Cheap wedding invitations in Toronto prove that beautiful, elegant design doesn't always have to cost an arm and a leg. (That's something of a foreign concept, where weddings are concerned.) Indie designers and smaller shops can offer on-trend, wallet-friendly options, and there are tons of adorable customizable templates and print-it-yourself designs available, too. Is fussy embossed paper your style, anyway? Didn't think so.

Here are my picks for the top places to score cheap wedding invitations in Toronto.

DESIGN AND PRINT

Esco Invitations
This North York-based online mega-retailer has a huge range of customizable catalog designs available. Pretty much every style and price point is represented, and most designs come with optional response cards and other add-ons, so you can get as simple or as complex as your taste and budget allows.

Kid Icarus
This Kensington Market print shop, known for its bright wares and colourful custom prints for the likes of Bellwoods Brewery, will inject plenty of personality into your invites. One-colour postcard invitations start at $2.05, while folded invites with an RSVP postcard are $3.95 (but get cheaper with larger orders).

Cry If I Want To
Tree-hugging brides and grooms to be will dig this Leslieville shop's array of postcard-sized, plantable invitations ($2.50-$3.50 depending on order size), printed on seed-infused paper, so guests will have a lovely pot of wildflowers to remember your wedding by. (The designs are pretty cute, too.)

Print and Paper
This Yorkville copy shop does all kinds of projects, but wedding invites are among their specialties. They'll either design your invites with you, or print up your existing design, with lots of paper and cardstock options to make your design ideas a reality. Less-complicated invites start at about $3 each and can go as high as $10.

Koket Design
Designer Sandy Wang specializes in custom design - there are so many folks doing stock designs, she explains, that many clients come to her wanting something special (though her templates are no slouch, either). For small orders, she'll handle the printing herself. Invites start at about $5 for a set with envelopes and an RSVP card.

Papier Lapin
Hop on over to Etsy to check out this eco-friendly wedding stationer, which uses only FSC certified recycled paper. Basic invitations with envelopes start at around $2.50, but the slightly more premium options - like this wedding blogger-approved vintage postcard-style design, at $4.50 - are worth a look.

PRINTABLES

Protea Press
This Toronto-based husband-and-wife team offers printed, customizable invitation designs, as well as DIY printables (but seriously, just look at their Etsy store and try to resist those glittery envelopes). Printable PDF sets start at $35, basic invitation-only sets are just $2.50 each, while sets with RSVP cards and matching envelopes will set you back $3.50.

Compass & Canvas
Another Etsy-based shop, Compass & Canvas offers some printable designs (at $15-$22 to download). The real standout here is the value in their printed invitation suites, which start at just $3.30 for a whopping six pieces (invitation, RSVP card, save the dates, and corresponding envelopes).

LETTERPRESS

Silverplate Press
Opting for letterpress jacks up the cost considerably, but if you can't get the thought of hefty paper stock and stamped lettering out of your head, Silverplate might be the city's most budget-friendly option. One-colour invites top out at $6 a pop (even cheaper for larger quantities), and they've got plenty of gorgeous templates for you to customize.

Did I miss any? Leave your favourite options for cheap wedding invitations in Toronto in the comments.

Photo via Kid Icarus