When hosting an event, you’d typically think of all of its elements through and plan it out to perfection. Once you’ve got the food, drinks, guest list, and venue sorted out, there’s only one thing left to do: send invitations to those who you’d like to be in attendance. You’d often be faced with this choice: do you send out traditional paper invitations or simply shoot the invitation through a digital platform?
Typically, a holiday invitation is the first thing that guests would see of your event, so naturally, you want to make a good impression. It functions as your party’s calling card, and it may be just what you need to secure an RSVP. However, contrary to what one might think, there are a lot of things to consider when it comes to choosing either option. In this article, you’ll learn about how to make an informed decision and choose what’s best for you and your event.
The History of Invitations
Traditionally, written invitations are sent out for major life events. Weddings, milestone birthdays, christenings, baby showers, holiday parties, and anniversaries are just some of the events that fall under this category. When you go to a supplies shop, you’d probably see samples of a wedding or baby shower invitation. However, did you know written invitations go back to the middle ages? Rich families would often host parties in their lavish homes, and they would commission monks, who were gifted with the art of calligraphy, to craft invitations by hand.
Now, imagine having to hand-write dozens of invitations? It could take hours, even days, to pull off such a project. Not to mention, it must be incredibly tiring. That’s why in the middle of the 1600s, engraving became the most prominent form of creating invitations. Instead of having to write each invitation by hand, a metal plate containing the invitation’s text would be engraved and the invitations would be printed instead. Invitations were typically delivered by horseback from the 1600s to the 1700s. This was a sure way for the invitations to get to their recipients as the postal system was still relatively new.
Over the next few centuries, new technologies were developed for creating invitations. In the middle of the 20th century, thermography was invented, which gave invitations a whole new dimension and look. This technology also made invitations more affordable, which meant that anyone could afford to have invitations crafted for their events.
Nowadays, invitations can be digitally manipulated and printed on virtually any type of printer, which makes it easy to DIY. You can even purchase invitations via a catalog or over the Internet. People are no longer limited to sending out physical copies of invitations because they could send them over the Internet as well. However, which is the better option? Which one of the two would be more cost-effective?
Pros and Cons of Using Digital Invitations
Here are some of the advantages and disadvantages of using digital invitations.
Pros
Digital invitations, or E-vites, tend to be easier to make, cost a lot less, and are certainly more eco-friendly than their paper alternatives. Advancements in technology have made virtually everything much easier to do than they were a few decades ago. Multiple websites now offer ready-made and customizable invitations, and some websites even include all the tools you’d need to create your guest list and take note of who would be attending your event. E-vites are also easily accessible for a lot of people, which make them a more convenient option.
Paperless invites are also the way to go, especially for those who are more environmentally conscious. They generate a lot less waste than paper invitations, which tend to go into the trash once the event is done.
Cons
On the downside, invites sent out electronically can be missed. Your guest may accidentally skip over the invitation when it gets sent to their email address or social media platform, or they may forget about the event altogether. However, there are digital platforms which allow you to periodically send reminders about your event to ensure that your recipients read and remember your invites.
Additionally, there’s a perception that E-vites are less serious than paper invites, and this could mean that the event is not a priority. Guests could decide to not attend the event without informing the host, or the host would need to continuously follow up to get a straight answer.
Pros and Cons of Using Paper Invitations
Check out the pros and cons of using paper invitations below:
Pros
Paper invitations have become more affordable over the years. These invitations already come ready-made and are typically available at your local supplies shop. You could opt to buy your invitations off-the-shelf, as these invitations usually already come in sets. All that would be left to do is to send them out for shipping. However, on the downside, there isn’t much you can do to alter the design of the invitations themselves. You’d just have to search for the design that you like the most. If you would want to have your own design implemented, you’d need to get your invitations customized.
Cons
Etiquette experts and those who are more traditional stand by printed invitations because they believe they are more customary. On the flip side, while picking out ready-made invitations may be a breeze, getting a custom-made paper invitation could prove to be very time-consuming and could end up burning a hole in your pocket.
Many things go into consideration when conceptualizing a paper invite including the choice of paper, ink color, weight, and a variety of inserts that would enhance the entire invite. These can all add to the price of the final product. The intricacies of paper invites could also take up more time in terms of creation and production. Two other factors to take into consideration are turnaround time with the supplier who would produce the invitation and the cost it would take to ship the invitation to the recipient. Overall, you may need a higher budget to distribute custom-made paper invitations, and more lead time for sending them out.
The Verdict
Both options have their pros and cons, but all things considered, online invitations are certainly more cost-effective than paper invitations. These types of invitations are perfect for hosts who are on a budget or are looking for more sustainable and customizable options.
