WhatsApp or paper wedding invitations: cost, speed and replies
The short answer. For 300 guests, even the cheapest printed invitations cost about £226 to print and post second class, before any RSVP cards, and every reply comes back by hand. WhatsApp invitations arrive in seconds, guests answer from their phone, and changes reach everyone. Paper still wins as a keepsake, so many couples post a few cards to elders and send the rest on WhatsApp.
How do paper and WhatsApp invitations compare?
| Paper, by post | WhatsApp, one message per guest | |
|---|---|---|
| Cost for 300 guests | About £226 at the cheapest, more with RSVP cards or first class | A one-off £65 on Our Guest List, which covers up to 400 (and up to 50 is free) |
| Time to arrive | A few working days by second class | Seconds |
| How guests reply | A card in the post, a call or a text, counted by hand | A tap on their own link, counted for you |
| Several events | A card or insert per event, or one card listing everything | Each guest sees only their events, with a reply for each |
| If a detail changes | Print and post again, or ring round | The invitation updates; send a short note to say so |
| As a keepsake | Something to frame | A message they keep, and an invitation that opened from a wax-sealed envelope |
How much do paper wedding invitations cost?
Here is the floor, the cheapest basket we could find, for 300 guests at two to an invitation:
| Each | 150 invitations | |
|---|---|---|
| Personalised card with envelope | 60p | £90 |
| Second class stamp | 91p | £136 |
| Total | £1.51 | £226 |
That is the least it can cost. First class is £1.80 a letter, which takes the postage alone to £270. A suite with an RSVP card and a stamped return envelope adds a second stamp for every guest who replies. Larger or thicker cards can need a large letter stamp.
Royal Mail raises its prices most years, usually in April. Re-check the stamp before you budget.
Which gets more replies?
The one that is easiest to answer. A paper RSVP card asks the guest to find a pen, a stamp and a post box, and some will text you instead, which leaves you counting answers across three places.
A WhatsApp invitation is answered on the phone it arrived on. When a reminder is needed, it can open a page where the guest replies in a single tap. Read our RSVP reminder messages for wording that works.
Is it rude to send wedding invitations on WhatsApp?
Not if it is done properly. What makes something feel like an invitation is that it is addressed to the guest, sent by you, and has something to open. A flyer dropped into a group chat feels like an announcement; a message that says Hi Auntie Bisi with her own invitation behind it does not.
Some elders still prefer something to hold. Print a handful of cards for them and send everyone else theirs on WhatsApp. Nobody minds getting both.
What about a multi-event wedding?
Paper struggles here. A traditional wedding, a church service and a reception with different lists means either a different card for each tier, or one card that tells everyone about events they weren't asked to.
A digital invitation can show each guest only their events and take a separate yes, headcount and dietary note for each. Our guide to managing a multi-day wedding guest list walks through it.
How to send WhatsApp invitations with Our Guest List
- Start your celebration and add each event with its date and venue.
- Choose the look. An invitation design, an envelope and a wax seal, which guests see when they open their link.
- Add your guests, one invitation per household, and tick their events.
- Send. Press Start sending; each guest's message opens in WhatsApp, written and ready, and you press send from your own phone.
- Watch the replies arrive event by event, and print cards only for the few who would treasure one.
It is free for up to 50 guests and two events, with no payment details. A bigger wedding is a one-off £65 for up to 400 guests and every event.
Where these facts come from
Postage: Royal Mail's April 2026 prices, as reported by the Yorkshire Post, checked on 29 October 2026. Card prices: the cheapest personalised invitations with envelopes we found at UK online printers, checked in August 2026. Our prices: pricing.
Questions people ask
- Are digital wedding invitations cheaper than paper?
- Usually, by a lot. For 300 guests the cheapest printed cards with second class postage come to about £226, before RSVP cards. On Our Guest List the same wedding is a one-off £65, and up to 50 guests is free.
- How much does it cost to post 100 wedding invitations?
- At 91p second class, 100 invitations cost £91 in stamps, or £180 at £1.80 first class, before the cards themselves. Prices are Royal Mail's from April 2026.
- Can I send some invitations on paper and some on WhatsApp?
- Yes, and many couples do. Post cards to the people who will treasure one and send everyone else theirs on WhatsApp. Keep every reply on one list so nobody is counted twice.
- How early should WhatsApp wedding invitations go out?
- About as early as paper ones: eight to twelve weeks before, or earlier for guests who need to travel. Because they arrive instantly, you don't need to allow extra time for post.
Last updated 30 October 2026