The Art Of Wedding Invites: Perfect Bundling Techniques

Wedding invitation bundles are a great way to keep all your wedding information in one place for your guests. A wedding invitation bundle typically includes the invitation card, a reception card, a response card, and any enclosure cards with additional information for guests. When assembling your wedding invitation bundle, it's important to consider the order of the cards, postage requirements, and timing for sending out the invitations. You can also elevate the appearance of your bundle with tissue paper, belly bands, or wax seals.

Order of cards in the bundle

When bundling wedding invitations, the order of the cards is important to ensure that everything is neat and easy for your guests to access. Here is a step-by-step guide on how to order the cards in your wedding invitation bundle:

Step 1: Place the Invitation Card First

The invitation card should be the first and largest card in the bundle. This sets the tone for your wedding correspondence and gives your guests a first glimpse of what to expect on your special day. Standard invitation cards are typically sized at 5" x 7".

Step 2: Add the Reception Card

If you have a separate reception card, place it directly on top of the invitation card. This card provides additional details about the wedding reception venue and timing.

Step 3: Include the Response Card

Place the response card under the flap of the response envelope, with the copy facing up. This card allows guests to confirm their attendance and make any necessary meal selections or other requests. The response card and envelope are usually sized at 4.25" x 5.5".

Step 4: Add Any Enclosure Cards

Enclosure cards can include a variety of information, such as maps, directions, accommodation suggestions, itineraries, or recommended activities for destination weddings. Place these cards on top of the response card and envelope. Enclosure cards are typically the same size as the response card, measuring 4.25" x 5.5".

Step 5: Secure with Tissue Paper or a Belly Band

Once you have assembled the invitation suite, you can add a layer of tissue paper on top of the enclosure cards for a delicate touch. Alternatively, use a belly band or a luxe ribbon to hold all the cards together neatly.

Optional Enhancements:

You can further elevate the appearance of your wedding invitation bundle with the following enhancements:

• Wax seals: Add a touch of sophistication with wax seals featuring initials, symbols, or celebratory words.
• Luxe ribbon: Instead of a belly band, use a luxe ribbon to hold the bundle together, giving a personal touch to each invitation.
• Custom monograms: Upload your monogram to add a timeless and personalised touch to your wedding stationery.

Remember, the key is to keep the invitation bundle neat, organised, and easy to read, while also reflecting your unique style and wedding theme.

Tissue paper or vellum

Tissue paper and vellum are both common additions to wedding invitations. They are thin, delicate, slightly translucent papers that are placed over an invitation card and sometimes between each card in the ensemble. They are usually white or cream, and cut to standard sizes.

Tissue Paper

This is a traditional choice, dating back hundreds of years to when invitations were handwritten. Tissue paper was placed over the invitation to prevent smudging and smearing. While modern inks are less prone to smudging, the tradition has continued. Tissue paper is also useful if you are printing your invitations at home, as the ink from an inkjet printer is more likely to smudge.

Vellum

Vellum is a contemporary alternative to tissue paper. It is slightly thicker and heavier, and comes in a variety of colours and sizes. It can also be printed with custom text and designs, whereas tissue paper cannot. However, vellum is not as effective as tissue paper at preventing smudging.

How to Arrange Invitations with Tissue or Vellum

If you are using tissue or vellum, place it over the main invitation wording. If necessary, you can also place it over each card for protection. Then, stack your invitation ensemble from largest to smallest, and insert it into the envelope.

Belly bands or ribbon

Belly bands and ribbons are a great way to add a luxurious and elegant finishing touch to your wedding invitations. They are like a belt that wraps around your invitation suite, keeping all the extra pieces together. Belly bands can be made from a variety of materials such as glitter, metallic shimmer paper, lace, satin or silk ribbon, twine, or vellum. They can be used with pocket fold designs, laser-cut enclosures, or simply wrapped around the individual pieces of your invitation suite.

When choosing a belly band, consider the material and colour that best complement your wedding theme and style. For example, if you want something classic and romantic, go for ivory lace with a champagne shimmer cardstock topper. If you're looking for a more modern and elegant look, try a rose gold glitter band with a custom monogram and date. You can also customise the topper piece with your names, dates, or a simple decorative element.

Belly bands are typically sold in packs of 25, 50, or 100 and can be purchased from online retailers such as Etsy, Amazon, and Zazzle. They are easy to assemble and can be slipped over your invitation pieces before being tucked into the envelope.

