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Super March 2016

DIY Invitations- would/did you do?

ChelsM, on April 3, 2015 at 5:43 PM Posted in Do It Yourself 0 25

(Longtime lurker, just getting into actually posting.) So, I did a bad thing last night and bought a Cricut Explore die cut machine. I'm sooo excited, I want to use it for everything because it's awesome... and was also expensive, so I need to get my money's worth. I was looking up patterns, and some of the invitations that people make themselves are amazing, they look professional. Has anyone used a die cut to do your own invitations or made them some other way? Did you save money doing it? Was it worth all the time it took you? We are looking at probably 120 people being invited, so maybe 50-65 or so individual invitations, I haven't done the exact math yet. I am naturally a crafty person, especially where there are patterns involved and I don't have to write anything with my 3rd grade-looking handwriting, so I don't think the project itself would be impossible, maybe just the scope? What do you DIY'ers think?

25 Comments

Latest activity by ., on April 6, 2015 at 11:12 AM
  • Nicola
    VIP August 2015
    Nicola ·
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    I am not sure what a die cut machine is...I might need to google it. But I DIY'd my invitations. It was a lot of work. Not hard work, but it took up a lot of time. I think that would be my only advice when it comes to making anything for the wedding. Not about cost - but time and effort.

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  • HereComeTheYorks
    Master April 2016
    HereComeTheYorks ·
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    I am DIY invites! Smiley smile Look at www.cardsandpockets.com and www.paperandmore.com for invite materials. Hope this helps!

    This is what mine look like so far...



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  • Stephanie
    VIP May 2015
    Stephanie ·
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    I did my own, but not with a Cricut. It's time consuming but not difficult. Definitely start early!


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  • allysia
    Master April 2016
    allysia ·
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    Yes I'm making my own. I just finished designing my save the dates in illustrator and I plan on gold foiling them as well. I too have a cricut machine. I bought it before being engaged and never used it but I plan on addressing my envelopes with it.

    I'm saving money by getting my invites printed at my local university print shop where I get a discount. My STD's i'm printing myself at home with my laser printer on cardstock.

    Designing is taking the longest time because I'm a perfectionist and started over a million times. However, I just did a dry run of my printing and foiling techniques and it was really easy and quick, about 2 mins per card.

    I have about 85 of each to do in total.

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  • C
    Super March 2016
    ChelsM ·
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    @Nicola that's what I'm concerned about, that it will take up so much time and won't be worth it. But if it saves me a few hundred+ dollars of our budget we can put towards something more memorable, I'll do it. (Die cut machine cuts paper and other things, can cut shapes out of paper from patterns on the computer and stuff. Pretty nifty)

    @HereCometheYorks and @Stephanie those are both adorable, love them! Love all the colors. And thanks for the websites, that's the other thing I'm trying to find is good paper sites.

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  • Annie
    Devoted May 2015
    Annie ·
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    We had friends design our invites and it took them a LOT of time, I had completely not anticipated that it would require so much work and effort. They turned out exactly perfect but knowing what I know now, expect more time/less cost vs less time/more cost and go with whatever works best for you.

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  • Natalie
    Master May 2015
    Natalie ·
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    I designed my invites and had them printed by cards and pockets, where I also ordered pocketfolds and envelopes. It took tons of time to design the invites, then assemble them but it was totally worth it. I started far in advance so I wasn't rushed. I am so happy with the results. I wouldn't have gotten exactly what I wanted if I hadn't designed it myself.

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  • Finally Mrs. Crowell
    Super March 2015
    Finally Mrs. Crowell ·
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    Stephanie, your invites turned out gorgeous! I also made my own, but not with a Cricut - although I wish I had one! For me, it was an champagne taste in a beer budget issue... everything I loved was waaay out of budget, and I had a very specific idea in mind, so I opted to make them instead. It was time consuming, but I took it a step at a time (cutting, gluing, embossing, etc) and started early, so it wasn't too much of a burden for me. But I enjoy crafting.


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  • Finally Mrs. Crowell
    Super March 2015
    Finally Mrs. Crowell ·
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    Stephanie, your invites turned out gorgeous! I also made my own, but not with a Cricut - although I wish I had one! For me, it was an champagne taste in a beer budget issue... everything I loved was waaay out of budget, and I had a very specific idea in mind, so I opted to make them instead. It was time consuming, but I took it a step at a time (cutting, gluing, embossing, etc) and started early, so it wasn't too much of a burden for me. But I enjoy crafting.


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  • Maggie
    VIP July 2016
    Maggie ·
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    My invitations are going to made with wood. Hand cut and hand stained. When priced for someone else to do it was close to $1,000. I am doing them for about $200. It is worth the time to me to save. I have 13 months before wedding. Good Luck.

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  • MJBride
    VIP July 2015
    MJBride ·
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    I DIY my invitations. I'm on mobile so I'll post two pics


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  • MJBride
    VIP July 2015
    MJBride ·
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    I was quoted $10 per invite if someone were to make them. I paid around $200 to make 60 invites myself


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  • NewMrsWesely
    Master September 2016
    NewMrsWesely ·
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    I am doing my own. A little time consuming but not horrible, also mine are not complicated. I am also not using a cricut, I thought about it and it was just not going to work with what I was thinking. If you want to use it for the wedding you can make vinyl decals fir so many things. Ex. The wedding hangers, personalized glasses, signs.

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  • Jennifer
    Dedicated April 2016
    Jennifer ·
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    @futuremrscrowell How did you make those? I'd love to make my own, but I have no idea where to start!

    Where did you all get the templates? Or what program did you use?

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  • Jennifer
    Dedicated April 2016
    Jennifer ·
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    Allll of your DIYs look so professional! How did you do it? Lol

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  • Kim
    Devoted May 2015
    Kim ·
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    I did mine myself, and it was very time consuming, but I did save some money. Like Nicola said, make sure it's worth the effort when you decide to diy something. I didn't have a cricut machine, though, so it probably wouldn't take near as much time.

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  • Tara
    VIP April 2015
    Tara ·
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    I DIY'd the invites. Absolutely time consuming and a little frustrating. I ended up switching my design to something easier because getting everything to line up perfectly was driving me nuts. But I also didn't buy anything to do it, so that may have contributed!

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  • Annie & Javi
    Master October 2015
    Annie & Javi ·
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    We are DIYing ours. This was our very first mock-up. We have played with fonts and the "seal" since then (second pic in a second post). I did everything in Word and Paint since I'm not very tech savvy, I bought all card stock from Michaels, ribbon off amazon and pocketfolds from cardsandpockets.com.


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  • Annie & Javi
    Master October 2015
    Annie & Javi ·
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    Front.


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  • Christine
    Devoted May 2015
    Christine ·
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    If you enjoy crafting, then as long as you aren't rushed I say go for it!

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