Wedding Postage

wedding postage

Decoding Wedding Postage: A Guide to Stamps and Mailing Essentials

Your wedding invitations are more than just paper. They are the first visual chapter of your style and story, setting the stage for the celebration ahead. However, the journey from your hands to your guests' mailboxes requires careful consideration of postage. Let’s explore the intricacies of wedding invitation postage, ensuring your invitations not only reach their destination but do so in the best condition possible. 

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A question I am frequently asked during the wedding consultation is “how much will it cost for postage?” The answer depends on a number of factors that will be used for the invitation suite. All listed pricing is current for the time of this publication (February 2024).

We want our invitations to:

1. Arrive to the guests 
2. Arrive in the best condition possible

​Let’s dive in on the factors that influence cost

“Weight Considerations”

Considering just the weight of the invitation, let’s say we need:

• an invitation on single weight stock
• details card/accommodation card
• response card + response envelope
• Mailing envelope

After years in the wedding invitation business I know how much an invitation suite on Cotton Ink stock weighs and can confidently say we are looking at a single one ounce stamp ($0.68). Simple. Postage cost increases when we add more weight to the mix. Factors that add more weight are another card in the suite, double thick stock, an inner envelope or an envelope liner. Any mailing weight over one ounce will require additional postage. Most invitations that are mailed in a standard size envelope and are over one ounce mark will cost an additional $0.24 to mail. So if your invitation is over one ounce the cost is $0.92. 

“Square Envelope Postage”
Weight is not the only factor when considering postage. If the invitation is square there is an automatic upcharge from the post office. Pricing for square postage starts at $1.12. This cost has nothing to do with the weight of the contents. All square envelopes start at this price. The post office says this is due to the fact that square envelopes are not compatible with sorting machines and thus must be hand sorted.

“Hand Canceling”
The post office processes mail by machine. If your invitation cannot be processed by the machine for any of the reasons below then you must include the additional postage cost (non-machinable stamp) and ask for hand canceling. This means a postal employee goes through and hand cancels each invitation. If you drop your invitations in a blue mailbox, even with a non-machinable stamp, chances are high that they will be put through a machine that will damage the envelope. Always take them to a real person at the counter. Then the non-machinable mail is set aside and does not accidentally get put through a sorting machine and damaged. And, non-machinable mail gets stamped with RED ink that reads: NON-MACHINABLE. It is ugly! This is reason to use a cello wrap. The red ink gets stamped onto the cello and the paper mailing envelope remains clean. The stamps go on the cello not on the paper envelope. Always confirm postage with the postal clerk when requiring “hand canceling” and using a non-machinable stamp.

“Rigidity and Thickness = Non-machinable Stamp”
Some items that add rigidity and thickness to the suite:

1. Several layers to the invitation
2. Several accessory cards in the suite
3. Double thick stock
4. Ribbons or bows
5. Wax seals
6. Dried flowers, crystals, or other bulky embellishments

We might prefer the above enhancements for the invitation, so we need to understand these items can make the envelope too rigid for postal machinery. Anything that adds rigidity and or thickness increases postage. Why? Because thickness and unlevel surfaces inside the envelope cannot go through the postal service machinery. This necessitates a non-machinable fee bringing the stamp cost to $1.36 for under two ounces.

“Is Calligraphy Postal Friendly”
A non-machinable stamp is also recommended when we do calligraphy on the mailing envelope. Most often postal machines struggle to decipher intricate scripts.

“Protecting the Mailing Envelope”
Adding a cello envelope over the mailing envelope protects delicate calligraphy and maintains the pristine condition of the invitation. Although it involves additional hand sorting, the investment may be worthwhile for those who prioritize the aesthetic appeal of their invitations.

“Oversized Invitations, Folios, Boxed Invitations, Rounded Corners, and International Mail”
What if the invitation is oversized? What if I use a folio or boxed invitation suite?
What if the envelope has rounded corners? What about international mail? While it is nice to know exactly what it will cost to mail your wedding invitations, sometimes a wait and see approach and consultation with the post office is advisable . The post office is the final authority on what they charge. I do not recommend purchasing stamps for the wedding suite until a sample suite of final size with embellishments can be taken to the post office to be weighed. In the cases where a boxed or folio invitation is used, more than likely the package will be considered a parcel which means several dollars for mailing each invitation.

Always purchase postage from the United States Postal Service or your trusted stationery supplier to guarantee the legitimacy of your stamps. Opting for stamps from an unfamiliar online vendor poses a significant risk even when they offer the flowered stamp you love. Mailing your wedding invitations is not the ideal occasion to experiment with the authenticity of postage. 

And here's a pro tip: always weigh your invitations at the same post office where you plan to mail them.

Your wedding invitations are the inception of your cherished memories, and understanding postal regulations is crucial to their safe journey. By considering size, thickness, and weighing the finished product before mailing, you can mitigate potential issues. Let's collaborate to ensure your invitations not only make it to your guests' mailboxes but arrive in the best condition possible.

Are you ready to begin the journey of designing and mailing your wedding invitations together? Let's make it a seamless experience from start to finish!

Sharon Donnelly, Owner
​Cotton Ink

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