Paper wedding invitations have returned. ‘We’re in this very throwback moment’

While planning a wedding, there is no shortage of decisions a couple has to make before their big day. From choosing the venue to picking vendors and setting the menu, nearly every aspect of the planning process involves selecting from an array of options.

I know this because I’m planning my own wedding. Fortunately, I’ve managed to avoid decision paralysis on most occasions. But one decision that had me wavering back and forth was choosing between sending digital or paper invitations.

On the one hand, in our increasingly digitalized world, sending electronic invitations felt practical. Everyone spends so much time on their phones or computers, so why not send the invite via the internet? On the other hand, paper invites are traditional and feel more personal. For a formal event like a wedding, an invite arriving in a mailbox, rather than an inbox, feels more apt.

Wedding expert Alison McGill describes the wedding invitation as the “front door” of your celebration. Couples can customize invitations to reflect their personal style, and they can serve as a teaser for the wedding’s theme.

“(It) invites your guests into your wedding world and what it could look like and what they can expect, and it really sets the tone for that,” McGill said. “It’s an important piece.”

Choosing your mode of invitation, however, is a personal decision and can depend on priorities. If the goal is to keep wedding costs down, digital invitations are more budget-friendly. Or, if a couple is eco-conscious, they may opt for an electronic option. But if a couple wants a tangible keepsake, print invitations could be the way to go.

Lexy Scala, a Toronto-based wedding planner and founder of Lexy Scala Events, says it’s a matter of personal preference, but she advises that if you’re planning a highly formal affair — think black-tie attire — a paper invitation is more appropriate.

“It just implies a level of formality and traditional elements that I think you want to be doing if you’re asking your guests to show up in a ball gown,” Scala said. “Whereas I think an evite is totally appropriate for more of a cocktail-style wedding or something a little bit more modern or not as traditional.”

Despite our reliance on devices, McGill has observed an uptick in couples opting for printed invitations. She attributes it to the broader movement that has seen many people return to analog and tactile hobbies, like crochet and knitting.

“We’re in this moment of real nostalgia just generally in life, but particularly with weddings,” McGill said. “We’re in this very throwback moment with lots of details with weddings. So vintage wedding dresses and vintage wedding decor are so big.”

Scala agreed that she’s seen a huge push for analog and nostalgic elements lately, including couples employing film photography or bringing ‘90s-era camcorders to record their special day.

“Invitations and paper products and tangible things you can hold and keep in a box forever, they’re kind of the same mindset,” Scala said.

If a couple is still torn between which mode of invitation to use, there are hybrid options.

For example, a couple can order a small number of paper invitations for close family and friends, and keep one for themselves as a memory from the day. Meanwhile, they can send digital invitations to guests who won’t savour the piece of paper. Scala said some stationers refer to it as a keepsake suite.

“It can be a good solution for some people,” she said. “I don’t see it a ton, but it does exist.”

However, if a couple does opt for traditional mailed paper invitations, Scala said in this day and age, the mode for guests to RSVP should be digital, such as through a QR code or a link to a custom wedding website. Manually tracking responses can be a headache for the couple, not to mention the additional postage costs. Requiring a response via mail is also an unnecessary hassle for guests.

“Asking people to walk down to their mailbox and fill out a form, that’s so not of this time,” Scala said.

So, what kind of wedding invitations did I ultimately decide on?

I opted for a hybrid approach. I sent digital save-the-dates to guests so they could easily reserve the date in their calendars, which I assumed were linked to their phones or computers. But I ordered paper invitations. I opted for a simple design and utilized an online printing service — plus I took advantage of a discount code! — to stay within a budget I was comfortable with. It was more costly to go the traditional route, but I, too, couldn’t resist the pull of nostalgia and sentimentality.