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Original poster

Wedding invitations or Wedding Website ?

28 replies

Easterdaffsx · 24/08/2022 10:35

Hi
Just that really . Would love to hear your comments or experiences please ?
Looking at costs of everything potentially this is something we could ditch if necessary although I did like the idea of supporting an individual company on Etsy for the invites .

If you've used a wedding website was this a good thing for you or would you have preferred the traditional invite in the post .

Which website did you use .

I think most if not all of our wedding guests ( only about 80 at most ) so around 40 invitees would be comfortable with a website rsvp and manage it . I guess what it boils down to is what do you think is easier for guests to respond to ?

Many thanks in advance

OP posts:
Tinktravels · 25/08/2022 15:39

Personally I'd go with physical invites, they don't have to be mega expensive but I think they're beautiful and love receiving them.

FASDE1517 · 25/08/2022 15:42

Websites are easier for most people and more environmentally friendly. Friends had a website but bought a few cheap paper invitations (Card Factory I think) for grandparents and a few older people they didn't think would manage a website.

Beamur · 25/08/2022 15:43

I sent texts and emails 😂
Wedding invites are nice to receive but one thing you could cut if costs are an issue.
Some friends of mine had a page on a site for wedding gifts which was nice actually. They had nominal gifts like 'ice cream on honeymoon' starting at £5 going up, so guests could choose how much they wanted to gift.

Dinoswearunderpants · 25/08/2022 15:44

Love websites. You could create a QR code so people can visit the website. Easy to do online and possibly get printed free.

chillipenguin · 25/08/2022 15:47

Physical invite with a link to respond. You can buy cheap invites you handwrite on or print something off yourself with a bit of clip art or similar

BeginningBridge · 25/08/2022 15:49

I completely missed a wedding invite sent by email. I wasn't expecting it and it went into my junk email box which I periodically empty.

Brides mother phoned me to ask me if I could make the date and I had no idea what she was talking about!

RaininginDarling · 25/08/2022 15:54

We went for website for the vast majority. Most guests coming from across the Irish Sea so it gave us an opportunity to give a bit more information on the area, places to visit, eat and stay. We also bought a handful of invites from Etsy for those less tech savvy. The website's great really - manages invites, save the dates and you can sort guests by bridal party, evening or whatever your needs are.

violetanemone · 25/08/2022 15:59

I think physical invitations are still the way to go.

We tried a website (as well as physical invitations). Half of our guests didn't visit it/ weren't aware it existed, even though we emailed/ messages/ told them all about it. It was barely used in the end.

Everyone gets the physical invitation in their hand through the post. It's just more reliable. People frequently ignore emails and messages.

violetanemone · 25/08/2022 16:01

Also, a physical invitation often goes on the fridge as a visual reminder.

With a website, people will look at it, forget to put it in their diary, and be asking you to remind them when it is, to send them the link again etc. etc.

Sorry to be negative - just in my experience websites are more trouble than they're worth.

chillipenguin · 25/08/2022 16:06

Physical is definitely better than an email invite as emails just get lost after like a week

vrouge · 26/08/2022 09:11

I'm currently planning my wedding and have chosen to send out paper invites with a website/QR code on the invite so people can RSVP and find out heaps more info for the day as I've got some international guests coming.

That way it's the best of both worlds and people still get a lovely paper invite (and postage shouldn't be too bad for just one piece of paper rather than invite, info, RSVP sheet, etc)

Still researching which website to go with though as there's quite a few out there!

Cyclingforcake · 26/08/2022 09:18

We did a cheap invite for the fridge but with most of the information on a website.

toastofthetown · 26/08/2022 09:26

We did physical invitations with a link to RSVP. We included RSVP slips and envelopes, but not stamped. Everyone bar my elderly grandmother replied online. A friend did their wedding all online, email invitations and online RSVP and that worked just as well. I actually disagree with a previous poster that emails get lost more easily than physical invitations; for me having something in my email is much easier to reference than a physical invitation.

bravotango · 26/08/2022 09:27

Physical, but do them yourself on Canva and print on Printed to save money

dmask · 26/08/2022 09:34

Hate physical cards - environmentally and practically. I always lose them! You can get so much more info on a website and access it anywhere (useful for booking travel and accommodation if you’re at work!). Ideally I would love to be sent a calendar invite 😂

Trisolaris · 26/08/2022 09:40

We have used the website Joy and it’s great! We whatsapped all our friends and family to let them know when the first email was coming out so they would be looking out for it and could add it to the safe list if it accidentally went to junk.

