The Gap Between DIY and Bespoke: What It Means for How We Guide Couples
When I was designing custom wedding stationery and first sat down with the bride and groom, I always stressed that their Save the Date was the most important piece, as it sets the tone for their entire wedding. If they are sending it out a year before the wedding, they are going to need it to be memorable. Times have changed considerably. No longer do they have to find a stationer or graphic designer and go through five-inch books hoping to find something they like.
Todayβs couples can choose from Etsy, Canva, an online printer, or a traditional stationer. The template market has exploded in the last few years, which has been a two-edged sword. For the couple who wants to have more of a hand in designing their stationery, the DIY template model is a blessing for them. But for the couple who has no design knowledge and no desire or time to learn Canva, Corjl, or any of the other online companies, DIY is the last thing for them.
For the second group, they often run into another problem: budget. Do they really want to spend thousands upon thousands on their wedding stationery? Are they looking for something in between? Maybe a template, but not one that theyβve seen fifty different versions of with little, tiny changes. Or one where the shop owner has sold thousands of that design. They want something more personal.
A couple has found several Pinterest and Instagram samples they love, but they canβt tell you why; it just feels right. Is it the hierarchy, spacing, typography, proportion, color, illustration, and how all of those seemingly little decisions create that βit just feels rightβ reaction?
I follow several bridal Facebook pages, and I see the same questions repeatedly. Where do I go to get what Iβve found? Who do I talk to if I have questions? How many emails or convos am I going to have to send back and forth to the shop owner to get my questions answered? Where do I get things printed? Does the printing company give you a sample to make sure I like the printing? Is there a significant postage increase if I order everything on 240-pound paper versus 120-pound?
After I got a feel for what a couple was looking for in their wedding stationery, their budget was the next question. More than once, they had dreams that far outweighed their budget. Back then, they had few options, especially if they chose a suite from one of the books. As a graphic designer/stationer, it gave me great pleasure to find a way to achieve what they were looking for. Thinking back, I wonder how many of those couples would have chosen the DIY route?
For the couples who had the budget for a bespoke package, I had great fun. I donβt think there is anything more enjoyable than working with a letterpress company or seeing your die-cut come to life. And then there is the feel of the paper. What is better than a one-hundred percent cotton envelope to the touch? In your mind, can you see the smile on someoneβs face when they open the Save the Date? Are they already planning to purchase a new dress and looking forward to attending?
How does one find the middle ground between the mass-marketed template suite and a full bespoke wedding suite? For those who truly want to DIY, I recommend that they find a stationer with a company website. It gives them a better opportunity to learn who is actually behind the designs and whether the work is original to that designer. I canβt imagine how much time it would take to go through thousands of products to find my βone.β If itβs not mentioned on the companyβs website, ask if they offer personalization services for a flat fee. This gives them a bespoke version of a template they love, and it becomes truly their own. More than likely, that will be less expensive than the full bespoke suite.
Our job isnβt to convince couples that DIY is cheaper or bespoke is better. We need to help them find what works better for them. And they never have to worry that people wonβt be excited about coming to their wedding after getting that original Save the Date.
Photo background by LA Mockups Studio
Patti Meyer is the founder and creative director of Patti & Hank, a premium digital wedding stationery brand offering fully coordinated, Canva-editable invitation suites for design-conscious couples. With 25+ years of graphic design experience and four American Graphic Design Awards, she brings a background in traditional design craft to the semi-custom stationery space. Learn more at pattiandhank.com.
