How to Send Digital Wedding Invitations

Who says wedding invitations and save-the-dates have to be printed? Going paperless is a great way to save money without sacrificing style. In fact, digital wedding invitations can be as lovely as their physical counterparts. With the right approach and attention to detail, you can create all the panache of a traditional invitation—at a significantly lower cost.

"Invitations, whether they're online or in print, are the first part of your wedding that your guests will interact with, and they absolutely set the tone for your wedding and what your guests can expect," says wedding planner Julia Pavlovski.

We asked Pavlovski to share some of the top reasons for going paperless to help you decide if it's the right decision for your big day.

Reasons to Send Paperless Wedding Invitations

1. You'll Save Time and Money

Physical wedding invitations can cost anywhere between $5,000 and $8,000 on average. Digital wedding invitations, on the other hand, typically cost no more than $100. Clearly, this can make a big difference for couples on a budget or those who would rather invest their money elsewhere (like, say, by hosting an open bar at the reception).

If you go digital, you'll also save a lot of time. Just imagine it: no envelopes to close, no stamps to secure, and no writing addresses in your best cursive until your hand cramps. The act of mailing out your wedding invitations can be incredibly time-consuming, and when you already have a wedding checklist a mile long, anything you can do to save time is amazing.

2. It's Environmentally Friendly

This is a big perk for couples throwing a green wedding. They can rest easy knowing their wedding invitations did not harm a single tree.

3. Your Designs Will Be Seamless

With online invitations, it's incredibly easy to make your save-the-dates, invitations, wedding website, and even thank-you cards all part of the same design suite.

4. RSVPs Are Easier for Everyone

With an online invitation service, RSVPs have never been so simple—for both the couple and their guests. Rather than having everyone fill out an RSVP card and mail it back, family and friends will be directed to your wedding website, where they can immediately check yes or no.

How to Send Paperless Wedding Invitations

If you're convinced that digital wedding invitations are the way to go, there are a few sites you should check out. The following online services are affordable, intuitive, and offer tons of templates.

Greenvelope

Whether you upload your own custom design or tailor one of Greenvelope's designer suites, the entire process is seamless from start to finish. You'll find every style of design, from modern and chic to rustic and vintage. Whatever you choose, you're able to edit the background, the text, the colors, and—of course—the text. You can even customize the digital envelope by adding a virtual liner in anything from glitter to gold. Pricing begins at $19 (for up to 20 people) and includes RSVP tracking.

Evite

At one point or another, we've all received an Evite for a house party, bar mitzvah, or bridal shower, but did you know Evite also handles weddings? Simply import your contacts and voilà. Once sent, you will be notified as soon as guests RSVP or comment. In addition, you can schedule event reminders in the days leading up to your nuptials. You can also select an option that will ask your invited guests to email any photos they take during your big day.

With Evite Premium, you can further tailor your invitation by adding photos and embellishments or uploading your own custom designs with the "Design Your Own" option. Bonus: The invitation will also be sent in a digital envelope without advertisements. Premium invitations begin at $15.99 for 15 invitations. (You can also set up standard email invitations that do not include the ability to RSVP and have ads.)

Paperless Post

Paperless Post prides itself on being a "pretty and practical" solution for couples. With designs from Kate Spade New York, Rifle Paper Co., Oscar de la Renta, and Mr. Boddington's Studio, you're sure to fall in love with one of their beautiful invitation templates. Nothing catching your interest? Bring your vision to life by uploading your own design. Paperless Post will track delivery, collect RSVPs, and message guests so that you don't have to. Customers need to purchase "coins" from the site in order to pay for their purchases. Coins are sold in packages, starting at 25 coins for $12.

Riley & Grey

While Riley & Grey specializes in creating unique, luxury wedding websites, the company also offers save-the-dates and wedding invitations (online or physical) that are part of the same design suite as your wedding website. Every season, they release a new collection of designs and have a large catalog of their previous work. You can also collaborate with them to create a one-of-a-kind design. Prices begin at $35 per month for site hosting, which will include a digital invitation design, and go up to $240 for an entire year of hosting.