So I am in the beginning stages of planning Gardner's first birthday!  Side note, where has the last year gone?  Alas, here I am though, coming up with a theme, putting the guest list together, and going to my Pinterest board for the latest and greatest creative ideas for one-year-old birthday parties.  I have decided to do electronic invitations through Punchbowl, one of the many sites with adorable electronic invitations.  But all this planning got me thinking about the event industry (of course).  Are electronic invitations the way of the future?  Here I'm going to explore the pros and cons and when it is appropriate to do e-vites over paper.

Pro Paper

It sets the tone

A paper invitation shows the guest that this is a serious event.  The person throwing the party took the time and effort into picking the most appropriate design, putting the right wording together, printing, addressing, and mailing the invitation.  There are quite a few steps (and money) for this process and thus, it makes the guest perceive the magnitude of the event. 

People like it

Who doesn't love getting mail?  Even now, when most of the mail is bills, credit card offers, and junk, I especially love getting mail that is not in one of those categories.  It breaks up the monotony of going through the mail, which is my household chore, not Jerry's.  He does make sure it makes it into the house though, which is an important step!

Fridge art

I know when I receive a paper invitation I love putting it on the refrigerator.  Usually the invitation is either so darn cute, elegantly done, or has a beautiful photo of the guest(s) of honor.  I have probably about 3-4 of these cards on my fridge at any given moment (even if the event has passed).  Though, I'm sure I will have to make room for Gardner's art in the future. 

Con Paper

One-way communication

Once the invitation is delivered the communication stops.  There is no possibility for interaction between the host and the guests or even between guests and other guests.

Costly and wasteful

The host is investing a lot of money into a guest's potential decline of the event.  Many paper invitations include a stamp for the RSVP too.  In the end, while this might decorate my fridge for a little while, it will eventually go in the trash.  Sorry paper invitations!  I have the same trouble with cards, I just don't know what else to do with all the cards I get from birthdays and holidays, and I'm not one to save every card, though I do love designing them and picking them out of the card aisle in the grocery store!

Pro Electronic Invitations

Free!

Everyone loves free stuff... need I say more?

Easy to use

From invitation creation, to guest list, to tracking RSVPs the process is simple.  My mom might even be able to handle it... well, she might need some instructions, but that's a her problem not an online invitation problem. 

It's the party before the party

I just sent out the invitation to Gardner's first birthday party and the RSVPs are rolling in.  I also have lots of messages for people.  Some are super excited about coming, others are asking if they can bring something with them, but I get to respond to them about helping out and getting what I need while creating buzz at the same time.  Guests can even post photos and videos to share with everyone.  Technology is AMAZING!  We have our own little gathering online before the date even happens.

Con Paper

It might get lost

Obviously, I don't mean lost in the mail with this one, but sometimes we get A LOT of e-mail.  It could be easily missed if you're one of those people that gets a ton of promotional e-mails from stores, work e-mails, news, and other social media updates. 

What about grandma?

An invitation is only as good as good as its recipient.  If grandma isn't on e-mail then you won't be successful in trying to invite her to your gathering.  It's very important to know your audience. 

It's informal

This is the con to the paper pro.  If you want to convey the importance of an event then choosing electronic invitations may not be the way to go.  People perceive it as being too easy to put together and that it requires little effort, which potentially equals how much you care about your event. 

Decisions, decisions... paper or e-mail?

When Jerry and I got married we opted to send e-mail invitations to our wedding, which offended some of our extended family in the baby boomer generation.  Yes, I know what you're thinking - HOW COULD YOU POSSIBLY SEND AN E-MAIL INVITATION OUT FOR SUCH AN IMPORTANT EVENT?!?!?!?!  I know, I know, but hear me out.  Yes, our wedding was very important, but so was saving for a house, which we plan on living in for the rest of our lives.  We just decided that we were not going to spend an exorbitant amount of money on an event that would last just one day.  It was practical and made lots of sense to us.  Given the opportunity, I don't think that we would change it if we had to do it again.  (Side note, If you want tips on doing a budget wedding I'm your girl!)

Now we did make the invitations special.  I personally designed the save-the-dates, invitations, and thank you cards.  Each person got an e-mail invitation with a personalized envelope and everything!  I didn't use an online service, but instead Photoshop and my own e-mail address to send each invitation individually.  While it didn't cost me anything to make the invitations, it did take time. 

And calm down, I did hand write and mail (snail mail) each thank you card.  In this instance, I did want to convey my immense gratitude for those that traveled near and far to attend our special day.  It was important to me and I deeply appreciated it.

At the end of the day, you need to do what's best for you and try not to offend grandma in the process.  I consider us to be early adopters of what I think could be a trend in the event industry. 

So now it's your turn.  Do you think electronic invitations are tacky?  Do you think it's the future for the wedding and event planning industry?  I want to hear your experiences and thoughts.  Leave your comments below!