Tips for Mailing Your Wedding Invitations
Ensuring a Smooth Journey to Your Guests
Image by Grace Torres -www.gracetorresphoto.com
Mailing your wedding invitations is an essential step in the journey towards your big day and in setting the tone for your wedding! While it feels like it should be one of the simpler steps in the process, there are a few important things to remember.
To ensure your invitations reach your guests in style, I have put together some valuable tips and tricks to guide you through the mailing process!
1. Start Early and Plan Ahead
Allow yourself ample time to prepare and send the invitations. Begin the process at least eight to ten weeks before your wedding date. This time frame ensures your guests have enough time to RSVP and make necessary accommodations, especially if your wedding is a destination event.
2. Number Your Response Cards
It is shocking how many people forget to include their name when RSVPing! Number your guests in a spreadsheet or printed list and include the corresponding number on the back of the response card. This way if they forget, you are still able to tell who is responding.
3. Weigh an Invitation Suite
Take a completely assembled invitation to the post office you will be mailing all of your invitations from so they can weigh. Most invitations are at least two ounces which exceeds a standard first class stamp. Having one invitation weighed all will ensure that you have the proper postage prior to mailing . This may feel like an unnecessary step but will keep your invitations from being returned for insufficient postage.
(Over an ounce and looking for something cute? Click HERE for my favorite two ounce stamp from USPS!)
4. Stamp and Seal
Place your stamps on the envelopes before assembling and sealing. Remember to place a stamp on your response envelope!
Once assembled, dampen the envelope adhesive with a cotton swab or paint brush instead of licking each envelope. This makes it easier to cover the entire adhesive strip on the envelope. If your invitations are double thick or your envelope adhesive isn't working as it should, place your invitations under a heavy book or paperweight after dampening and sticking the adhesive.
5. Request Hand Cancelling
Hand-canceling will keep your gorgeous invitations from being damaged by the sorting machine. Rather than running your invitations through a sorting machine, you can request this service at the post office. They will use a special ink stamp to cancel your stamp (instead of those thick wavy lines) and then sort it by hand. Try to go when they are slower (weekdays between 2-4pm are usually when I find this to be the best!) and know there could be a charge for this.
Wondering about the extras and embellishments?
Inner Envelope
If your invitation suite includes both an inner and outer envelope, don’t seal the inner one! For a polished presentation, place your assembled invitation stack inside the inner envelope, then insert that into the outer envelope with the front of the inner envelope facing outward. This way, when the outer envelope is opened, the inner envelope is beautifully displayed.
Wax Seals
When applying wax seals to your envelopes, make sure the seal is placed upright at the point where the envelope flap meets the body. Position the base of the seal at the bottom so it appears right-side-up when the recipient opens the invitation.
Belly Bands/ Vellum Wraps
To assemble them correctly, wrap the belly band snugly around the entire stack. Make sure it’s secure enough to hold everything together without being so tight that it bends or damages the paper. Aim to position the band around the middle of the suite for a balanced appearance. If you’re using an adhesive to secure the band, apply it to one end before wrapping the stack. This makes it easier to achieve a smooth, tight fit without shifting. If your belly band features a wax seal with an adhesive backing, remove the sticker backing before folding the band around the suite. This ensures the seal sits flat and adheres securely. Double-check that the band’s edges lie flat without gaps or puckering. A clean, smooth wrap will enhance the overall presentation!
Best Wishes!
