# Are paper invitations too old fashioned?



## punkpumpkin (Jul 10, 2015)

Hello fellow haunters! 

I really love the idea of making or printing paper invitation to give to people for my Halloween party. I have done this in the past, but a lot of people will just say " this is a waste of paper, why don't you just make a FB event?" . Of course, I always do an FB event as well but I like how personal it is to give someone an invite as well. I think it's more likely will come when you've taken the effort to hand deliver or mail them an invite. Also, they are so cute! So I was wondering who still does paper invitations either as the only invite or in concert with an electronic event invite? If you do, do you make your own or order them online? Where is a good reliable but less expensive place to order them?


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## offmymeds (May 26, 2010)

I love paper invites and do them every year. I always have them coordinate with my theme and I really think my guests like to receive them. I had a few last year who hesitant to even open them because I had Confidential stamped all over it. It was a commitment paper to the Asylum. 
I put a ton of work into them and I think they set the tone. This year I am having a Mother Goose Nursery Crime theme and my invites will look like little story books...I just ordered my orange paper


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## punkpumpkin (Jul 10, 2015)

offmymeds said:


> I love paper invites and do them every year. I always have them coordinate with my theme and I really think my guests like to receive them. I had a few last year who hesitant to even open them because I had Confidential stamped all over it. It was a commitment paper to the Asylum.
> I put a ton of work into them and I think they set the tone. This year I am having a Mother Goose Nursery Crime theme and my invites will look like little story books...I just ordered my orange paper


Oh wow! You make them by hand??? That is so neat! I have never attempted to make any by hand. This year our theme is twisted fairy tales, but I am having a hard time finding premade invites that fit. Maybe I should try to make some myself.


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## A little bit scary (Jul 21, 2015)

Agree, I think there is something about receiving a paper invite, that helps set the tone, and is more personal than a FB post, it is the human connection rather that makes it all the more special.


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## a_granger (Oct 21, 2012)

I am a firm believer in paper or old fashioned invites. It show a higher level of care about your guests I think. And I got to say the fun of receiving such unique cards is always a treat in itself as a guest. And as a sender, I love the chance to really be creative. This year we are being low key and skipping the party but I have plans for next year already in the works and handmade invites are involved.


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## Jules17 (Aug 31, 2010)

I do paper invites too and usually find a great design on Etsy to go with my theme, have it customized, then print and hand deliver them. A lot of my invitees look forward to them every year. Plus, it adds a personal touch in this high-tech world.


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## lizzyborden (Sep 17, 2009)

And don't forget that not everyone's on FB.


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## RCIAG (Jul 19, 2010)

lizzyborden said:


> And don't forget that not everyone's on FB.


I was just going to say that because I'd be one of those not on Facebook!


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## HexMe (Jul 23, 2009)

RCIAG said:


> I was just going to say that because I'd be one of those not on Facebook!


Me too! And I am a big fan of just about anything considered "old fahioned" so I will always make invitations to mail. People love getting "fun mail" anyway. I cannot envision a time when paper wedding invitations wouldn't exist and as long as THEY do...so too will my Halloween party invitations! Just about everything is ALWAYS worth putting in the extra work and doing it the hard way. It always shows in the final product. Craftsmanship, you know?


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## mamadada (Aug 18, 2008)

Ditto to all. E invites actually offend me. Why would I want to go to a party where the host shows such little effort. I believe in adhering to not "old fashioned" but by what is considered timeless protocol! I love the invites I make and all of the kids over the years literally wait impatiently for them to show up addtessed to them in the mail. A special occassion is special for a reason! Now I dont know if my way is legal but they come out great. I search Google images for HD Wallpaper and Photoshop my words on it. They always rhyme!!! Then the fun of choosing matching envelopes and a great font is about all the fun I can stand. I know it sounds pathetic but I'll bet alot of you love it too!


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## Helena Handbasket (Oct 21, 2012)

I like getting invitations in the mail. I don't care if people think it's old fashioned. There's something really nice about it.


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## 3pinkpoodles (May 2, 2012)

I'm sending invitations by hand but also sending an EVITE. I like to get both.


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## Itzpopolotl (Jun 10, 2013)

I tried fb invites once and had low turn out for my party so I do paper invites now. I do something different every year for invites. This year I did send some party goers like my family and a few friends who live out of town a save the date fb invite so they could have the date and time early but they will still get actual invites when the time comes


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## The Auditor (Apr 2, 2006)

punkpumpkin said:


> Hello fellow haunters!
> 
> I really love the idea of making or printing paper invitation to give to people for my Halloween party. I have done this in the past, but a lot of people will just say " this is a waste of paper, why don't you just make a FB event?" .


And you're friends with these people...why? 

Just kidding (mostly). An organization I'm with many years back switched to electronic invitations only, and participation plummeted. I took over with an amazing team, we went back to paper and saw participation (and membership) go through the roof. Some people...a lot of people...need that physical reminder in their hand. It's easy to ignore a FB invite or email.

These days, we do use FB as well as paper. Always find it interesting...the people who say they're coming on FB almost never show up.


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## dbruner (Aug 23, 2012)

I always use paper invites too. I like to be creative with them and introduce the guests to the theme. Also I am one of the few people I know not on Facebook and I have no idea to to do an evite. I've used Party City custom printing the last two years and they came out great. This year I am going to use shutter fly and a photo of me and my dog with the dead me app for my zombie apocalypse theme.


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## Jenn&MattFromPA (Sep 4, 2013)

I also line up on the side that loves paper invitations! I think our society gets too little "happy news" in the mail anymore, and it's a wonderful feeling to get something FUN in the mail for a change! 

