Addressing and Assembling your Invitations
Do not address the envelopes with invitations already inside. The ink may bleed or indent the invitations. It is best to organize all of the invitations and enclosure cards in piles ready to go, then address your envelopes, stamp the Response envelope or Postcard, then stuff, seal, and stamp.
If you are using both Outer and Inner Envelopes, the outer envelope is addressed with the formal names of your guests and their complete mailing address. The inner envelope is then addressed with only the names of your guests, for example: Mr. and Mrs. John Smith or John and Jane Smith; Mr. John Smith and Guest.
If you are using only the Outer Envelope, the outer envelope will be addressed with the formal names of your guests and their complete mailing address. For example, Mr. and Mrs. John Smith and Joe and Sally; Mr. John Smith and Guest.
Some Addressing Guidelines:
For a couple without children or when children are not invited:
Mr. and Mrs. John Smith
For a couple with children and the children are invited:
Mr. and Mrs. John Smith
Rick, Jacob, and Zachary (in order of age)
Adult children living at home should receive their own invitation.
For unmarried guests living together or having kept separate names, or partners, list names separately.
Mr. John Smith
Ms. Jane Doe
Assembling Guidelines:
Place stamp on return Response envelope or Postcard.
Place Response card under flap of return envelope.
Place Reception Card on top of Response card.
Place all enclosure cards on top of the invitation, or if your invitation has a folding card, you may place all the enclosures inside the folding card.
Slide all cards into the envelope. If using Outer and Inner Envelopes, slide all cards into the Inner Envelope, then turn it over so the front with the names of your guests is facing you. Then slide the Inner Envelope into the Pre-Addressed, Stamped Outer Envelope.
Take one fully assembled invitation to the post office for weight and size!
Your wedding invitation will usually cost between 41¢ and 85¢ depending on what is inside.
Postal Myths
Myth #1 – Hand Canceling
If your invitation has a bow, knotted ribbon, and/or any dimensional embellishments, please be sure to ask the Post Office to "Hand Cancel" your invitations. This way they hand cancel your invitations, instead of processing them through the machine, which may cause damage to your envelope and/or invitations.
This is NOT true. As hand canceling will eliminate the first machine, it does not save your invitations from other sorting machines. For example, if you are sending your invitations within the City of Saint Louis, you can have your invitations hand-stamped at the Downtown location only, and then it will go through a minimum of 4 more machines to be delivered within the City and County of Saint Louis.
Myth #2 – Square Invitations Cost More to Mail
If you have a square invitation, it is automatically more to mail because of its shape.
This is NOT true. If your postal item weighs more than 1 ounce, your charge is based on weight, not shape. With a wedding invitation, it will most likely weigh more than 1 ounce because of your enclosures, added paper, etc; therefore, it will be based on weight to mail. So, if a square invitation is the one of your dreams, GO FOR IT, it will not cost you any additional postage because of the size