Joy also tells you if people have opened the email so if anyone hasn’t after a couple days you know to ask them if they haven’t got it. You can send out menu choices, have a full wedding website with links to the venue and places to stay, reminder emails etc and much more environmentally friendly. You can also tailor the site so your evening guests see a different schedule/invite from your day guests. It’s been amazing for us! (I don’t work for them, promise!)

meditrina · 26/08/2022 09:48

I would still send invitations - it's nice to get a proper stiffie!

But if you don't run to that sort, I'd still do a paper one in some form or other, with options of both actual address and online for RSVP. QR code to website on the printed version sounds like a good idea, but one sheet of printed information included with isn't going to change the bill for stamps.

If you're keeping costs down, then definitely don't use STDs (tell key people the date next time you're talking to them, or write (actual letter or email). Don't get RSVP cards either - it's not that hard for someone to find a bit of paper to write back (and it might nudge people onto the website if you say they can respond that way rather than by writing)

gogohmm · 26/08/2022 17:24

Just print invitations on card which you do on the computer yourself. Cost is ink and a pack of card

Kite22 · 26/08/2022 23:36

I'm clearly old school, but I am wondering, if you don't send out invitations, then how do potential guests know to look for a website?

I understand putting more information on line - details of local accommodation or a gift list or whatever, but how do people know to go to it if it is an 'either / or' rather than a link in the invitation ?

user1471550643 · 26/08/2022 23:42

I recently nearly missed a wedding, as an invite had been sent via a website around 8 months ago and I had heard nothing since and for some reason I hadn’t transferred it to my calendar. Bad admin on my part I know, it was only the fact I knew roughly that it must be coming up led me to find out the date, otherwise I may have missed it completely, which wound gave been really embarrassing and a wasted expense for the wedding party.

Trisolaris · 27/08/2022 11:29

@Kite22

Instead of collecting guests address, you collect their email addresses and upload them into the website and they get sent email ‘save the dates’, invites, reminders etc with links to the website. If anyone doesn’t open the email within 48 hours, (website can track that) you give them a text or call to check it hasn’t gone to junk. Super easy!

Kite22 · 27/08/2022 18:12

Thanks for replying @Trisolaris Smile
All new to me.

RemusMC · 28/08/2022 16:48

I think the easiest way is to send invites is by email, website link or messages. This way you save time, money and effort BUT if you want to impress your family and friends and make your them to want to come to you wedding, physical invites is the way. Especially the personalised and handmade ones, you can't go wrong. This is my opinion.

Finn10 · 01/09/2022 15:07

We are getting married in 6 weeks (EEK!!)... sorry, just had to say it out loud as so unreal!

Anyway, back to your query. We did both. Designed the invites using Canva and had them printed on really nice card by printed.com who are super helpful if you have any queries - cost under £100 (we have 100 guests). Then we did postage at about £50.

I created the website using Wix, spent a little money getting domain and premium for a year, think it was about £50. It took a little work to get right, it looks great though!

Result - people love the paper invite. They like to receive and people tagged us on Insta waving them about, they were a hit.

The website, less so. We asked people to RSVP and give song choices. Some people did it straight away and they spent about 5 minutes on the website that took ages to create. Others I am still trying to cajole to RSVP online and give song choices even though they have RSVPed by text/ in person.

If I had to do it again I would definitely do physical invites, website probably yes as i enjoyed the process however it was not a great hit with the guests. Set up and Instagram account/ Facebook page. Same results.

Good luck on your big day prep x

CuddlyOctopus · 30/08/2025 09:08

I’d say a mix works best, we had a wedding website for RSVPs but still sent invites too and everyone loved having something to keep. I used Canva for the design then got them printed at https://www.vintageprints.co.uk/Accessories-and-DIY/print-my-design. They were lovely to work with and the quality was fab, especially for the pocketfolds which looked so smart. Honestly made the whole process way easier 😊