Paper vs. Digital Stationery

April 13, 2022

How does one decide between paper and digital? 

This post will outline some of the differences, pros, and cons of each to help you make your decision! 

Paper Invitations & Stationery

Pros- 

• It's classic, timeless, you can't go wrong. All the old-fashioned people you invite will love your paper invites, and so will all the young ones who appreciate something beautiful.
• It's art! All of our Papillon Press invitations are customized to you, and printed one by one on our 100 year old press.
• You get a keepsake, and they photograph really well. We always include a few extra sets so that you can hold on to one or two. 

Cons - 

• Use of materials. Some people don't want to use up a lot of paper, which we totally understand! We offset this in two big ways:
•  We use cotton paper for each and every invitation. Our papers are made from cotton linters – a byproduct of the cotton industry that is recognized by the EPA as recovered fiber. 
• We donate a portion of each stationery order to One Tree Planted to counteract the effects of our paper usage.
• "People will throw them away" - Well, we disagree. If you give guests trash, that's true. But, if you give them art, which is what we do at Papillon Press, they'll keep that piece forever! We've even had brides frame our invitations. 
• They're less easy to respond to. This mainly depends on your audience. Older/traditional people tend to respond much better to physical invitations.

Digital Invitations/RSVPs

Pros- 

• It's easy! No arguing with that.
• It's cheap! This is also true. 

Cons - 

• They lack class. Some people won't mind, but as weddings are often more traditional occasions, some guests will expect an intentional physical invite. 
• They can't get lost in the mail, but they do get lost in the inbox. Many digital invitations go to spam, and many of the ones that don't remain unopened. You end up risking spending a lot of time trying to track down guests who haven't responded.
• You don't get a keepsake/piece of printed art to look back on.

Digital/Physical Combination

This can be a great solution to someone who wants a physical invitation, but wants the simplicity of an electronic RSVP. 

Pros-

• It's still classy and tactile! Guests still get a piece of art in the mail.
• This is a great solution for weddings with a lot of younger guests. 

Cons - 

• Older folks may be confused about scanning a QR code or typing out a link from the invitation. 
• Some people may not realize they need to take further steps. 

In conclusion...

It depends on your guest list! You know your guests and family the best, and what will be easiest for them. Some have great success with digital invitations, and some don't, but you will know best of all. 

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