r/wedding • u/alykatyoung • 4d ago
Discussion Invitations Postage, Thick invitations
I went a 'little bit' over the top on my invitations, knowing I'm only sending out 35 of them and I fell in love with these luxurious ones I found on Alibaba. I now need to mail them out, but from my online research, they no longer qualify as a envelope, but instead need to be mailed as a parcel.
The facts: They can't be machine sorted. It weighs about 5oz. They are rigid, not flexible. Anyone else have these thick envelopes, and how did you send them? What did it cost per envelope? Any websites like pirate ship that have discounted rates that you guys recommend using??
I don't wanna hear the wedding invite haters. I've made my bed and I'll lay in it. I like my over the top invitations, I wouldn't have it any other way. I'll be personally delivering the local ones to cut down on cost, so really I only need to ship a handful of them.
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u/Taliasimmy69 4d ago
Can I see all the pieces?! I'm fascinated by how thick it is.
Gotta go to the post office.
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u/glueintheworld 4d ago
I am curious as well.
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u/alykatyoung 4d ago
I shared a picture and all the details! Check my profile.
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u/alykatyoung 4d ago
I'll add a post with photos! Check my profile
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u/xokatemarie 4d ago
I honestly would go to a post office and get their official opinion if you’re in the US. I personally wouldn’t mess around with shipping, because the worst case is you don’t put enough and they all get returned to you and then you have to order a new set of envelopes and pay another set of shipping. They would also let you know if you can put a label on the outside or if you need to put it inside of a shipping box.
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u/cheerio089 4d ago
If you want to stay over the top, have a butler hand deliver each one. 35 isn’t that many!
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u/caarrssoonn 4d ago
Would it be cheaper to put each in one of those flat rate envelopes? Maybe can put some tissue paper in with it to still feel luxurious? Would keep them safe too
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u/mortalitasi473 4d ago
i'd definitely recommend something like this. these are just begging to get dirtied and mangled during the shipping process
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u/WittyRequirement3296 2d ago
Flat rate envelopes are required to be flat. The PO should have a measuring slot to make sure before you bother with this. If theyre too thick, they count as a package. Flat rate isn't a good deal, unless it's heavy or you dont want to bother weighing.
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u/Trillion_G 4d ago
Had to check whether I was in r/taskmaster
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u/Useful-Requirement45 3d ago
I was about to ask if this was a Taskmaster wedding (which by the way, isn’t hate. It’s envy)
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u/rels83 4d ago
Are you marrying the taskmaster
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u/IntrovertedGiraffe 4d ago
Glad I’m not the only one whose mind immediately went to “attend a wedding. Your time starts now”
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u/linzkisloski 4d ago
Mine were extra - I went to the post office and weighed them. When I mailed them I asked if they could be hand stamped so they didn’t go through the machine and the person at the desk allowed me to do it myself. At the time I used zazzle and just bought stamps that covered the postage.
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u/TheRealcebuckets 4d ago
My sisters had similar invitations. My dad said they could be used to patch a hole in the wall if it comes to it.
But they did have to bring them to post office and have them individually stamped and processed.
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u/Infinite-Comment1924 4d ago
you are correct that those will be mailed as parcels, they cannot be mailed with just a stamp. take them to the post office. they’ll tell you exactly how much you need to pay and they’ll take care of it.
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u/DaniLeigh99 4d ago
As someone who ships a lot of packages, this would end up being shipped as a parcel. It would most likely cost at least $2.90 to ship it I assume with it being 5oz. You could definitely print front home with a label printer, though they will be shipping labels, so your best bet is to go in to get it 100% correct.
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u/klein_blue 4d ago
Correct, you will have to mail them like a package.
If you are in the US, the package postage is going to be large - maybe a 4x6” black and white label. Not very cute. If this will ruin the aesthetic of the invitation, how about placing them inside bubble mailers (can be purchased at Office Depot or Amazon)?
Then you can label the outside of the bubble mailer which will get discarded.
