Postage is one of the most forgotten aspects in a wedding. Most likely, your original quote for wedding invitations doesn’t include the postage. You’re probably wondering, “How much postage do I need on my wedding invitation?” Luckily, I’m breaking down the cost so that wedding invitation postage doesn’t sneak up on you!
How much does wedding invitation postage cost?
Shape, weight, and embellishments determine the cost of your wedding invitation postage. The standard rate for mailing a letter is $0.73. This is true for your typical rectangular lightweight letters. Therefore, most save the dates will only require this much postage unless you include additional embellishments.
However, most wedding invitations weigh more than 1 ounce. Each additional ounce costs a $0.28 on top of the standard rate. Additionally, anything that makes your invitation “non-machinable” costs another $0.46. Are you using a square envelope? Add $0.46. Additionally, there are some embellishments that add this cost. If you have a wax seal, you can expect the higher cost. This is also true for some ribbons tied a certain way. Basically, anything that causes a variation in the thickness of the envelope is considered non-machinable.
By now, I’m sure you’ve figured out what that means…add $0.46!
While this gives a pretty good idea of what your wedding invitation postage will cost, I always recommend getting a full suite weighed at the post office. Getting it weighed at multiple post offices is even better!
What happens if you don’t have enough postage?
If you accidentally send out your wedding invitation without the correct amount of postage, two possible things could happen:
- Your wedding invitations get returned to you. Obviously, this isn’t ideal. Your postage and envelopes will be marked. So, you have to get all new envelopes to re-mail them.
- They get delivered to your guests, but they owe the difference. Yikes! Frankly, this is the worst case scenario. I wouldn’t want your guests to have to pay to be invited to your wedding!
Also, don’t forget to include a $0.73 stamp on your RSVP card envelope! Your guests shouldn’t be responsible for supplying that.
Types of Wedding Invitation Postage
Your first option is standard USPS stamps. Most often, this is the least expensive option. However, you will be pretty limited on styles and colors.
Lastly, you can use vintage postage. The look of vintage postage is absolutely beautiful. There are so many styles to chose from, and you are able to create a group of coordinating stamps that elevate the look of your envelope. However, these are also going to be much more expensive than face value.
What’s my favorite postage option?
Ordinarily, my wedding invitations weigh more than an ounce, and they include an embellishment that makes them non-machinable. Have you gone back to do the math?
Oh right. I guess not everyone loves doing math for fun like me. That comes out to $1.47 each.
Regrettably, there actually aren’t any pretty USPS stamps that add up to $1.47 exactly. So, you have a couple options. Order two $1.01 stamps and pay just over what you need (which never hurts!), one $1.01 stamp and one $0.73 stamp, or choose either a $0.73 or $1.01 stamp from USPS that coordinates and make up the difference in vintage postage. This way, you get the best of both worlds!
Ultimately, the easiest way for you to choose your postage is to have your stationer make recommendations based on your vision for your wedding invitations. Inquire with me, and we can start chatting about your wedding invitation postage!