I won’t pretend there’s no stigma around doing your own wedding invitations (when I find the person who originally said, “The invitation sets the tone of the wedding,” I will angrily wag my finger at them). Have you noticed that your mom keeps subtly sending you links to really expensive invitation suites every time you bring up the subject? Yeah, that’s what I’m talking about. But with e.m.papers, you can get modern, beautiful do-it-yourself wedding invitations at an affordable price, and nobody will ever be any the wiser. Even your mom will think they’re awesome.
But e.m.papers is much more than just affordable invitations that you can print at home. With a sleek, modern design aesthetic (and a touch of art deco influence), e.m.papers is an alternative to the overly romantic invitation designs populating so many of the mainstream invitation providers. What’s more, founder and lead designer, Eleanor, has created e.m.papers templates to be super customizable. She explains:
Besides great design, two truly great things about e.m.papers design templates are, first, that they are instant: just download, start typing and print. And second, each template can do double duty as something else. For example, if you’re having a dual-language wedding you can create versions of each template in multiple languages; place card templates can double as food labels on a buffet; you can use the enclosure card template for directions and an itinerary; invitation templates can be used for the ceremony and the rehearsal dinner. You get the idea.
E.M.Papers templates start at $11 (for things like table numbers). Single invitation templates start at $39 and go up to $149 for a full invitation suite that includes save the dates, invitations, RSVPs, enclosures, programs, seating lists, table numbers, menus, place cards, and thank you notes (basically everything). And while most customization can be done to the template directly after it downloads, you can also order customizations like color changes and small design tweaks as well. All e.m.papers designs can be printed at home, or at a copy shop, or anywhere else that puts ink on paper.
But it’s not just the modern designs and ease of use that I love about e.m.papers. It’s Eleanor’s total dedication to making sure you get the prettiest invitations with the least amount of sweating. That’s why she recently started a video series answering FAQs about DIY wedding invitations. And it’s why she even wrote a series for us about making your own invitations even if you’re not using e.m.papers, saying, “Of course I’d like people to use e.m.papers templates, but I’m also all for self-empowerment when it comes to creating wedding paper goods on your own. Check out my Graphic Design 101 posts for tips.” (APW sponsors, man. Talented and selfless.)
Here’s everything Eleanor is doing in 2015 to make your invitation buying more awesome:
If you work as a designer or in the wedding business, it’s easy to forget that most people getting married are doing so for the first time. I forget that people don’t already know how to do everything already, so I’m really working to make the e.m.papers process as seamless as possible. I’ve started a Vimeo channel where I’m uploading two-minute instruction videos for just about every step in the e.m.papers process.
On newer designs, I’m also including a sample template available for free download to “test drive” a design with your text in it. Look under the “sample” tab of an item to download it. (If a design you like doesn’t have one yet, just email me, and I’ll make one for you.) We’ve also got a spiffy new (responsive!) website, so it’s even easier to order customized items (plus I’ve hired some helpers so I can get new designs out faster).
There probably would be no stigma over DIY wedding invitations if everyone knew about APW’s invitation sponsors. So if modern, affordable DIY wedding invitations are what you’re after, e.m.papers is the solution. You can browse designs right here, and learn more about making them awesome right here.
