Let’s talk envelopes. We all know how easy it is to take a sticker label and slap it onto your envelope. But, before you take that sticker and put it on your wedding invitation, let us talk about why you shouldn't.

Wedding invitations aren’t like typical cards you would send out in the mail. Wedding invitations are special and require extra care. The type of care and attention to detail that does not include sticker labels. So… what do you do? It might sound like a lot of work and rather tedious, but we recommend having them hand-written (by you or a calligrapher) or printed out on the envelopes. 

When guests receive your invitation in the mail and see the detail and time you spent, it will really go far. You may think that people don’t even take the time to look at the envelope, but it is the first thing they see when they get your invitation and therefore it is their first impression. So, make it a good one!

There are many options for addressing your envelopes that do not include stickers. You could hand-write yourself (or delegate to a friend or family member), opt for calligraphy, or have them printed onto the envelopes. Moral of the story, sticker labels may be convenient, but they are not the way to go for your wedding invitations.

One of the last things you want (and might not even expect) when shipping out your wedding invitations is the risk of damage. The first impression of your wedding begins with the invitation, so you want to do everything you can to ensure they arrive to your guests looking as beautiful as you imagined.

Most mail is cancelled by a machine, which leaves those lines and date over the postage stamp. This rough process through the machine could cause wedding invitations (especially bulky and intricate ones) to rip and become damaged. So what should you do to avoid this from happening to your invitations? Have them hand-cancel (or hand-stamped).

It takes time for post office employees to hand-cancel and hand-sort your invitations so go to the post office at an off-peak hour and talk to them about having your invitation envelopes hand-cancelled.  It is a time consuming process so be extra kind. Hand-cancelling should not have an extra price tag but some post offices are starting to charge for this service.

The two main benefits of this process is your envelope not having so much ink all over it, so it looks nicer and it lowers the risk of damage or a blemished envelope so that your guests will get a cleaner first impression!

You've already taken the time to have beautiful invitations for your guests and it is well worth the extra time talking to the post office and getting your wedding invitations hand-cancelled!

~Julia Costello

When you are addressing your invitations it is important to use the correct prefixes for your guests.  When you address someone the proper way it is a sign as a respect and we are here to help understand the differences between Miss, Ms. and Mrs. Keep reading to learn when you should use each prefix and how they differ!

 Miss

This prefix is used to address young girls who are not married and are under the age of 18. Miss can be a bit of a juvenile term, so if a woman is over 18 and not married, we suggest using the term Ms. 

Ms. 

This prefix can be used for any woman regardless of her marital status. It can be used interchangeably and is a catch-all, neutral term. If you are unsure if a woman is married, it is safe to use Ms. to address them. 

Mrs. 

This prefix is used for women who are married or have been married (such as a widow). 

We hope these short descriptions help you to differentiate between which prefixes you should use and when!

~Julia Costello

When it comes to prepping your invitations to be sent out in the mail, figuring out what postage you need can be tricky. Lucky for you, we have just the right information to help you make the decision!

There are many factors that play into selecting the right stamp for your wedding invitations. Some of these factors include the weight, size, thickness and shape of your invitation, as well as the location you are mailing the invitations and how fast you would like your guests to receive your invitations. Heavier or oddly shaped invitations will require a higher postage rate. Shipping your invitations outside of the US will cost more money too. All of these factors are important when considering postage for your invitations.

If your invitation is 1 ounce or lighter, you will need a stamp which is currently $0.58. For invitations that are a bit heavier, between 1 and 2 ounces, you will need a first-class stamp, which currently costs $0.78/per stamp and between 2 and 3 ounces is currently $0.98/per stamp. Invitations that are an odd size require a first-class “odd size” stamp that is currently start at $0.88/per stamp.

It is always important, even with the above information, to take one of your invitations to the post office and ask them what type of postage is best for your invitation. This will help ensure that you have the right postage that suits your invitation. 

Another important thing to keep in mind is that there is an expected increase in postage rates coming this July. The above rates are likely to change as a result. 

We hope this information will help take some of the stress out of mailing your invitations!

~Julia Costello

If you have never heard of a wedding website and are interested in learning more, you are in the right place! Wedding websites are a simple, easy way of having one central location for all the important information regarding you and your spouse’s wedding. You can’t include every little detail about your wedding on a save the date or invitation, so having a website allows your guests to have access to all the important information and any updates/changes that come up.

So how do your guests find your wedding website? The easiest way to make it accessible to your guests is by putting it on your save the dates or invitations! Once your guests know where to find your website, they can easily check it for all important items such as accommodations for guests (hotels, etc.), wedding registry, COVID-related updates, and so on. And you can get a free website on The Knot, Wedding Wire or Zola, to name three.

 Creating a wedding website is super easy and you can include all the information you want your guests to know! Having a website makes it quick and efficient for your guests to be in the know about your big day, especially if you need to change/update anything in terms of COVID protocols.

 All the items I have mentioned above are some of the many reasons why wedding websites are becoming increasingly popular among couples today! Look into creating a wedding website with your spouse and have fun with it! This is a great way to get creative with the design and incorporate details that will be in your wedding!

~Julia Costello

For years and years, couples have been giving their wedding guests favors as a “thank you” for attending their special day. It has become a tradition for couples to do this. Typical wedding favors are things like desserts, customized items, plants, and so on. Have you ever thought about giving a nontraditional, but more special favor to your guests? Well if that sounds interesting to you, keep reading!

Something that has become more popular in recent years is the idea of giving a donation in lieu of wedding favors. This is an especially good idea if you and your significant other have a charity or foundation that you are very passionate about. Even if you do not have a charity that you already support, it is always a good idea to find one that means something to you!