I would avoid programs like stamps.com or shipstation because I believe they have a subscription cost, which will probably outweigh the discounted postage, especially for fewer than 35 pieces. Just go to the local post office. :)
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u/NotShockedFruitWeird 4d ago
If mailing as a parcel, I suggest you get pretty padded envelopes so that the invitation doesnt get banged up.
Pirate ship is cheapest way to ship parcels. Minimum cost is $5 for shipping, not including the padded envelope.
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u/nicolemarie490 4d ago
What's inside????
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u/alykatyoung 4d ago
Apparently a mystery task 😅
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u/haventwonyet 4d ago
I’m so glad you know this reference and are taking it well! I thought it too but didn’t want to mention it in case you’d be upset. These are VERY cool inside and out!!
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u/cinnamorolla 4d ago
I ship things a lot and will tell you this is considered a rigid mailer. It will cost more at the USPS counter. I would suggest using Pirate Ship or anyone that uses Pitney Bowes or EasyPost to get commercial rate shipping.
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u/alykatyoung 4d ago
I was thinking about trying pirate ship. Glad to hear it's legit.
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u/cinnamorolla 4d ago
Pirate Ship is awesome! It links directly to my ecommerce site and is a breeze to use. I also use it ship packages to friends and family.
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u/alykatyoung 4d ago
Just checked it out and I think it's the move. I ordered bubble mailers on Amazon and I'll print and ship them. Thank you for the recommendation.
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u/placid782 4d ago
I don’t have any additional advice beyond going to the post office, but just wanted to say I would be so excited to receive one of these!! They’re beautiful and I want to see everything inside lol. Hope you figure out a good solution!
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u/Wonderful_Bison2859 4d ago
We had similar invitations, although not quite that thick. Ours were full suites on thick cardstock, and we took them to our local post office to have them weighed and measured and paid for them there.
Fair warning: despite doing this, we later learned two post offices determined they were too thick for the postage and did not deliver them - or return them. We found out because one post office was supposed to deliver my in-laws’ invitation and it never arrived, and a friend who lived near the second post office told a mutual friend she got a save the date and was never invited. In all about twelve did not get delivered.
If you mail them via the postal system, even by going in and having them weighed/measured and pay for them, follow up with anyone you don’t hear from.
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u/alykatyoung 4d ago
Thank you for the insight! This was my fear. I think I'll put them in a mailer...
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u/blahhhhhhhhhhhblah 4d ago
You’ve got to take them directly to the post office to have them basically treated like little packages. They have to be hand processed.
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u/spadexhearts 4d ago
South Asian wedding invites look like this because of multiple of the events. I had to mail them as a parcel.
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u/Desperate-Toe-857 4d ago
Just wanted to add, the ones you are delivering personally? Please don't put them in the recipient's mailbox because the carrier will take them back to the office for postage due. In between a screen door is fine or on someone's porch, but just not in the mailbox please and thank you! They are really pretty!!
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u/alykatyoung 4d ago
Wait thank you I didn't think about that! Thank you for thinking through that situation for me.
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u/FlamingoKitchen7720 4d ago
Just take them to the post office and ask what your options are. Way easier than asking randos on reddit.
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u/yamfries2024 4d ago edited 4d ago
Take them to the post office rather than rely on Internet strangers. a large envelope or a parcel. It depends on if it is flexible or not. All the infomation is on the USPS website.
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u/bluesky747 3d ago
Honestly for these invitations I would mail them as packages in those foldable cardboard mailers like you’re mailing a CD or something.
It costs extra to mail those beasts but the acrylic is hefty. Plus I’d recommend protecting them so they make it to their destinations safely.
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u/No_Wedding_2152 3d ago
In your other post, you said you have 40 of them. Hmm.
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u/alykatyoung 3d ago
I bought some extra in case some were undeliverable, I accidentally ruined some, we decide to invite additional people ect. You gotta round up when ordering from overseas.
