Beach Wedding Invitation Adorned With Shells

For many of our printable wedding invitations, you have a choice of single, double unlined, or double lined envelopes, a choice dependent upon tradition and personal preference. However, if you are not familiar with these three envelope terms, the choice may be confusing. So what is the difference between these three types of envelopes?

Single Envelopes

Just as the name implies, a single envelope is one outer envelope that houses your invitation. It has a gum seal so that after you place your invitation inside, you can simply moisten the seal, stamp, and mail.

Double Envelopes

One of the most commonly asked questions we get is what is a double envelope? Simply put, a double envelope is a set of two envelopes, an inner envelope that houses the invitation, response items, etc., and an outer envelope that houses the inner envelope and all of its components. The outer envelope has a gum seal for mailing purposes, but an inner envelope has no seal, and is traditionally left unsealed for guests' courtesy. Based on very old wedding tradition, the outer envelope is designed to protect the inner envelope from the rigors of mailing. The outer envelope may get marked up in the mail, but the inner envelope remains in great shape for guests to view.

Double Envelopes With or Without Lining

Double envelopes are available with or without a colorful lining. Double envelopes without lining are referred to as double unlined envelopes. Double envelopes in which the inner envelope has a colorful lining are termeddouble lined envelopes.

Smudging on invitation card stock can usually be contributed to the type of paper card stock, the type of ink and the printing process.

• Some common printing processes are inkjet, laser printing, offset, and letterpress. Some card stocks and papers perform better when inkjet printed while others do better with laser technology. On each of our product pages we do indicate our recommendations. The more conventional print methods such as offset or thermograpy should not have smudging issues.
• Different Inks and toners are made differently from manufacturer to manufacturer therefore some may require more drying time than others. We do suggest using the ink brands recommended by your printer manufacturer.

Some people might benefit from the Perfect Printing Pouch and suggest reading Is the Perfect Printing Pouch for inkjet only?

If you don't have Microsoft Word installed on your PC, you can use OpenOffice.org, a free, open-source office suite that includes Writer, a program that can open our Word templates. Here is some more information on alternative programs to print invitations

After you spend time creating your own invitations, you want to ensure they arrive at your guests homes looking as great as they did leaving yours. So how do you guarantee your invitations will arrive in great condition? Next to hand delivery, your best bet for protecting your invitations against the potential rigors of mailing - marking, bending, and tearing - is to request that your invitations are hand canceled.

What does "hand cancel" mean?

Cancellation refers to the markings that the postal service puts on stamped mail to prevent the stamps from being re-used; in current times, this marking is typically created by automated high speed machinery, and most often is a large, red, rectangular stamp. While these machines are quick and convenient, mail that goes through them run the risk of being bent, marked up, and even torn - risks you do not want to take with formal invitations.

Hand canceling, as the names implies, means that each invitation will be post marked by hand, not machinery, thus eliminating the aforementioned risk factors - and the aforementioned unattractive red stamp.

How do I get my invitations hand canceled?

After completing your invitations, bring your finished ensemble into your local post office and simply request that they are hand canceled. Most (not all) post offices will have no problem with this, as it is common practice with formal mail. Depending on your local branch, be prepared to be asked to stamp your own invitations, or told that they can be hand canceled on another day.

Additional tips for safe invitation arrival

Always check with your local post office about the cost of postage prior to mailing. Keep in mind that square invitation envelopes will cost more to send, and mail that weighs over one ounce will also have a surcharge. So check fist and eliminate the Return to Sender stamped across your invitation envelopes.

Consider sending a test invitation to yourself and/or a friend or relative who lives far away. Simply bring a finished ensemble to the post office, determine the appropriate postage, request that it is hand canceled, and see how it arrives. Of course if it arrives safely and free or markings, bends, or tears, you can feel more confident in sending the rest out to your guests.

It is recommended that a sample of a completed invitation with all of its enclosures be brought to the post office for a clerk to actually weigh. Please note: The weight of an invitation is not the only variable that determines the postage due on your invitations. The overall dimensions of the outer envelope, although within standard weight requirements, may require additional postage. For example all square invitation envelopes mailed in the USA, regardless of weight, will require extra postage. So, it is always suggested to let the post office see the invitation ensemble before affixing postage.