First Birthday Party Invitations and Where to print them

Now that the party’s theme and colors have been selected, and your venue, date, and time have been determined, the next step is to begin spreading the word to your beloved guests.

If you have a specific theme, you would probably want to personalize your invitations to match the theme.  If you are going for a specific color concept, or don’t have a specific theme, there are also many generic first birthday party invitation templates to choose from.  There are several paths you can take to create your perfect invitation, but here are some of the more popular places to look.

• Vistaprint.com, Shutterfly.com, Paperculture.com, or other online print shops
• Etsy (Online Marketplace for handmade, custom design crafts)

ONLINE PRINT SHOPS

Online print shops such as Vistaprint, Shutterfly and Paperculture are great places to create an attractive invitation with hundreds of pre-made templates to choose from.  If you don’t require much customization other than text modifications, these popular print shops may be the best route to take, as they are a single-stop source for your invitations.

Photo Source: Korean First Birthday Invitations @ Papersource.com

ETSY

If you are someone looking for a highly customized invitation with a personal touch, or if you have a unique theme where you’d need total custom work done, then various graphic designers on Etsy Marketplace may be a better fit for your needs.  Some Etsy sellers have their own unique pre-made templates, but can be more flexible in tailoring to your specific needs.  Don’t be surprised if these extra customizations cost more than the quoted base, since it is more time-consuming for the seller.

Some Etsy sellers offer complete print-and-ship package services at an additional charge, while some only provide the digital file in high-resolution JPG or PDF format for you to take to a print shop of your choice.  Having to print on your own may bring on added hassle and confusion to those less familiar with the DIY process.  So that is definitely a strong consideration in determining which route you will want to take.  For assistance and recommendations in printing, it is wise to consult with your Etsy seller, as they might have a prefererd print shop that suits their custom templates.

Photo Source: Doljabi Shop @ Etsy

CHOICE OF PAPER WEIGHT

The thickness of paper on which your invitations will be printed on is important as well.  As the cover weight (thickness) of the paper increases, so does the cost of the print job.  While some print shops suggest that any paper weight greater than 80lb is sufficient for invitation card prints, 110lb card stock is really the recommended paper cover weight.  If you go to a local print shop, you should be able to sample paper thickness before you begin to print them.

Office supply stores and retailers such as Staples, Fedex/Kinko’s, CVS, Walgreens, and Costco offer duplex printing on premium card stocks and can usually be picked up on the same day.  Upon browsing the website’s photo section, you should be able to choose from any of their invitation templates or upload your own customized digital file (usually a JPG file).

Another thing to consider when creating an invitation, is choosing the dimensions of the invitation card.  The most popular and common dimensions are 5″x7″ invitations, followed by 4″x6″ and 4″x5.5″ (or similar variations).  The 5″x7″ tends to cost a bit more, and you should expect to spend anywhere between $1.00 to $2.50 per invitation on a duplex print (two-sided printing) depending on the bulk of your order.