What Kind Of Cardstock Do You Use For Wedding Invitations?

You want to make your own wedding invitations but what kind of cardstock do you use for wedding invitations?

Choosing the right cardstock for your wedding invitations can be a difficult decision.

Two very popular cardstocks used for wedding invitations include linen and hammered cardstock, both types have a textured finish and come in many colors that include white and ivory.

Before you decide on the cardstock, you will need to consider the following question:

Can your home printer print on heavy cardstock?

Choosing the wrong weight or thickness could cause problems with the printing quality, which in turn would make your invitations look bad!

This article will guide you through choosing the right paper for your wedding invitation needs so that you have an elegant finish on all of your invites.

Choose the Right Cardstock for Your Printer

When it comes to printing your invitations you have two options, you can either use your home printer or get them printed at your local printers.

Many couples feel that printing their own invitations at home is the easiest and most cost-effective option.

And that is completely understandable with the prices for wedding invitations these days.

However, if you want to print your own wedding invitations then there are a few things to consider before choosing which paper to use for your invitations.

Cardstock Thickness

Not all printers can print on heavy cardstock.

If you’re in the US then paper thickness is measured in pounds (lb) or if you’re from Europe then it’s measured in gsm (grams per square meter). There might be more ways but these are the ones I have experience with.

No matter which one you use, the general rule of thumb is that the higher the number, the thicker your cardstock will be.

The thickness of your everyday office printer paper is 20 lb/80gsm and the thickness for the cardstock used for wedding invitations can be as high as 110 lb / 350gsm.

Before you start looking at cardstock, you need to find out what the maximum thickness limit is for your printer.

This is a very common step that many couples overlook.

You want to make sure your printer will be able to handle the thickness of the cardstock you want to use for your wedding invitations.

Type Of Printer

Which printer do you have at home? There are two types of printers:

  1. Inkjet printers
  2. Laser printers

Inkjet printers use liquid ink cartridges whereas laser printers use toner powder cartridges.

Both these printers have limitations when it comes to printing your wedding invitations at home.

Inkjet Printers

From my personal experience, inkjet printers can’t print on Pearl cardstock (aka shimmer cardstock) and laser printers can. We will discuss different types of cardstock later in this article.

Laser Printers

Most laser printers are not designed to work with heavy cardstock.

Toner cartridges are much more expensive than inkjet cartridges but can print a lot more before running out.

Tips For Printing At Home

Before you print your invitations in bulk, here are some tips that will help you get the best out of your printer.

  • If you’re unsure of the thickness of cardstock your printer can handle, then buy some cardstock at different weights and test them starting with the lowest.
  • If you have a laser printer but it doesn’t print on heavy cardstock, use an insert. Not only does this give your invitations another dimension but looks very elegant.
  • Every printer has its own printer settings. You should play around to see how each setting prints your invitations. Pick the one that gives you the best results.
  • If your printer has a paper tray and a rear feeder, try using the rear feeder to print your invitations. A rear feeder can handle cardstock much better and it’s less likely to crease your cardstock.

Different Types Of Cardstock You Can Use To Make Your Own Wedding Invitations

When it comes to making your own wedding invitation the choice of cardstock is endless, to help you with this stage we will look at the most popular types of cardstock available to make your wedding invitations at home.

Linen Cardstock

What is linen cardstock and what is the quality like?

Linen cardstock is made from a blend of cotton and linen fibers, it has a natural feel.

As this type of cardstock is very absorbent and it is not suitable for all types of printing.

From my experience it works well with laser printers however with inkjet printers it struggles with images.

You can still achieve good quality print with inkjet printers as long as you use the correct printer settings. The following setting helped me get great results when using an Epson printer.

  • paper type: Paper Matte
  • print quality: Best

I’m sure other makes of printers have similar settings.

Pearl Cardstock

Pearl cardstock is a type of textured, shimmery cardstock that has an iridescent sheen.

At the right angle, you can see the silver metallic flecks which give this cardstock its shimmery appearance.

This type of cardstock is best suited for printing professional-quality invitations as it’s very difficult to achieve the same effects with an inkjet printer.

This cardstock comes in a variety of colors.

If you really want a rich, shimmery effect then opt for the pearl cardstock with silver metallic flecks, it looks amazing!

The cost of pearl cardstock is higher than other types of cards and you’ll generally need to order it from a professional paper supplier.

Hammered Cardstock

The best way to describe the texture of this cardstock would of a thin metal sheet that has been hit by a hammer all over.

This type of cardstock is perfect for wedding invitations because it has an elegant look to it.

It comes in a variety of colors, the most popular colors include white and ivory.

Cotton Cardstock

Cotton cardstock is smoother than other cardstock.

This type of paper is also good for wedding invitations because it gives the invitation a nice smooth finish.

The cost per sheet is lower than some other types of cardstock and you’ll typically find it in most office supply stores.

Cotton Cardstock can be found in many different colors which makes this type of paper easier to match your color theme for your wedding.

Kraft Cardstock

Kraft cardstock is a popular choice for making your own wedding invitations.

It’s becoming more and more popular to use recycled cardstock in wedding invitations.

Kraft cardstock is a popular choice for many reasons, including the cost and being eco-friendly.

Kraft looks great with black ink because it has a very rustic look to it.

It has a rough texture that makes it perfect for rustic vintage-themed weddings.

It can be found at many craft stores like Michaels and Hobby Lobby.

Colored Cardstock

Colored cardstock is great for wedding invitations as it gives your invitations a pop of color.

It can be found at many craft stores and is very affordable.

Many people use colored cardstock because they want their invitations to match their wedding colors or theme.

This type of cardstock is available in many colors so you are guaranteed to find one to suit your wedding colors.

Vellum Paper

Vellum paper is perfect for wedding inserts.

Vellum paper is a delicate, translucent paper that has an old-fashioned appearance.

It’s usually used for calligraphy and wedding invitations because it has such a delicate look to it.

The downside of vellum paper is that you can’t write on both sides of the sheet.

It’s used as an overlay for calligraphy and wedding invitations because of its thinness.

There are limited colors available but a few, like white or ivory, can match most color themes.

It’s also fairly inexpensive compared to other options on the market right now so it is worth considering if you’re looking for something that won’t break your budget.

Should Wedding Invites Be Matte Or Glossy?

Even though both types of paper have their pros and cons, many people prefer matte over glossy because it tends to be cheaper than the latter.

Matte finish is also more forgiving if your printer settings are not perfect; you can still get professional-looking invitations without spending too much money on printer ink cartridges, as I find glossy paper requires more ink.

Glossy finish tends to showcase better details in images and artwork but they often cost more and require higher quality printers with specific settings that may take some experimentation before finding what works best for you.

Ultimately, whatever type you choose will depend on what qualities are most important to you and your personal preference.

Final Thoughts

There are lots of options for wedding invitation cardstock but not all of them work well when printing wedding invites at home.

We covered some of the most common cardstocks available that included:

  • Linen Cardstock
  • Pearl Cardstock
  • Hammered Cardstock
  • Cotton Cardstock
  • Kraft Cardstock
  • Colored Cardstock
  • Vellum Paper

Some are textured and some are smooth, some are expensive and others can be found at the dollar store!

So before making your final decision, try out some different types and see which one works best for you and your printer.

Not all printers can handle heavy cardstock so be sure to check the specifications of your printer to avoid paper jams and other print problems.

I hope this article has been helpful and you have a better idea which type of cardstocks are available for you to use for your wedding invitations.

Let me know in the comments which type of cardstock you are planning to use for your wedding invitations.

Let’s share and learn together.

Happy Crafting!

Zac & Terri Signature

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