DIY STD'S & Invitations VS. Professional Printing Costs

[futuremrstgun]

I believe DIYing is the most cost efficient while professional printing is the most time efficient. There's so many great ideas for DW brides here and on etsy...I happened to DIY my entire stationery suite...printing everything on my home printer. While it did take countless hours, the joy I felt in revealing everything as I hand delivered items to each guest won't be easily forgotten. Happy planning! R~ aka MrsTGun

[JennyBenz]

That's a great question! I'm sure ink costs a ton if you're printing a hundred STD's and invitations!

[finleya]

I did a little math and it seems like as long as it doesn't take more than one set of ink cartridges for my STD's (I only have to make about 40), it is still cheaper to do them myself. I have had to go down to a lower weight of cardstock though since I read that people were having issues with the paper being too thick for their home printers though. Anyone have any insight into a good weight for paper that would still be thick enough but not have problems jamming in the printer?

[acireta]

I used the starter bw/color cartridges and a little bit of another black cartridge to print 100 boarding passes (6 passes and a folder per invite, plus 18 pages of address labels).

 

I used 110# cardstock in my HP 3050A all-in-one printer. I think standard printers can usually handle 60-80# paper without a problem. I just really like the weight of the heavy paper.

 

My printer will NOT work with metallic cardstock though!!

[finleya]

Thanks for the info! I am thinking I am stuck with 65-80 anyway, because the parchment look I want I can only find in those weights anyway.

 

I am going with the metallic for the outside jacket though, so I may have to just figure something out.

[acireta]

I may have misspoke - My printer might handle 60-80# metallic, it will not handle 110# metallic.

 

Good luck!! :-)

[finleya]

Thanks! I will just have to work it out. It sounds like the top loading printers work better with the thicker paper and that's what I have, so hopefully it will work!

 

[Shay4966]

I printed 100 and my ink did not run out, I also printed on metallic cardstock 110. I even after printing the squares for the front I still have about half full of ink.
 

Originally Posted by JennyBenz 

That's a great question! I'm sure ink costs a ton if you're printing a hundred STD's and invitations!

 

[finleya]

Awesome! That makes me feel much better!

[ChocoTaco7568]

MrsTGun, Shay and anyone happy with their color  printers:

 

Can you ladies please provide the specs for your printers? I'm in the market for a new printer and may as well get one that I can use for my upcoming DIY projects....Thanks!