Happy Monday everyone! Hope everyone enjoyed the weekend. Time to focus once again on your event and your invitation components!Today, I thought I'd tackle an element that, for some clients seems to be an afterthought. Your outer envelope's RETURN ADDRESS. Don't even think about NOT doing one, and labels just won't do. I know that some feel labels are just fine, but a hastily applied (and sometimes inkjet smeared) label on the back of your outer envelope will say more about your event than you want it to. If your event is important, and once-in-a-lifetime, it should look and feel that way.
To clarify, I'm not talking about Save the Dates. Those are more fun, cool, hip, etc. I am strictly talking about the formal wedding invitation. Not only should the appearance of the return address correspond to your invitation, you want to have it in case there is a breach in your guest list. The U.S.P.S. will destroy invites sent to an inaccurate address if there is no return indicated.
1. Purchase a custom rubber stampI can't think of a better item to invest in at the outset of your wedding planning. This address can be used on SO many items. Especially if your event has a ton of moving parts that require separate invitations and mailings, i.e the bridal shower, rehearsal dinner, etc. There are also so many different styles, readily available and simply waiting to be customized with your names and location.
Antiquiara.com
2. Letterpress your back flaps if you've letterpressed your invitesLetterpress return addresses are not as cost prohibitive as you think they might be. A great resource for letterpress in Chicago is Accucolor.
From: Calliespondence.com
3. Emboss your back flapsSimilar to the rubber stamps, great investment as you will use this again and again. Great thing about the embossing method is that there is no messy ink to manage.
Embosser from Paper-Source.com
Other return addressing tips...
Return address CAN feature address only
Return address with design motif/ornaments
- Determine sooner vs. later exactly WHO will be receiving the returned envelopes. (i.e. You, the mother of the bride, the wedding coordinator, etc.)
- If you elect not to use your first and last name with your return address, the U.S.P.S. will STILL deliver
- Be sure to indicate suite or apartment number if you live in a multi-unit dwelling
- Typically, digital calligraphers will print up to 3 lines on the return address. Additional lines will add to your costs so be brief
- Colored ink will typically cost more than black ink
- Careful when using colored envelopes. Standard inks are for the most part translucent. If you try to print a light colored ink onto a darker envelope, you will have legibility issues
- If you are passionate about printing white on say a navy or black envelope, you will have to pay for a more expensive printing method... Like foil stamping or screen printing...
- Consider having a design around your return address. If the motif has been used on your invitations, better still. It will tie everything together nicely... Be sure to ask the printer if there is a minimum and maximum size for this artwork before getting your heart set on a design that cannot be acheived
--ct
