12 Things To Know Before Mailing Your Wedding Invitations

Created by Cartalia -

Wedding planning is filled with a lot of details and hassle. It is not only about the big day but also the preparation. And it is not a surprise that you will need to pay attention to wedding invitations. But, there are many things to know about the particular preparation. It is not something you can underestimate since it deals with the guests. 

So, before mailing your wedding invitations, you got a lot of considerations, things to learn, to do, and a code of conduct to follow. Put it in mind that the invitation is not only a piece of paper. It consists of the date, and surely you want it to reach the recipient. So, they will come to your wedding ceremony. So, here are some of the points that you must learn. 

1. Spare yourself time for the planning 

One particularly important thing is time. As you are going through the wedding planning, it is safe to say that one point will take longer than the other. At the same time, you also have to consider other preparation for your nuptial day. In this case, saving a little time for your invitations design will not be enough or help you a lot. 

In many cases, you have to do almost everything except design. Of course, you can ask a wedding calligrapher or designer to take care of the invitations envelope. But, listing your guest, name, address, reviewing, and ensuring everything is on the right path will not be easy. It is especially true with other preparations taking your focus. 

So, the best time that you need to spare before mailing your wedding invitations will be around a month or two. Remember that it is not the time before you send the invitations, but the time to plan the item. So, when you combine the timing for the wedding day, it should be about two or three months. 

Many people do not consider this idea as one of the many things to know because they give everything to the designer. However, you have to underline that preparing and designing everything will take time, especially for wedding calligraphy. So, consider the production time beforehand. So, you got enough time to send and review the invitations.  

Created by InvitationNueva

2. Hire Calligraphy Or Not

One of the codes of conduct for wedding preparation is a calligrapher. Surprisingly, it is one of the many things to know that might not appear necessary. The idea is that you can pick a professional calligrapher for your wedding invitations or not. At some point, if you know how to do it and want to save some budget, then this trick is optional. 

Again, the consideration about this point highly relates to the previous point, the Schedule and time. Regardless of whether you are doing a DIY or hiring a professional calligrapher, you will need at least two or three weeks before you want to mail the invitations. One thing that is for sure is that the duration time for the work can vary from one artist to another. 

Along with the mastery and the artists' ability, you also need to consider the complexity of the calligraphy services. At the same time, you might need to consider the time to find the precise worker that can suit your calligraphy preferences. In this case, working with wedding calligraphy also means extra budget and time. 

If you are waiting for the last minute before mailing your wedding invitations, don't be surprised with an extra rush fee. One of the things that you should consider is the time to compile all of the guest lies and the address. Don't underestimate the time and effort to collect that information. It can take months if you are going to invite hundreds of people.  

You calligraphy artists and your guest listing go hand in hand. You need to ensure you write the best complete details, including the professional title, full address, and the correct name. In this case, one trick for your perfect wedding invitations is to neatly print and list your guests. Thus, your artist will lessen the chance of making mistakes. 

Created by Alba Perez

3. Listing Your Guest And Naming 

Talking about listing your guest name and address, try to think about time, effort, and the details. One of the things to know about addressing and assembling etiquette is how to give appropriate lettering. Many designers and wedding planners have gone more relaxed about those particular aspects for invitations, but it is undeniable that you cannot be ignorant. 

The idea is to write your guest list name in full on the outer envelopes. It is the basis of wedding invitations. One thing that you should never do is use nicknames or initials. It is because you will send it through the mail and ask the calligrapher to write it down. Using a nickname will only increase the chance of making more mistakes. 

Not only that, but you also need to use the appropriate social titles. It helps the postman to know which people to reach. As an example, add Mr. and Mrs., Or you can also spell the suffix on a more formal invitation address of the wedding guest. It is one of the things to know despite being a little detail or point to spot. 

One of the reasons is to make the recipient feel more appreciated. Using the proper honorific will also show that you put much thought into it. Thus, the wedding invitations recipient will consider giving a positive response. After mailing your wedding invitations and the guest receiving them, they are bound to at least have a good impression of your effort. 

Created by Evgeniya Tsareva

4. Writing The Addresses 

Don't forget to put the guest's address correctly and properly. One thing for sure, you can get a lot of help from professional calligraphers that know exactly how to spell out every invitation's address detail. However, you should never rely too much on your calligrapher. They can make mistakes as well as don't know your place's address regulation. 

In this case, you are the one that has the biggest role in spelling out the wedding invitation's address. One of the things to know about writing addresses is to avoid abbreviations and write down everything. You can write St. as street, Apt. as Apartment, and P.O Box as Post Office Box. Of course, using abbreviations can save time and space. But it might be misleading. 

These wedding invitation detail also apply to every state and city name. Spelling out the name will not cost you more. In many cases, it will help the post office to identify the correct address as well as avoid any superficial mistakes. It also works for spelling out numbers that are smaller than 20.  

Created by Al Fian

5. The Envelope Design

As you have the guest list, the name, and the address ready, you can consider the invitations' design. In this case, you have a lot of options to match with the wedding plan. However, most of the design will consist of outer and inner envelopes. This kind of design helps you to deliver a pristine envelope and information inside it. 

The idea is that, even though the other envelope gets some damage, the inside will still be intact. That is why you should consider the envelope design and material before mailing your wedding invitations. But, how if you are on a tight budget? The best option is to omit the inner envelope and put all of the wedding details in the outer case. 

