Printers or a printer?

[Rumble]

I'm designing all the wedding stationary for my upcoming nuptuals and need to get it printed somehow. I've used vistaprint for some stuff in the past but I suspect it can be done cheaper, and I don't like their constant offer emails!

So i'm looking for a recommendation of a good, cheap printing company to use. Or, the thought crossed my mind that it might not cost much more to buy a printer and do it myself, given that i'd then have said printer for future use.

I'll be printing some photo quality, some card: save the date, invites (say 80 of each), table plans (2) and some a4 table names (6, these will be photos).

Any recommendations (companies or a printer welcome) ideas or advice?

 

[rosstheboss]

I was going to suggest Vistaprint! We did all our invites on there as it is waaaaaay cheaper than most places charge for specifically wedding stuff. Any wedding stuff anywhere seems to have a random number added to to the price when the word 'wedding' is added....
We were really happy with ours after I fecked around in the advanced settings and got exactly what we wanted.

I did the order of service myself at home on some DTP software I've got and printed them out on some nice paper from the home printer, it was as good as anywhere else could have down for what we wanted. We also didn't have place settings as we had a buffet instead, done by the restaurant we had the reception in - worth considering as it was loads cheaper and a lot less formal than a sit down meal (think £25 a head instead of 3x that!)

 

[technodup]

Personally I'd avoid Vistaprint like the plague. It's cheaper because it's a) poor quality (compare a Vistaprint business card with a moo.com one! and b) usually done overseas (certainly in my experience- cards and t-shirts, not sure about other stuff).

Plus their website is the most irritating and blatant upsell exercise I've ever seen. And they'll email you forever with shit special offers.

There are thousands of wee printshops that will do better stuff and where you can speak to an actual person. That would be my preference anyway.

Edit: Try http://www.flowersbylynnewilliams.co.uk I was in there today- she was really good and will definitely know where to go.