Wedding invitation costs have a way of catching couples off guard. According to the Easy Weddings 2025 Wedding Industry Report, the average Australian couple spends $945 on invitations alone. For many, stationery comes after the big-ticket items are already booked, which means it’s worth knowing what to expect before you start getting quotes.
To help you plan, we’ve broken down the three most common options:
(1) hiring a professional stationery designer;
(2) going full DIY, and;
(3) using digital printable templates.
Having started out as a bespoke printed stationery studio before moving into digital templates, we’ve had firsthand experience with all three options and the general costs associated with each.
Option 1: Costs of Hiring a Professional Stationery Designer
Professional wedding invitations costs (80 invites): $400 to $1,500+
Working with a professional stationery designer can make the whole process enjoyable and is a lifesaver for the time poor. There are plenty of talented stationery studios across Australia who can bring your paper vision to life.
The main highlight of getting a designer to create your stationery is that you have full say over the design, paper stock, finishes and embellishments with little effort on your part. A dedicated designer manages everything from the first drafts and sourcing paper through to delivery.
You’ll find that most studios will happily carry your design through to on-the-day stationery too, keeping your whole wedding cohesive.
Costs vary depending on complexity and finishes, but as a ballpark, basic single-sided invitations start from around $5 each. For 80 guests, expect to spend upwards of $400, before postage and finishings are added. Invitations with special print finishes like embossing, letterpress or foiling can easily run into the thousands.
Pros:
- The stationery designer handles everything, taking the stress completely off your plate
- Full creative freedom over design, paper, finishes and embellishments
- A personal, collaborative experience with one dedicated designer
- A person to manage your entire stationery suite from save the dates through to on-the-day pieces
Cons:
- The most expensive option of the three
- Lead times can be longer, particularly for custom or specialty print finishes
- Less flexibility to make last-minute changes once production begins
- Designer availability varies between studios during peak wedding season
Best for:
Couples who want truly bespoke invitations with specialised print finishes. Or anyone who wants a completely hands-off experience with a designer guiding them through the process.
Option 2: Costs of Full DIY Invitations
DIY wedding invitations costs (80 invites): $200 to $600+ (and a lot of your time)
DIY invitations sound budget-friendly until you add everything up. The costs that catch people out are rarely the obvious ones.
- Design software and tools. Free tools like Canva have limitations including font choice and graphics. A Cricut machine for cutting and scoring starts from around $300. Other items like craft tools, punches and specialised gadgets can also add up.
- Paper and cardstock. Specialty cardstock above 270 gsm costs around $10 for a pack of ten A4 sheets. For 80 invitations you’re looking at $80 to $120 in paper alone, before any extras.
- Printing costs. Home ink cartridges are expensive and colour-heavy designs burn through them quickly. A set of replacement cartridges can easily run into the hundreds, and the quality from a home printer rarely justifies the cost. Sending your files to a local print shop is usually a better result for a similar price.
- Envelopes. Quality envelopes run from $0.50 to $2.00 each. For 80 guests, budget $40 to $160.
- Your time. Designing, printing, trimming, assembling and addressing 80 invitations by hand takes hours (sometimes days!) That time has real value, especially when you have a wedding to plan.
Pros:
- Full control over the look, timeline and production of your invitations
- If you already have the equipment and software, it can work out to be more affordable than hiring a designer
- Flexibility to make changes at any stage, whether that’s quantities or fixing a typo
Cons:
- Very time consuming if you’re handling everything yourself, from designing and printing through to trimming and assembling
- May require trial and error before you get the result you’re happy with
- Material costs add up quickly if you’re starting from scratch
- You’ll need to source everything yourself
Best for:
Couples who enjoy crafting and paper projects. There’s a wealth of inspiration on blogs and YouTube to help guide the process, and for the right person it can be a really rewarding part of wedding planning.
Option 3: Costs of Using Digital Printable Templates (Semi-DIY)
Semi-DIY wedding invitations costs (80): $100 to $400+
This is the most practical option for most couples planning their wedding invitations. You can personalise your design in minutes and outsource the printing entirely, which gives you the same professional finish as a stationery designer at a fraction of the cost.
There is a wide range of editable invitation templates available on Etsy covering every style imaginable. Our own curated collection of professionally designed templates, focused on clean and editorial aesthetics, can be found in our shop. These are designs we originally created for our bespoke stationery customers, now made readily available to everyone.
Template costs vary between designers, but a well-designed wedding invitation template is typically priced between $20 and $40. Printing 80 invitations through MOO starts from around $80 for their standard Medium Postcard. In our experience, we’ve found local print shops charge a similar rate.
Pros:
- Easy to personalise without any design experience
- You can see exactly how your invitation will look before it goes to print
- Saves a significant amount of time in the design phase
- Most templates are flexible enough to add or edit elements to suit your wedding style
Cons:
- Not all template sellers offer customer support. It’s worth checking what help is available before purchasing. Our templates are designed in Templett, which means we can jump in and assist with any editing issues directly
- Some elements may be locked and not editable, including the template size. Always check whether dimensions are in millimetres (A-sizes) or inches (US sizes) before purchasing
- Be cautious with free or very cheap templates. Editing options are often extremely limited, which can affect the final look of your invitation
Best for:
Couples who want the best of both worlds. A designer creates the look, you personalise the details and a professional printer handles the rest.
Summary of Australian Wedding Invitation Costs in 2026
| Professional Stationery Designer | Full DIY Invitations | Digital Printable Templates (Semi-DIY) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Design cost | Design fees vary | $0 to $100 | $20 to $40 |
| Print and materials | From $5 per invitation | From $200 | From $80 |
| Envelopes | Included or extra | $40 to $160 | $40 to $160 |
| Postage* | From $136 | From $136 | From $136 |
| Time investment | Low | High | Low |
| Design flexibility | High | High | Medium |
| Customer support | Yes | Self-managed | Depends on seller |
| Special finishes** | Yes | Limited | No |
| Approx. total for 80 invitations | $400 to $1,500+ | $200 to $600+ | $100 to $400+ |
*Postage rates based on Australia Post’s small letter costs at time of writing.
**Professional special finishes like foiling, letterpress and embossing often require prepress files such as spot colour separations, which can’t be exported from Canva or Templett. For specialty print finishes, a professional stationery designer is the best path.
Final Thoughts
When it comes to wedding invitation costs, the best option really depends on your budget and what matters most to you. If you’re dreaming of something truly one of a kind — think letterpress, hand calligraphy, custom illustration or embossing — a professional stationery designer is the way to go. These are the kinds of invitations that stop people in their tracks, and the investment reflects the craft behind them.
If your priority is a beautiful, cohesive invitation without spending a significant portion of your budget on stationery, a digital template paired with professional printing hits the mark. You get a designer-created invitation at a price that leaves room for everything else. And if you love a handmade touch, you can easily add wax seals, ribbon, dried florals or a belly band to make it your own.
Full DIY is a wonderful option for couples who already have a love of craft and design or want truly unique invitations. If that’s you, the process can be one of the most personal and creative parts of planning your wedding.
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