How Much Does Custom Wedding Stationery Cost in Australia?
Wedding stationery pricing in Australia is one of those topics that's surprisingly hard to research. Most studios don't publish prices upfront, which makes it difficult to budget before you've even started conversations. This guide aims to fix that.
Below is an honest breakdown of what you can expect to pay at each tier of the market — from budget-friendly digital templates all the way through to fully custom hand-painted commissions — so you can go into the process knowing roughly where you stand.
The five tiers of wedding stationery in Australia
Tier 1 — DIY digital templates: $0–$80
Platforms like Canva and Etsy offer downloadable invitation templates that you edit yourself and print at home or through a local printer. The results depend heavily on your design eye and printing quality. For couples on a very tight budget or planning an informal celebration, this can work well.
Tier 2 — Online print-on-demand: $150–$400
Services like Paperlust, Vistaprint's wedding range and similar platforms let you choose from hundreds of designs, personalise with your details and order printed cards. Fast, convenient and reasonably priced. Design quality varies significantly — the better platforms partner with independent designers and the results can be genuinely beautiful.
Tier 3 — Semi-custom design studios: $400–$900
This is the most popular tier for Australian couples. You work with a design studio to personalise an existing collection — choosing paper weight, finish, colour palette and typography. Studios at this level typically include a consultation, digital proofs and revisions. Letterpress and foiling are often available as upgrades.
Tier 4 — Fully custom design: $700–$1,500+
A designer creates something original for your wedding, rather than adapting an existing collection. You'll receive a unique design that isn't available to other couples, developed through a proper creative brief and revision process. This tier starts to blur into hand-painted commissions at the upper end.
Tier 5 — Hand-painted / fine art commissions: $800–$2,500+
An artist creates original artwork specifically for your wedding — painted by hand, from scratch, using your brief as the starting point. The suite is genuinely one of a kind. Pieces from the suite are often framed and kept as artworks after the wedding. This is Claudia's territory.
What affects the price within each tier?
Regardless of which tier you're working in, a few variables move the price significantly:
Quantity. Most stationery is priced per unit for printing, so 40 guests costs noticeably less than 150. For hand-painted commissions, the artwork fee is fixed regardless of print run — the variable is primarily the number of different pieces, not the number of copies.
Number of pieces. An invitation-only order is very different from a full suite covering save-the-dates, invitations, RSVP cards, details inserts, menus, place cards, seating chart and welcome signage. Each piece adds cost.
Print method and paper. Digital printing on standard card stock is the most affordable. Letterpress, foiling, embossing and premium cotton stocks add $2–$5 per card but produce a dramatically different tactile result.
Complexity of the artwork. For hand-painted work, a simple botanical illustration costs less than a detailed venue portrait surrounded by a full floral arrangement. The brief drives the quote.
What does Claudia Vrkic Studio charge?
Custom hand-painted wedding stationery suites start from $800. Every commission is quoted individually after an initial enquiry — there are no surprise costs and no pressure to commit before you've seen a detailed breakdown.
For couples who want a sense of what a full suite might look like before reaching out: a standard commission covering invitation, RSVP card and two on-the-day pieces (menu and place cards) for a wedding of 80 guests typically falls in the $1,200–$1,800 range, depending on the complexity of the artwork.
Is it worth paying more for custom stationery?
That depends entirely on what matters to you.
If your priority is beautiful, well-made stationery at an accessible price point, a quality semi-custom studio at Tier 3 will serve you well. There are excellent options in Australia at that level.
If what you want is something that is genuinely, unmistakably yours — original artwork that reflects your story, your place, your people — then the premium for a fully custom commission is hard to argue against. Especially when you consider that the artwork lives on well after the envelopes are opened.
Find out more about Claudia's wedding stationery process →
If you'd like a no-obligation quote for your wedding, get in touch here. Claudia works with couples across Australia, entirely remotely.
