour palettes and special finishes means that you are the boss (and the boss ALWAYS gets to make the final decisions).
• Cost. Being solely in control you can be very frugal with your materials to save money where you can. We would recommend starting out with a budget and costing plan for each product, as you’ll be surprised how quickly material and print costs can rack up. Be sure to group your stationery items into categories to include:
  • Before the day products (such as Invites and RSVPs)
  • On the day products (such as Table Plans and Menus)
  • After the day products (such as Thank You Cards)
• Experimentation. Doing it yourself means you won’t have to pay for any design amends or reworks, so it’s a bit easier to try out a few different things. There are also many free resources such as Pinterest, full of unique ideas and tips to help you build your own mood boards. Check out some of our own wedding-related ones here.
• Learning something new. If you aren’t a seasoned creative, then your big day can be the perfect opportunity to learn new skills. If you’re starting right at the very beginning there are a host of design tutorials out there, including some of our own Adobe ‘how to’s. What’s more you can make use of ready made wedding stationery templates, already set up in standard print sizes to help you get started. You can download ours right here.
• Gloating rights. With a DIY wedding suite, you’ll get the added satisfaction of telling everyone that you made them yourself as part of a do-it-yourself wedding (it’s not boasting if people ask, we promise).

The Cons

• Overwhelming choice. If you’ve never created stationery before, you may find it daunting to know that at Printed.com alone we offer over 20 different wedding paper stocks. If you’re not up to speed with which papers work well with particular styles or finishes, then you might find yourself getting in a bit of a pickle! Luckily we offer free wedding Sample Packs to all of our customers to help you make a more informed decision.
• Time. You’ll need a LOT of it. Once the design part is done you’ll need to also assemble the final products (which takes a lot longer than most people think). You’ll definitely need to block off a few evenings or weekends, so before you commit make sure you can fit it in around all your other wedmin!
• Having the right tools. If you’re ordering Unfinished Flat Sheets and then writing and cutting your Invitations by hand you may need some extra tools. Having your our own guillotine, as well as other items such as a cutting matt, corner punchers, rubber stamps and adhesives to add additional embellishments will be key. You’ll need to factor in the cost of these if you’re embarking on a DIY wedding adventure!

Investing in a wedding stationer

The Pros

• They know their stuff! Wedding stationers live and breathe wedding stationery 24/7, so they’re already going to be able to offer you information on the latest trends, papers and special finishes. So if you’re not sure if Rose Gold Foil will work well with your colour scheme, you’ll have someone on hand to help you make the most stylish choice.
• Peace of mind. Taking the pressure off of doing it yourself means you can spend more time on other aspects of your big day such as the venue, catering, transport (and of course the outfits!). While stationery is a huge part of any wedding, letting a professional craft a suite that integrates into your plans means you can concentrate on the actual ‘getting married’ part.
• Flexibility. If you need something changed or reprinted, you have a dedicated designer who can adapt to your needs. Not only that but they’ll have experience of turning print jobs around quickly, and work with suppliers whom they’ve trusted for years to get you what you need to make your day run smoothly.
• Budgeting. When you’re starting out with a professional designer you can give them your exact budget to work towards. This means no unforeseen costs (or little surprises that might mean the difference between that slightly more expensive bouquet!). They will also be able to help you get the most for your money, and adapt to both small and big budgets.
• Supporting the wedding industry. It’s always a good feeling to show a small business some love and throw an order their way.

The Cons

• There are none! While we salute anyone going it alone with a DIY wedding, we have worked with our amazing wedding stationers long enough to know that they are amazing at what they do, and only enhance the experience that our bride and groom customers have on their special day. To check out a select few of our top clients click here.

It’s totally up to you whether you decide to get creative support or start out on a DIY wedding adventure. But whatever you decide we’re here to help. From our handy templates and tutorials to use at home, to our directory of professional wedding stationers ready and waiting to bring your ideas to life.

What’s more our Customer Service Team are always on hand to answer your burning questions, so don’t hesitate to get in touch with us.

Together, let’s make a day to remember!

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