How to estimate wedding newspaper printing costs

Your printing cost is the number of copies, plus spares, multiplied by the sheets per copy and the shop’s price per sheet. Prices vary widely by shop, paper and quantity, so get a written quote using your exact file.

Step 1: count your sheets

Step 2: work out your total

(Guests + spare copies) × sheets per copy × price per sheet = print cost

Couples or households can often share a copy, so you may need fewer copies than guests. Keep some spares for family, your own keepsake and mistakes.

Then add any charges for folding, paper upgrades, rush service and delivery. For example, 80 copies of a three-sheet edition means 240 double-sided sheets, while 80 copies of a folded four-page edition means 80 larger sheets.

Step 3: ask the print shop these questions

• What is the price per double-sided sheet at my quantity?
• Does the price include paper, or is my chosen paper extra?
• Do you fold the copies, and what does that cost?
• Can I have one test copy first?
• How long will the order take, and what does delivery cost?

Step 4: tell the shop about your file

Our PDFs include white margins, embedded fonts and RGB color. No trimming is needed, and they have no bleed or crop marks. Tell your print shop this when you ask for a quote. Most home printers cannot handle Tabloid or A3, so a folded edition usually needs a print shop.

Ways to reduce the cost

• Choose the one-sheet edition.
• Print one copy per household.
• Choose black and white, if your print shop charges less for it.
• Ask for a standard turnaround rather than a rush order.

See our printing guide for paper choices and printer settings.