Regardless of your option is, the outer layer should include all of the information about the postal service needs. You can also put some simple printed details about the recipient and address. As in the inner invitations envelope, you can put the names of guests in the household. It will help specify the guest name you want to invite to the wedding.  

Created by Ashley Yeo

6. Square Invitations Is More Expensive 

Some things to know about mailing your wedding invitations are the shapes. It is not a surprise that an abnormal shape will take more postage, including the square one. So, it is better to consider the normal model, such as the rectangle one. Even though the difference is not too big, doing it for more than hundreds will easily stack up extra dollars. 

Created by Anna Patlavskaya

7. Adding Return Address

Return address might help your guest to learn more about your wedding invitations. While it is not necessary, you can always spell all the words for this detail. Most of the time, the information will be written on the back flap. While it does not stand out from the get-go, your recipient will see the pretty engraving on your envelope. 

Again, it is not a thing that is a must. If you do want it, you can ask your calligrapher or the designer to add the return address before mailing your wedding invitations. Suppose you pretty much have a lot of options to go through the ideas. You can work with the traditional ideas by using colorless raised lettering or blind embossing. 

Try to choose the one that applies to your city post-regulation. Another thing that you might want to consider is to put the return address as clear as your other printed address details. It is better and also easier to read. But, again, you can fit the theme and design according to your wedding plan. 

Created by Marianna Orsho

8. Assembling Everything 

After you get every invitation and the calligraphy done, it is time to assemble. If your time is jam-packed with all of the other wedding preparations, you can ask the calligrapher to help with the assembling. However, it will take another cost to pay. But again, assembling your invitations is not an easy thing. You should ensure everything comes in the right order. 

The point that you should underline is that every piece of information will not jumble, tangle, and look disarray. So, the thing to know is the stacking position. The first one from the bottom of your wedding invitations is the card itself. It should be printed side up. So, your guest can see the information right after they open the envelope. 

On top of the invitations, most designs will include a sheet of tissue paper. Remember that it is not a simple sheet. It was meant to prevent smearing due to the calligraphy and lettering. As you stack the two, you can put all other attachments. In this case, the items vary based on your need. The wedding envelope can also include an RSVP or return letter. 

For the inserts, the stacking orders are mostly based on the sizes (from the bigger to the smaller one on top. Based on your wedding invitations details, the attachment might include a map, souvenir, thank letter, reception card, or reply card. In the case of a reply card, you have to ensure it has some pre-printed details. 

The details that you need for the reply card are the stamp and mail address. Please ensure it is correct before mailing your wedding invitations. As you put all of them together, you can insert everything in the unsealed envelope. Then, slip the inner envelope with the guest's name facing the back flap.  

Created by Joane Fides

9. Reinforcing The Envelope With Glue 

The other thing that you should never trust is the envelope adhesive. While they do stick, and you can simply lick it, it is better to reinforce them with glue. The idea is to avoid the invitations bursting open during the delivery and you losing the precious wedding guest. For an extra aesthetic touch, you can also add or use stickers and washi tape. 

Created by Jordan Eskovitz

10. Timing Before The Big Day 

As you reach this stage, you may be ready to send the wedding invitations. But, it is vital to send it at the right time. Consider the posting and the duration of your letter to reach the recipient. Thus, you better work fast before the due date comes. In this case, you also need to pinpoint and predict the timing. 

You need to spare at least a month for your guest to prepare for the big day. Some other things to know that many people put aside is the time for your guest. Yes, the best time should be around six to eight weeks before the wedding day. This schedule will allow your beloved guest to consider and respond to your invitations. 

Remember that not all people might come to your party. Thus, the given time will also allow you to get a reply. If you get the reply or the RSVP, it will make it easier to do the headcount. That is why you should put the reply card and give a time when mailing your wedding invitations. Another thing to know is the address. 

Many people still write the address on the wedding invitations with handwritten or calligraphy. Indeed it is the best and the basic code of conduct. It is also considered as the most appropriate and mannerly act. You can ask for help or hire a calligrapher. But, it is also possible to use computer-generated calligraphy fonts.  

Created by PaperMinxWeddings

11. Sending The Invitations 

When you are ready with all of the invitations and envelopes, you can go straight to the post office. Remember to directly bring the wedding envelopes right to the post office to get weighed and use the proper postage. It is also safer to directly send it through the office rather than put it on the street post box. So, try this one of many things to know beforehand. 

As you do that, try to have your reply card and envelope to get weighed before mailing your wedding invitations. It will help you to not over or underpay the mailing fee. Doing so and coming to the receptionist also allows you to get some more information about the posting services. It includes adding hand canceling and choosing the proper postmark.  

Created by Lil Van Wyngaard

12. Consider The Hand Canceling and special postmark

The last part of the things to know about the mailing service is to ask for hand canceling. Many people do not know this matter, but hand canceling is done by giving a mark on each stamp. It is manual or analog, which might not be available at your post office. But, if they can do it, it will help prevent damage caused by machine-printed barcodes. 

The last thing that you want to do before mailing your wedding invitations is a special postmark. Some options, such as express mail or envelope priority, will come with tracking details. Thus, you can see the progress and the location. It also helps to ask the postmaster about the estimated duration. So, you can anticipate the time for the delivery, mark, and mailed out. 

Sourced From camelliamemories

Final Words

Since your wedding invitation means a lot for your big day, it is better to make it right. In this case, the preparation before mailing it is crucial. You need to ensure you have enough time to consider the design work, list the guest, assemble, and send it through the mail. It is also vital to give time for your guest, so they can send back the RSVP or give you a response.