Etiquette, Assembling Invitations, Addressing and Mailing Invitations, etc.
FORMAT FOR CALLIGRAPHY
If I am doing your calligraphy for the addresses I would prefer that you type out all addresses into a Word document (or similar program) like this:
Mr. and Mrs. Jude Evans
4567 Sierra Vista Boulevard
Glendale, Arizona 85374
or
Mr. Sean Evans (and Guest) <---the ( ) lets me know that this goes on the inner
111 South Hampton Court
Sierra Vista, Arizona 85906
Often people like to make collumns and have all the names in one column, all the addresses in another and although it looks neat and organized, it is very difficult for a calligrapher to follow the lines across the page when writing in the above format--it is much easier if the addresses are typed exactly as they will be written on the envelope.
Also, I please bring atleast 15% more envelopes than you will need to account for last minute changes to your list and human error.
Please see the attached word document directly below for specific information concerning wording and etiquette for addressing your invitations.
wedding_invitation_envelope_wording_etiquette.doc | |
File Size: | 38 kb |
File Type: | doc |
More tips for Proper Etiquette when addressing envelopes:
1) When addressing your invitation/announcement envelopes, use your most elegant penmanship or improve plain handwriting with special calligraphy pens (or hire a calligrapher! :)
2) Use full names and formal titles. Do not abbreviate.
3) Do not use symbols. Spell out the word "and."
4) Do not use initials. Spell out all names.
5) Do not write "and family" if children are to be included in the invitation--write out their names on the inner envelope.
6) Writing numbers is ok on the street address and zip code.
7) Write out the words "Street," "Boulevard," "Avenue," "North," "West," "Northwest," etc.
8) Do not abbreviate state names.
9) It is considered proper etiquette to write "and guest" on the inner envelope when you don't know your guest's escort, but when possible, find out their name and write it as well.
RULES FOR THE POST OFFICE:
1) Mail your invitations 6-8 weeks in advance (10 weeks if they are going over seas)--so that means order your invitations atleast 4 months in advance if possible. Allow atleast 2 weeks for calligraphy. If needed, rush orders are available for invitations and/or calligraphy at an additional cost.
2) Mail all invitations at the same time using first class postage. If you are enclosing response cards, be sure to include stamps on the return envelopes as well.
3) Assembled ensembles often require additional postage. To avoid having all your envelopes marked up by the post office and returned to you, take a completely assembled ensemble, including all envelopes and enclosures to your post office to determine the proper postage.
4) Be sure to include a return address on the outer envelope. Invitations/announcements returned to the post office will allow you to invite those individuals personally.
5) When you take your invitations to the Post Office it is essential that you ask them to HAND CANCEL your invitations! You paid a lot of money for these and the last thing you want to happen is have their machines shred them to bits (it happens all the time!) And I would suggest that you ask them to do it in front of you because sometimes they say they will do them later when they have more time and then they forget...and then they just stick them in the big bins and they get run through with all the rest of the mail. So either come at a time when the Post Office isn't that busy or or I've had brides who stood off to the side, they gave them the stamp, and they hand canceled the invitations for them (and then workers can check them quickly to make sure you did them all and that will save them a lot of time). Hand canceling also prevents the silly advertisments they integrate in the canceling maching. When it goes through the machine you'll likely get an advertisment for the latest stamp they are selling or "Happy Holidays" if it is Christmas time. And often it smears on it's way out. Look through your mail today and you'll see what I mean. On the other hand, when the stamp is hand canceled it is a nice neat circle with the date and location. Very classic.
***NEW updated information concerning hand canceling!!! If you are located in Maricopa County my brides have had a lot of trouble with the post office system running them through the machine despite them already being hand canceled! The brides will mail them from their local post office and have them hand canceled, which then goes to the MAIN post office in Phoenix (all mail goes through this post office). So once it gets to the main Phoenix post office, they just run it through the machine anyway! So you end up with a hand canceled stamp from your local city, then all the machine stuff from Phoenix! What a mess! So one bride figured out that if you go to the main post office in Phoenix and ask them directly to hand cancel and do not run it through the machine--that seemed to work. It might be a bit of a drive, but worth it for how much you paid! Oh, and also good to note, a different bride went to her local post office in Glendale and they wanted to charge .25 per envelope to hand cancel them! In all my years of calligraphy I have never heard of this one! Nor in any state that I have lived in! They made that one up all on their own! So don't ever pay- just go down to the main post office in Phoenix and get it done for free and then you can be sure not to have it ran through the machine. (see map at the bottom of the page for main location)
WHAT'S THE POINT OF THE INNER ENVELOPE AND DO I EVEN NEED IT?
There is a point-- it serves to let your guests know who exactly is invited and doubly protect your invitation.
The outer envelope is mainly for the post office--it gets your envelope to the head of the household. The inner envelope is where you list everyone's name who is invited and where you would list "and guest". When you try and put all of that information onto an outer envelope along with the address it gets very squishy. All that info should go on an inner envelope. The inner envelope is also a great place to let parents of children know whether or not their children are invited. Let's say you are having an adult only reception and the 2 oldest children may come but not the 2 babies, on the inner envelope you would list the names of all invited and tactfully exclude the babies or young children.
An interesting tidbit of knowledge: Before the advent of the post office, invitations were delivered by footmen. Due to the nature of his occupation, the footman's hands were dirty and soiled. Any correspondence that he delivered became soiled as well. To avoid the embarrasment of a guest receiving an invitation in a soiled envelope, invitations were delivered in 2 envelopes. The soiled outer envelope would be discarded, and the invitation would be presented in the clean inner envelope. The inner envelope showed just the names of those receiving the invitation. There was no address on it, as the invitation was already at its destination. (From Crane's Blue Book of Stationary)
ASSEMBLING YOUR INVITATIONS:
After the invitation/announcement is folded, place the protective tissue over the printed wording. The reception card is always placed next to the invitation/announcement with the other enclosures in front.
If the printed wording is on the inside of a single fold invitation/announcement, enclosure cards should be placed inside.
If the invitation is folded once with the printed wording on the front (and usually blank on the inside), enclosures are placed inside the second fold.
If the invitation/announcement is an accordion fold, french fold, or tri-fold, enclosures are placed inside the second fold. Before the response card is inserted, it should be tucked under the flap of the response envelope.
INSERTING INVITATIONS INTO THE ENVELOPES
The invitation/announcement is inserted in the inner envelope with the folded edge first and the printed wording or cover design facing you. This is so when your guests pull the invitation out they won't have to flip it all around and the enclosures won't fall out.
After that, the inner envelope is placed, unsealed, in the outer envelope with the front of the inner envelope facing you. This is so when your guests pull the inner envelope out, they will see right away who is invited.
The Phoenix Main Post Office (where to take your invitations to have them hand canceled)
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