# 300$ on Invites - Holy Cow! Please Help Me!



## sham3303 (Oct 4, 2010)

I've made up an invite on a word document and I've called around everywhere to check for pricing on printing these puppies out but the cheapest I've heard is $300! There's no way. How are you guys affording the print on these things? 

My invite is 4 pages long (8x11.5") (I've deleted all the pictures and anything in color to save money already) 
I planned on punching holes at the top with ribbon and adding a mini skeleton head
and mailing them. 
I need 75 minimum. 
I see a few people to save on stamps but most of them need to be mailed from lack of time on everybody's part. 
I want to stick with everyone getting the same invite. I'm not really a fan of computer based invitations. 

I'm at a loss. I NEED to get these out ASAP!!!! 
Any suggestions? 
I can post the invite if I need too.


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## Xane (Oct 13, 2010)

Look for online print deals. We got our business cards from VistaPrint. They have "sales" all the time. They're a bit dodgy (in the past they would sign people up for recurring billing services from a third party without permission) but they got in trouble for it and seem to be a bit better. We ordered business cards from them (don't, because they're "undersized" which looks very unprofessional when they're in a stack of other cards... I get the feeling that way back when, they bought miscalibrated machines for next to nothing and that's how their business took off). We had 3 different designs, but their online calculator would only discount one set. We even called and emailed them asking them if we could get a deal, but they said they could not do anything. We waited 5 days, and after several emails of "you've forgotten your shopping cart!" "are you sure you don't want to buy!?" we got a "special offer" for all three sets of cards for _*less*_ than the original deal would have been if we'd been able to get them to do it the first time around.  So keep that in mind if you order from them. I'm not sure what you'd have to do to get invitations that size (they're normally 9 x 6 maximum)... maybe order 4 sets of different letterheads. Which at a base price would be $360... but like I said, sign up, upload your artwork, finish the order right to credit card payment, then ignore the order for a few days and see what deal they give you 

So far we haven't had any other issues with them overbilling us. Just a few dozen emails a week, which I ignored, then turned off.


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## halloween71 (Apr 22, 2007)

I do snapfish picture invites.
I know not as great as others invites.
But I put a pic of one of our props on the front.Last year I took pictures to do individual photo ones but lost all my pictures when my computer crashed.
They always love the invites.


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## Gothikren (Aug 17, 2008)

wow a 4 page invitation that's a long invite...... have you thought about shortening it some or is it possible. Another thought it you might want to post it on here and see what others think and if they can come up with some ideas to shorten it, or are possibly able to find a better price for you. Have you tried kinkos and seen how much it would be to print it yourself? I know you're not really fond of the computer printing per say, but if done right it can be as professional looking as the printers (especially from somewhere like kinko's). Also have you thought of having them handcrafted perhaps (artsy craftsy type of invites?) Sorry it's looking so expensive for you. I hope you find it cheaper and it's something you like.


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## Jenmonty (Sep 7, 2011)

I too am a huge fan of elaborate invitations.....But it can get really costly...I discused on a seperate thread my use of "video" invitations..I adore the tradition of sending out invites..I love the paper, the stamps, etc, but once again, it can cost you..I turned my whole thing into a video and posted it privately on youtube....That way I could get as detailed and cool as I wanted, not having to compromise on style quality by having to cut back on color, length, etc...I did send out a small youtube link to everyone, with the username and password so they could view the invite online...This felt more personal that having a generic "E-vite" because it was still something I created from scratch and it was totally "me." You can have them RSVP you electronically, or include a small RSVP envelope/stamp wih the video link..It was a lot of fun making the videos and everyone was totally psyched when they watched them.....still have my video from a few years back if you are interested in seeing it as an example.... Good luck!!!!!!


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## HKitten (Sep 20, 2009)

Or to expand on what Jen suggested, you could send out cards with a website address and a password on them, and set up a webpage that needs the password to access and put all the party details on there!

You could do that with literally one piece of card and that's got to cost way less than 4 pages of printing


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## AndiKay (Sep 7, 2010)

I'm not sure where you are located, but have you checked the price at Staples? Or Staples online "Copy & Print"? =)


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## Halloweenie1 (Sep 28, 2008)

Gothikren said:


> wow a 4 page invitation that's a long invite...... have you thought about shortening it some or is it possible....


I agree....

-To keep the cost down, I would keep it simple. It would be really easy to buy some pre-made invites- Target has them, I have also seen them at Micheal's. They are really nice.

http://www.michaels.com/Classic-Hal...ts-scrapbooking-marthastewartcrafts-halloween

-If you really must have all four pages (8 x11), get some Halloween or colored printer paper (Micheals, JoAnnes, Hallmark, Office MAX) and some matching envelopes and do it yourself.

http://www.halloween-online.com/party/halloween-party-invitations.html

Good luck...I hope it all works out!