If you are able to do a regular Halloween party, I make the suggestion that you purchase a blank scrapbook type book that you can display your paper invitations in each year, maybe along with a guestbook of party guests, or some photos that you took of the event. It's a great way to keep & display them! 

I do a Christmas card photo each year since my DH and I got married, and now we have kiddos in the pictures too. I've actually framed each card so I can display them at the holidays - it's a great way to see the years evolve!


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## witchymom (Oct 6, 2008)

I do paper. i COULD do a facebook invite but love the creativity with paper ones  plus, who doesnt like to get FUN mail?


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## mamadada (Aug 18, 2008)

Shutterfly is so expensive but the cardstock is great. I have to settle for thinner cardstock and use fedex. Every $ counts. Still better than E vites.


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## HalloweenKitten (May 30, 2015)

I'm with everyone else. It's easy to hit a select all button for a digital invite, but it takes time and effort for snail mail or hand delivered invites. As a guest I would feel much more welcomed this way and thus way more likely to attend.


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## punkpumpkin (Jul 10, 2015)

Thank you all for confirming how I feel about them! I am definitely going to do paper invites. If you have made your own, could you share some photos of them?


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## mamadada (Aug 18, 2008)

HalloweenKitten said:


> As a guest I would feel much more welcomed this way and thus way more likely to attend.


. That is exactly it. Anticipation is so funan it is like it starts the party off! Especially for kids!!!!


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## CherryBrandy79 (Nov 20, 2013)

I send invitations that I make that goes with our theme. I also make a facebook save the date, (which I posted on FB yesterday and I was amazed with all the yes' that I have already received with people saying they are coming). This year our them is Bloody Asylum so I made our invitations look like mini file folders that had their names on, it had an flyer about our costume contest paper clipped to the folder and a post it note with directions to our house, it has a mission statement and the actual invite and all the guest are receiving and certificate of insanity. They are going to be mailed out in medium size yellow envelopes that have "Confidential" stamped on the front. The cost is going to be way more to send them out, so for close people I might hand deliver or at least hand put in mailboxes. I will try to post a pick when I get home.


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## dbruner (Aug 23, 2012)

Those sound awesome CherryBrandy!


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## "i got a rock!" (Apr 20, 2013)

Sending a digital invite doesn't mean you care any less, but friends always smile when getting something special in the mail. Paper invitations are simply that, more special.


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## BewitchingHalloween (Aug 18, 2010)

I've always hand made our invites and it really gets everyone excited! who doesn't like snail mail?!? If you don't want to worry about time and cost, your guest will never know!


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## Defenestrator (Jul 27, 2009)

It's been fairly well covered in the responses thus far, but I did want to at least add an echo of affirmation. 

In my experience, not only is there nothing wrong with physical invitations, I believe it is quite the opposite. I would suggest that they have the opportunity to really make an impression on the recipient.

Anymore, so much communication is now conducted electronically, that I have to believe that much of it becomes 'noise'. And, while I have no relationship with Facebook, I assume that folks are inundated with senseless chatter there as well. 

In contrast, it seems that an 'old fashioned' well-produced, handmade, USPS delivered invitation is quite likely to really stand out...having something unique show up in the mailbox might almost constitute an event.

Anecdotally, I can say that we've _only_ ever used handmade invitations, and have always had very good results with them; positive responses from the recipients, and high turnout.

Per the request to share, below are some photos of invitations from our most recent pirate year....they took some time to produce, but people had fun with them, and after all, that is what the whole thing is all about!:










There are also many threads on the forum devoted to invitations, such as this one, that might prove useful for generating some additional ideas


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## punkpumpkin (Jul 10, 2015)

Defenestrator said:


> It's been fairly well covered in the responses thus far, but I did want to at least add an echo of affirmation.
> 
> In my experience, not only is there nothing wrong with physical invitations, I believe it is quite the opposite. I would suggest that they have the opportunity to really make an impression on the recipient.
> 
> ...


These look amazing! I am definitely going to do paper invitations but don't think I have the money or time to make hand made ones this year. Maybe for next year so I can get started on them super early. Thank you so much for sharing!


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## DesertSasquatch2011 (Sep 28, 2011)

I don't see why not. As mentioned does set the stage for the party. It's a good memory to have and hold and reminisce about years later. I don't really see this happening with a FB event IMO.


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## CherryBrandy79 (Nov 20, 2013)

This is our invitations for this year that I was talking about. 


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## ThatMOM (Aug 2, 2015)

I actually was debating the same thing. This year I decided I'm going all out. Since all my quest live close by, while they are at work I will be delivering a box to their front porch. In the box will be a crow with a dangling eyeball from it's mouth and a rolled up invite in its claws. That is how my guests are being invited this year. I will post pics soon!


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## Witchful Thinking (Jun 3, 2011)

These are incredible!!! Thanks for sharing.



Defenestrator said:


> It's been fairly well covered in the responses thus far, but I did want to at least add an echo of affirmation.
> 
> In my experience, not only is there nothing wrong with physical invitations, I believe it is quite the opposite. I would suggest that they have the opportunity to really make an impression on the recipient.
> 
> ...


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## Witchful Thinking (Jun 3, 2011)

I love getting something besides junk in the mail and I love sending paper invites! I have pictures on my profile of invites I have made over the years if you are interested but it sounds like you have an idea of what you want to do already. I love shopping for the stuff and making them. I think it drives my poor sweet fiancé nuts but I really enjoy it. My fiancé found the picture below on pinterest the other day and it made me laugh because it does end up being a little bit true but I don't care - I enjoy the process and imagining it arriving in everyones mailbox. I know not everyone appreciates the work that goes in to them but if you enjoy the process then go for it. I think it sets the tone for the party/event you are throwing so much more than an e-vite.


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