Once you have selected a charity or foundation that is special to you, you will then make a donation in honor of each of your guests. This is a great way to give back to charity while also making your guests feel special.

You can send in your donation ahead of time (your guest do not need to know the amount) and ask the charity to send you a letter that you donated money so you can display the letter at your reception.

Below are different ways you can choose to inform your guests about the donation. And you can have them printed out for your guests on the cermony programs, cards left on their dinner plate or on the bottom of their menu.

“In lieu of a wedding favor, a donation has been made in your honor to *insert charity/foundation/organization name*”

“With much thought and consideration, we have chosen a special way to say thank you for sharing our special day. In lieu of traditional favors we have made a donation in your honor to the *insert charity/foundation/organization name*”

We hope that you consider incorporating this special idea into your wedding day!

~Julia Costello

Please watch the video of Julia explaining a great tip!

Watch it click here!

Traditionally, when it comes to weddings, guests tend to give a gift to the couple, most often a gift that is selected from the couple’s registry. Although that is customary for most weddings, there are some couples who do not want gifts. In this article we are going to talk about why that is and how you can make it noted on your invitation!

For many couples who get married when they are older in age, gifts are not a necessity, nor are they wanted if the couple already has many belongings. Another time when a no gifts wedding may seem more fit is if the couple has been living together for a long time and already has all the needed household items. Or there are times when couples are about to move and would rather not have as many boxes to pack. Whatever the case may be, there are ways to state it on your invitation and even other alternatives you can ask for as opposed to physical gifts.

For many guests who will attend a no gifts wedding, they will still want to show their love and generosity in some way. One thing that some couples hosting a no gifts wedding opt to do is asking for their guests to donate to a charity of the couple’s choice. By doing this, guests can still give a gift, and one that will have more meaning to the couple than a physical gift may have. Options of wording for your invitation if you would like to have your guests make a charitable donation are below!

  “If you are thinking of giving a gift to help us on our way, a gift of cash towards *insert charity name*, would really make our day.”

 “We want you to know that it is your presence not your presents that’s important to us, however if you would like to bless us with a gift then money towards *insert charity name* will be most appreciated.”

 For couples who do not want any form of gift at all, there are definitely ways to state it on your invitation to get your point across nicely to your guests! Below are a few options to consider!

 “We would prefer that our guests don't bring gifts. We feel blessed enough that you're choosing to spend the day with us.”

 “Having lived on our own so long, we've amassed everything we could possibly need for our home. As such, we kindly request no gifts.”

 “We prefer your presence rather than your presents! We kindly request no gifts.”

 These ideas are just a few of the many ways to state a no gifts wedding on an invitation. Sometimes making decisions for your wedding will be difficult, but it is always important to remember to do what makes you as a couple the happiest!

~Julia Costello

The holiday season is right around the corner, so it is the perfect time to start thinking about who you will send holiday cards to this year! As I am sure you have realized in recent years, sending holiday cards has become less and less popular than it used to be. This could be for many reasons, some including the rise of digital media, cost, or people being too busy to put one together. Regardless of the reason, a tradition that many people used to partake in is starting to fade out. We believe sending holiday cards is an important gesture, and here is why.

In previous years sending a holiday card, like a Christmas card for example, was a nice gesture to update people you care about of the highlights of your year. Whether that is sharing big milestones that took place in the year or just nice pictures of your family, sending a card was a kind gesture for your loved ones to receive. In recent years, though, the task of sending Christmas cards or any holiday card in general has become more of a chore for most people. There is one simple reason why we should still be sending holiday cards, and that is that it is kind to let people know that you are thinking of them.

COVID-19 has been a struggle for most people in the world. It has caused many people to feel alone, especially due to the lack of personal contact. This year gives people even more of a reason to send a holiday card as a simple gesture to let people know you are thinking of them this holiday season, especially since the pandemic has been such a difficult time. Whether you are a business sending a holiday card to your employees, or just someone that wants to send one to family and friends, consider making the effort this holiday season to help spread love and positivity.

Here are some ideas we have thought of to help make this process easier for you! If you are a business, you can send a holiday card with a nice message and possibly a gift of some sort to reward your hard-working employees. For a holiday card to send to family and friends, you can include some nice photos from the year of your family or milestones that occurred!

We hope that this helps you to spread positivity, love, and joy this holiday season!

~Julia Costello

If you have ever planned a wedding, or gone to one, you certainly know all about registries. In a nutshell, a wedding registry is a list of gifts that couples have chosen for their guests to shop from. A wedding registry makes the gift-buying process much easier for guests. Now, with this being said, why should you keep it from your wedding invitation?

To begin, wedding invitations can contain a lot of information, which oftentimes is difficult to navigate. You want to ensure that all of the important details come across to your guests. It is typically a known fact that when you are invited to a wedding you bring a gift, or send one if you cannot attend. This, for starters, is a reason in itself why the registry information should not be placed anywhere on your wedding invitation. Another reason, and maybe an even more important one, is that you do not want it to appear that you are demanding gifts from your guests. A wedding invitation shows your guests that you truly want them at your wedding. If you add registry information to your invitation, it could appear that you want a gift just as badly as you want your guest to come. At the end of the day, you do not want to come off as ungrateful.

Since it is not recommended to put registry information on your wedding invitation, let’s talk about other ways to get that information out. Most commonly, couples choose to include their registry information on a bridal (or couple’s) shower invitation. Another great idea is to have a wedding website, where a couple can include all important wedding details (like registry information and photos)!

Wedding invitations are not the place for registry information, but there are definitely great alternatives to help get the word out. It is always important that your guests know how important THEIR presence is at your special day, and you do not want gifts to get in the way of that!

~Julia Costello