I’m often asked “What stamps will I need for my wedding invitations?” or “How much it will cost to send out save the date cards?”.
Of course, I recommend that wherever possible you hand deliver your wedding invitations to ensure they reach your guests in perfect condition. It’s a great excuse to check out their reactions when they open those envelopes too right! But, I’m sure there will be at least a few that need to be posted, so here are my tips to answer all your wedding invite postage questions.
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What stamps for wedding invitations?
Let’s start with the biggest question, what stamps for wedding invitations and how much is it going to cost to post them?
When you post any cards or letters in the UK, the cost depends on the size of the envelope, how thick it is and the weight. To be sent using a standard first or second class stamp, your invitation must be under 100gm in weight, no larger than 24cm x 16.5cm and less than 5mm in thickness. Save the date cards, flat invitations, concertina and pocketfolds with bellybands should be fine with regular stamps, either first or second class.
Adding embellishments (such as wax seals or ribbon bows) to your save the dates or wedding invitations will usually mean the envelope is thicker. Any letter over 5mm thick will need a large letter stamp.
Remember too, particularly with pocketfold invitations or if you are including your own inserts, that any letter weighing over 100g will need a large letter stamp and cost a little more to post.
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Here’s the crunch. If you don’t have the correct postage on your invitations then your guests will be charged the shortfall plus a handling fee before they can get their invitation from the sorting office – awkward! So it’s really important that you have the dimensions and weight of your invitations checked at the post office before posting them.
August 2023 update: non-barcoded stamps
Earlier this year, Royal Mail discontinued postage stamps that do not include a barcode. From 1st August 2023, everyday non barcoded stamps have become invalid for postage. If you use them, the recipient will have to pay to receive their item. Make sure you use the new bar coded stamps for your save the dates, wedding invitations and thank you cards.
What about those invites going abroad?
If you are posting wedding invitations to friends and family around the world then it’s a whole different ball game with postage. My best advice would be to take your wedding invitations to your local post office, have them sized and weighed to ensure you have the correct postage to get them safely to their overseas destination. Don’t forget that the time it takes them to get there will often be much longer than domestic mail, so factor this in to your timeline and don’t expect a reply straight away!
Get a certificate of posting for your wedding invites
Should the worst happen and an invite gets lost in the post, you can only make a claim from Royal Mail if you have a stamped and signed Certificate of Posting. A Certificate of Posting is free, you just need to take your invitations to a Post Office and request it, rather than putting your envelopes into a post box.
If you’re posting a large number of invitations you can download and print a Bulk Certificate of Posting to fill in with the names & addresses beforehand, to speed up the process a little at the counter.
Do you want to upgrade to postal boxes for your wedding invitations?
All my save the dates, wedding invitations and thank you cards are supplied with high quality, coordinating envelopes (usually white, ivory or kraft). For a little extra you can change these for coloured envelopes. or add contrasting liners for a little extra luxe.
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You might also want to consider tissue lined postal boxes for some extra special guests. Or protective card envelopes to help ensure your invitations arrive at their destination in pristine condition. Let me know and I can give you a quote for these. Don’t forget I can also print your envelopes with names and addresses if you would like – again just let me know and I’ll give you a price.
Posting or delivering your wedding invites – it’s all about the size!
In summary, when you are working out what stamps for wedding invitations be sure to check the size, weight and thickness. Wedding invitations that are heavy or have embellishments like ribbon bows and wax seals will often need large letter stamps. Don’t forget to leave extra time for those invites that you need to send overseas. Wedding invite postage is an often overlooked expense and can, if not considered, make an unexpected dent in the budget. I hope my tips help you to factor this in at your planning stage and avoid any unpleasant surprises!
If you’ve found this blog useful, you might want to have a read these other ones
What style of wedding invitation is best for you?
How to address your wedding invites
Useful links to help you get the right stamps for your wedding invitations
Check the current postage rates for letters and large letters with Royal Mail here.
Read about Certificates of Posting from Royal Mail here.
Download a Bulk Certificate of Posting from Royal Mail here
Source: https://antiquewolrd.com
Categories: Stamps