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## Halloweenie1 (Sep 28, 2008)

Here are a few more ideas for invitations you can make yourself. 

Just print out on a piece of vellum and use glue dots to stick to a fun colored background. Punch a hole & tie a peice of ribbon for the bat. 
http://images.meredith.com/parents/images/2009/08/ss_101434275.jpg

Cute ideas with black card stock...
http://www.beijing-kids.com/files/u4/200710-invitation-01.jpg

BHG
http://www.bhg.com/halloween/crafts/easy-halloween-cards/


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## Madame Leota (Sep 19, 2005)

OK I've got to ask - why is your invitation four pages long? I can't imagine needing to include that much information on a party invitation but maybe I'm missing something. Is there any way you can shorten it and save some of that paper? Keep in mind that invitations will mostly end up in the trash once your event is over. If you still want to go with the four pager, why not just do it on your home printer? Even if you go through two print cartridges, it would be way less than $300.


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## Ghost of Spookie (Sep 28, 2008)

Man that sounds like some invite there. With 4 pages, I assume there is assembly? If so can you do that yourself and save some money? Also the type of paper and weight of the paper will affect the cost. Are you hand addressing the envelopes?

With the economy the way it is, I'd take your job sheets into a few local printers as well and see what they quote you. Tell them you are trying to keep your costs down to start off with so they can help tailor the job closer to your budget. If they do offset printing they might be able to do it with a paper plate of your images since your print count is pretty low--a high run would require a metal plate and they run more. Can this be done as a booklet with printing on both sides? That would cut down on some of your paper costs perhaps and if you are willing to fold and staple yourself a bit more in savings as mentioned above. 

Good luck. Love to see what your invite is BTW.


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## tvguy347 (Sep 13, 2011)

If you have a printer, I'd suggest just printing them yourself. You can get a ream of paper from Staples along with cartridges of ink. 

I dunno if someone else has already suggested this, but I'm too lazy to check.


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## Frankie's Girl (Aug 27, 2007)

Gothikren said:


> wow a 4 page invitation that's a long invite...... have you thought about shortening it some or is it possible.


I am a professional graphic designer and work with marketing stuff all the time... and I agree. Four full pages, letter-sized is too much information for an invite. Losing the images and decorative touches means you're basically sending a LONG short story to your invitees... not much to look at and a ton to read.

I'd rethink this and see if you couldn't cut it down in size. At most, you should shoot for a few paragraphs, and your party info. You just need to make something cool looking that is a teaser with the time/date/place to get folks to come to your party...If you have some sort of story line that is necessary (like a murder mystery?) then don't do that in the invites; hint at what they can expect, and then have a sign (which you could have a print shop make or do it yourself and have them print) or a book (gather the pages and put in a creepy scrapbook) at your house that everyone can see, or print out color copies at someplace like Kinkos, Staples or Office Depot (they should have print capabilites) to pass out to the ones that actually come to your party. 

I have nothing against elaborate invites, but sending people a 4 page letter that has nothing visually interesting and might be hard to read or lose their interest after the first page just seems a waste of your time... 

(and I have no idea where you're located, but most printers do two different versions of PRINTING (real printing, not color copies) - 4 color plate, and digital. If you're using even a tiny bit of color and they're quoting you a plate print job, then that price sounds right. Ask about digital where they don't make any printing plates, but it's still going to be expensive compared to setting it up nicely and printing it out yourself (or taking the file into a print place and have them output ONE digitally and then go make double-sided copies of it...)


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## RCIAG (Jul 19, 2010)

sham3303 said:


> I'm not really a fan of computer based invitations.


Why? You can make some really nice invites on a puter & that's what most printers will do anyway. I'd guess you aren't fond of inkjet printing which is what most home printers are, the ink on anything printed on an inkjet will run.

I like the suggestion of getting 1 printed out nicely & professionally & then taking it to a Kinkos or wherever do a double sided copy of it. It'd be cheaper & it won't be done on an inkjet printer that has ink that will run.



> I can post the invite if I need too.


PLEASE DO!! I think we really do need to see it to see if there's any other options for you.

I personally can't imagine needing a 4 page invite. I'd do double sided at best, one side for the invite & the back for directions & that's all I'd do.

When I did my last party invite (not a Halloween party) I just printed them at work on regular paper, folded them in thirds, stapled them at the bottom & addressed them on one side. Nowadays you don't even really need to include directions since most folks will either google, mapquest or use their GPS.


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## ELH(Erin Loves Halloween) (Nov 5, 2008)

I would do vistaprint hands down!!!!!!!!!


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