Printing Your Printable Invitations

Printable invitations are convenient and affordable but where should you bring them if you don't have a home printer? How do you choose which type of paper to use?

Where to Print​

There is no shortage of printing services available. Many office suppliers such as Office Depot, Staples, and FedEx office offer walk-in printing services. There are also many online printer such as VistaPrint, Shutterfly, or Zazzle. 

​The problem with many printing services is they leave it up to you to decide what paper stock to use. If you're not familiar with paper weights, a local printing professional may be able to point you in the right direction. Local printers also may offer better prices than the big box options.

How to Choose the Right Paper

Just because printable invitations are cheap, doesn't mean they have to look cheap. Choosing the correct paper weight can make all the difference in making your invites look great. 

Paper weights or measured in lbs or gsm but for the purposes of this blog, I will just focus on lbs. In general, the higher the weight, the thicker the paper. However, there are also different types of paper which can make things a little more confusing. For example, cover stocks are heavier than index stocks. An 80lb cover is thicker than a 110lb index.

That's All Great but Which Paper Should I Choose?

The paper you choose is going to vary from project to project. For most invitations, my recommendation would be at lease 80lb cover. I typically choose 110lb cover as my base level of paper.

​You will also have the option of choosing gloss or uncoated. Go for whichever you think will best suit your project!