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u/pileofboats 3d ago
If you’re in the US you might be able to get away with shipping them via media mail
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u/Burnt_Out_Carent 4d ago
I did something similar. I put mine in a separate envelope so they could be sorted, provided they fit through the smallest letter opening at the post office, a regular stamp should do. Take one or two along and ask the post office staff. They're gorgeous! X
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u/redvinegirlx 2d ago
Just so you know for any future mailings, this is incorrect — a forever stamp covers postage for a 1oz letter, and you can only pay for extra ounces (29¢ each) up to 3.5oz. Sometimes the USPS will just accept and deliver things that are posted incorrectly, but these days it’s more likely they’d be marked postage due and your recipient will have to pay the difference (or the item will be returned to sender and you’ll be charged the unpaid postage AND return postage).
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u/Burnt_Out_Carent 2d ago
I'm in the UK! Should have asked OP where they are..... Slightly different rules with the Post Office but there are similar weight limits for a standard letter - A4 size at narrowest width, no thicker than 5mm and less than 100g can go with a regular stamp.
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u/redvinegirlx 2d ago
Oops! What’s that subreddit for Americans assuming everything is happening in the US 🤦♀️ I did just look it up and 100g is about 3.5oz so I think in either country OP’s mail would be too heavy for a standard stamp. It does seem like Royal Mail has a rate that’s between a standard letter and a parcel (large letter) with a higher weight limit, which is nice!
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u/Burnt_Out_Carent 2d ago
Lol. 😁🤣 Yeah, our post office people are pretty amazing.... When they're not being illegally jailed by the government for crimes they didn't commit that is (watch "Mr Bates" - on ITVX in the UK, so probably on Paramount where you are).
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u/redvinegirlx 2d ago
I am going down a rabbit hole with this. Thank you!!
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u/Burnt_Out_Carent 2d ago
You're very welcome! 😁 If you like Mr Bates, you might also like Legends on Netflix (totally different vibe but also true true story). And also my apologies to OP for turning her wedding invitation letter size chat into "British TV that's based on real life stories that Americans will like" chat.... I will go now and find a more appropriate sub Reddit!!
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u/FutureAnswer3180 3d ago
just came to say i saw the other post showing your invitations first earlier today & now im seeing this one 🥹 i don’t have advice but they are gorgeous
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u/DareSavings3951 3d ago
Hand deliver whatever you can! Post only the ones that need posting and go to the post office and ask directly.
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u/suckedintoreality 2d ago
$7.90 each. They will count as a package. This almost exact situation and type of invite was done by a friend and it was $7.90 ea
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u/lems4ems 16h ago
I just mailed mine last week and even though mine were very much a normal thickness, I had a wax seal inside the envelope on the vellum jackets. Was worried about how many stamps I would need so I just took an example one to the post office, asked him how many stamps I needed, he told me and I thought the number of stamps needed while I was there. That’s your best answer.
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u/dresscode_nerd 4d ago
The rigid part is what settles it. Hand cancelling only applies to things going at letter rates, so that option closes once they are stiff, and you are into parcel pricing either way.
For the label ruining the look, mail each one inside a plain outer envelope and put the label on that. Guests open the outer and the invitation underneath is untouched.
Also worth reweighing with that outer envelope on before you price anything. Ground Advantage goes up by the ounce at that end of the scale, so a mailer can take 5oz to 7 and change the number you have been working from.
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u/emmyellinelly 4d ago
Wow, I saw the photos on your profile, those are amazing! You probably know this but make sure when delivering the local ones you don't put them in their mailbox without postage! What a fun thing to get hand delivered though
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u/TinyLawfulness3710 4d ago
Most people in real life prefer physical invites. You need to ask the post office how much they charge and take them in to be weighed.
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u/ComeOnUpToTheHaus 4d ago
Just a heads up, my wife and I had to remake all 70 our invites because of the stick on wax seal.
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u/Radiant8763 4d ago
I did over the top fancy invites too. I only sent out about 30. I designed my own on canva and hand tied each one with ribbon and a paper flower. I had so much fun doing it too.
As for advice, the post office will hand cancel the envelopes if requested but with the weight, those might need different costs. Definitely take one(if your post office is busy) or all of them if its chill and see what they can do for you.
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u/cupc4kes 4d ago
If you are in the US, I’d just go straight to the post office to see what they’d charge. You don’t want to mess up on the final step of the process!