#wedding postage

[teeloft]

Yellow Rose & Pearls postage stamps you won’t find at the Post Office are on sale today! http://TeeLoft.com/tumblr/172858431078608290

[oneandonlypaper]

A Primer On Postage

I love postage stamps. I frequently visit the stamp section of the USPS website, and I spend a lot of time putting vintage stamp collections together for hypothetical events - you should email me if you’re having a geology and space themed party because boy do I have a stamp collection just for you.

However, I don’t like going to the post office, and it can often be frustrating and stressful to make sure you have the correct postage for your invitations. The USPS is not shy about sending your beautiful envelopes back with a big old ‘INSUFFICIENT POSTAGE’ stamped all over them, and after all the time and effort we’ve put into making sure these puppies look fabulous, the thought makes my skin crawl.

Personal anecdote time! One of my save the dates, outfitted with vintage stamps, and lovingly calligraphed by yours truly, was returned because I had the wrong address, and for some reason someone scribbled all over the envelope and address (and I mean all over) in black crayon. Black. Crayon. Why? I don’t know! I briefly considered storming the post office in tears, demanding answers, but then I realized that was probably taking it too far.

So, we thought it would be helpful to include a little info about some of the postage pitfalls you can avoid when mailing domestically.

Standard Postage

As of spring 2016, the currently standard postage price is 49 cents. This covers standard sized envelopes weighing up to two ounces. Your invitation suite will often weigh over two ounces, which will bump the price up to 71 cents.

A postcard price is currently 35 cents. If you are on a budget, sending out an RSVP postcard is a great way to save a little - you not only shave a bit of postage off, but you also don’t need to purchase an additional envelope, which could save weight on your invitations as well.

Oddly sized envelopes

There are a few exceptions to this pricing. The most frequent pitfall is the square envelope. Why, USPS?! I don’t know why, but I do know that a square envelope is considered non machinable, so it will add a fee to your postage. If your square envelope is under two ounces, it will still cost 71 cents to mail. If it is over two ounces, it will cost 93 cents to mail.

What else is non machinable? Well, the USPS defines non machinable envelopes as ‘Unusually shaped mail, like square or vertical envelopes, lumpy envelopes, rigid envelopes, and mail with clasps, string, buttons.’ If you have a wax seal on the outside of your envelope, it won’t qualify as machinable, either, but I guess not enough people are doing that for it to be specifically mentioned.

So there you have it - a little info on postage! We always recommend bringing an invitation to the post office before mailing, for peace of mind. Tell them I said hi.

<3 Alison 

[versatileeventdesigns]

Save the date with style by ditching the traditional stock stamps your local post office gives and you and go for something rustic, trendy, glamorous, or romantic like these.

Customizable Details & Prices:

http://www.zazzle.com/wedding+stamps?rf=238902456768230498

[elegantscribbles]

The Postman Must Be Paid

Just when you think you've balanced out the number of invitations with the per/person cost of your reception, you're faced with not only the high cost of invitations, but the cost of all those stamps, as well. Sigh. Does the ring of the wedding cash register never end? Prepare yourself for stamp-sticker-shock. Things got complicated a few years ago when the US Postal Service changed its rates from weight-based only to a size+weight-based system. It wasn't so long ago that a piece of mail 1oz or under - whether the envelope was rectangular, square, round, or weirdly shaped - was covered by an average first class stamp. Not anymore. If the envelope is something other than standard rectangle, you have to pay more for postage. It has to do with the width/length ratio as it feeds into the postal machines.

Of course, weight has to be considered. If your invitations are jam-packed with reception information, RSVP cards, table assignments and - yes - the actually invitation, you'll need to weigh it to ensure you have enough postage to get them to your guests. And don't forget: if you include an RSVP card, you'll need a stamp for that, as well. Yes, gone are the days that guests paid postage to let the bride know whether or not they were attending the joyful event. My advice? Once you get your invitations, assemble one (include all the various cards, envelopes, tissue paper, etc.), take it to the post office, and weigh it to make sure you buy adequate postage for both response card enclosures and the whole shebang.

The USPS has a page on its website specifically for wedding mail. It worth reviewing so that you don't get any nasty surprises. The page also includes information about custom stamps from Zazzle, if you have something other than standard stamps or the rings/flower stamp for your invitations. Yes, custom stamps cost a little more, but Elegant Scribbles can highly recommend Zazzle, since Kate used them for her wedding invites. (And the stamps were gorgeous!) Whether you use standard or custom stamps, do take the time to figure out how much to budget for postage, not only for the big invitation, but for save-the-dates and thank you notes. The postman must be paid!

[pmcustomweddings-blog]

Online postage superstore USCustomPostage.com features thousands of wedding themed postage stamps perfect for invitations!

[pmcustomweddings-blog]

Disney Wedding Stamps for Disney fairy tale weddings and Disney themed weddings!

[pmcustomweddings-blog]

Enhance your Spring Wedding invitations with beautiful custom wedding stamps in Spring colors and designs! We have stamps for your March, April, or May wedding.

[modern-wedding-invitations]

Wedding Postage - Not Just for Mailing Wedding Invitations

Invitations for a wedding are actually just one of many wedding-related stationery items you can mail with personalized wedding postage.  In fact, they aren’t even necessarily the first item you can mail to guests using custom wedding stamps.

Read more about some other items you can consider mailing with wedding postage...