Ribbons, on the other hand, offer a more traditional and rustic approach to bundling your wedding invitations. They can be made from materials such as silk, cotton, or chiffon and come in various colours and widths to match your wedding colour palette. Ribbons can be tied in a bow or a simple knot to secure your invitation suite together. They add a delicate and whimsical touch to your invitations, creating a unique and elegant presentation.

Wax seals

How to Make Wax Seals

There are a few different methods for creating wax seals. The traditional way involves melting a stick of wax (imagine a small taper candle) and allowing it to drip directly onto the envelope. An engraved metal stamp is then pressed into the cooling wax before it hardens, leaving an imprint of the design. This method can be messy and time-consuming, so it's best for mixing colours or small quantities.

An alternative method is to use a glue gun with specially-shaped glue gun wax sticks. This is a much faster and easier way to create wax seals. Simply heat the glue gun with the wax inside, release the desired amount of wax onto your envelope, and press down the stamp on the hot wax.

If you don't want to make your own wax seals, you can buy pre-made self-adhesive wax seals, which are like fancy stickers. These are a great option for flat surfaces, but may not work as well with textured materials like string or ribbon.

Tips for Creating Wax Seals

• Assemble everything before melting the wax, so you can work quickly before it hardens.
• If using the glue gun method, dedicate one glue gun to one colour to avoid mixing.
• Keep your metal seal cool by placing it on an ice pack between uses.
• Use quality wax to avoid gunking up your glue gun or metal seal.
• Use parchment paper as a surface to make wax seals, as they're easily removable.
• If adding extra embellishments like flowers or greenery, use dried plants to avoid wilting.
• If your wax seal is sticking to the stamp, try using a small amount of grape seed oil.
• If using wicked wax sticks, don't invert the stick too far to avoid soot ruining the colour.
• If using wax beads, make sure the melting spoon isn't too close to the flame to prevent soot.

Mailing Wax Seals

Weighing and postage

Weighing:

The weight of your wedding invitations will depend on several factors, including the number of inserts, the thickness of the paper, and any embellishments like wax seals or ribbons. It's important to remember that standard postage rates apply to envelopes weighing up to one ounce. Anything heavier will require additional postage. Therefore, it's a good idea to have a fully assembled invitation weighed at your local post office to determine the exact postage required.

Postage:

When it comes to postage, you have a few options:

• Forever Stamps: These are a great option as they cover the cost of first-class postage forever, even if the rates increase after purchase. Forever Stamps are available in various designs, including some under the \"Love/Wedding\" category.
• Postcard Stamps: Postcard stamps are specifically for postcards and cost less than Forever Stamps. They might be useful for save-the-date or RSVP postcards but are unlikely to be sufficient for the main invitation.
• Vintage Stamps: Vintage stamps add a romantic touch to your invitations. However, they often have lower denominations, so you'll need more of them to cover the postage cost. They can also be more expensive to purchase due to their rarity.
• Custom Curated Stamps: You can find vendors, including Etsy and Edelweiss Post, who will curate a set of stamps for you based on your desired colour palette or theme.

Number of Stamps:

The number of stamps you'll need depends on the weight of your invitation suite. For standard-sized envelopes weighing under one ounce, one Forever Stamp is sufficient. However, if your envelope is bulkier or includes additional inserts, you'll need to add extra postage in smaller denominations to cover the difference.

Hand-Cancelling:

If your invitations include wax seals, thick envelopes, or non-standard sizes, they will likely be considered "Non-machinable." In this case, you may want to request hand-cancelling, where a postal worker manually stamps each envelope to prevent it from being processed through a machine, which could damage your invitations. Hand-cancelling usually incurs an additional fee per envelope.

International Postage:

When sending invitations internationally, you don't need to include postage on the RSVP envelope, as most countries will not accept foreign postage. Your guests will need to purchase their own stamps to respond.

Cost-Saving Tips:

To save on postage costs, consider using single-ply paper, avoiding wax seals or knotted ribbons, and limiting inserts to the invitation, details card, and RSVP envelope. This will help keep your invitation within the standard weight and thickness limits, reducing the overall postage cost.

Remember to include postage for all three items in your invitation suite: the RSVP response envelope, the invitation suite outer envelope, and the return postage for the RSVP envelope.

Frequently asked questions