Thread: 300$ on Invites - Holy Cow! Please Help Me!

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I've made up an invite on a word document and I've called around everywhere to check for pricing on printing these puppies out but the cheapest I've heard is $300! There's no way. How are you guys affording the print on these things?

My invite is 4 pages long (8x11.5") (I've deleted all the pictures and anything in color to save money already)
I planned on punching holes at the top with ribbon and adding a mini skeleton head
and mailing them.
I need 75 minimum.
I see a few people to save on stamps but most of them need to be mailed from lack of time on everybody's part.
I want to stick with everyone getting the same invite. I'm not really a fan of computer based invitations.

I'm at a loss. I NEED to get these out ASAP!!!!
Any suggestions?
I can post the invite if I need too.

Look for online print deals. We got our business cards from VistaPrint. They have "sales" all the time. They're a bit dodgy (in the past they would sign people up for recurring billing services from a third party without permission) but they got in trouble for it and seem to be a bit better. We ordered business cards from them (don't, because they're "undersized" which looks very unprofessional when they're in a stack of other cards... I get the feeling that way back when, they bought miscalibrated machines for next to nothing and that's how their business took off). We had 3 different designs, but their online calculator would only discount one set. We even called and emailed them asking them if we could get a deal, but they said they could not do anything. We waited 5 days, and after several emails of "you've forgotten your shopping cart!" "are you sure you don't want to buy!?" we got a "special offer" for all three sets of cards for less than the original deal would have been if we'd been able to get them to do it the first time around. So keep that in mind if you order from them. I'm not sure what you'd have to do to get invitations that size (they're normally 9 x 6 maximum)... maybe order 4 sets of different letterheads. Which at a base price would be $360... but like I said, sign up, upload your artwork, finish the order right to credit card payment, then ignore the order for a few days and see what deal they give you

So far we haven't had any other issues with them overbilling us. Just a few dozen emails a week, which I ignored, then turned off.

I do snapfish picture invites.
I know not as great as others invites.
But I put a pic of one of our props on the front.Last year I took pictures to do individual photo ones but lost all my pictures when my computer crashed.
They always love the invites.

wow a 4 page invitation that's a long invite...... have you thought about shortening it some or is it possible. Another thought it you might want to post it on here and see what others think and if they can come up with some ideas to shorten it, or are possibly able to find a better price for you. Have you tried kinkos and seen how much it would be to print it yourself? I know you're not really fond of the computer printing per say, but if done right it can be as professional looking as the printers (especially from somewhere like kinko's). Also have you thought of having them handcrafted perhaps (artsy craftsy type of invites?) Sorry it's looking so expensive for you. I hope you find it cheaper and it's something you like.

I too am a huge fan of elaborate invitations.....But it can get really costly...I discused on a seperate thread my use of "video" invitations..I adore the tradition of sending out invites..I love the paper, the stamps, etc, but once again, it can cost you..I turned my whole thing into a video and posted it privately on youtube....That way I could get as detailed and cool as I wanted, not having to compromise on style quality by having to cut back on color, length, etc...I did send out a small youtube link to everyone, with the username and password so they could view the invite online...This felt more personal that having a generic "E-vite" because it was still something I created from scratch and it was totally "me." You can have them RSVP you electronically, or include a small RSVP envelope/stamp wih the video link..It was a lot of fun making the videos and everyone was totally psyched when they watched them.....still have my video from a few years back if you are interested in seeing it as an example.... Good luck!!!!!!

Or to expand on what Jen suggested, you could send out cards with a website address and a password on them, and set up a webpage that needs the password to access and put all the party details on there!

You could do that with literally one piece of card and that's got to cost way less than 4 pages of printing

I'm not sure where you are located, but have you checked the price at Staples? Or Staples online "Copy & Print"? =)

Originally Posted by Gothikren

wow a 4 page invitation that's a long invite...... have you thought about shortening it some or is it possible....

I agree....

-To keep the cost down, I would keep it simple. It would be really easy to buy some pre-made invites- Target has them, I have also seen them at Micheal's. They are really nice.

http://www.michaels.com/Classic-Hall...afts-halloween

-If you really must have all four pages (8 x11), get some Halloween or colored printer paper (Micheals, JoAnnes, Hallmark, Office MAX) and some matching envelopes and do it yourself.

http://www.halloween-online.com/part...vitations.html

Good luck...I hope it all works out!

Here are a few more ideas for invitations you can make yourself.

Just print out on a piece of vellum and use glue dots to stick to a fun colored background. Punch a hole & tie a peice of ribbon for the bat.
http://images.meredith.com/parents/i..._101434275.jpg

Cute ideas with black card stock...
http://www.beijing-kids.com/files/u4...itation-01.jpg

BHG
http://www.bhg.com/halloween/crafts/...lloween-cards/

OK I've got to ask - why is your invitation four pages long? I can't imagine needing to include that much information on a party invitation but maybe I'm missing something. Is there any way you can shorten it and save some of that paper? Keep in mind that invitations will mostly end up in the trash once your event is over. If you still want to go with the four pager, why not just do it on your home printer? Even if you go through two print cartridges, it would be way less than $300.