Save the Date Announcements
If your guest list includes many family members and close friends who don’t live nearby, you may want to send out Save the Date cards once your event date has been confirmed. Doing so will provide your guests ample time to reserve the date on their calendars and to make travel
arrangements with plenty of time to spare.
Response Card Tips
Your response cards should request that your guests return them by a date that is at least two to three weeks prior to your event. To avoid receiving a response that is illegible, or one on which your guest forgot to include his/her name, we recommend you ‘number code' each response card
– that is, assign each guest/couple a number, which you record on a sheet of paper you keep. Then, lightly and in small print, write that number in a corner on the back of the card before inserting it in the outer envelope of that guest’s invitation. By doing so, if a response comes back to you without a name, you can refer to your number code list to
determine who sent back that particular response card.
Mailing Your Invitations
Invitations to a major event, eg. a wedding or bar/bat mitzvah, should be mailed out six to eight weeks prior to the event. Be sure to verify your address list and any questionable zip codes before having your envelopes addressed. For those of
you who are computer saavy, you can easily look up, online, the zip codes for every city and town.
Postage
Before going to the post office to determine the number of stamps you’ll need for each invitation, assemble a complete invitation, including all of the components pieces you plan to enclose. These may include items such as the response card and envelope, reception card, direction card,
hotel reservation information card, etc.
First, ask the postal clerk to weigh the response card to be sure you’ll only need one stamp on the response envelope; then have the clerk weigh the completely assembled invitation. You will probably want to view the selection of decorative stamps the post office offers before making
your purchase. Once you decide which stamps you would like for your invitations, be sure to purchase more than the required total amount, in the event you decide to add some guests to your guest list at the last minute.
Also, be sure to anticipate any other unusual needs. For example, if your event is taking place shortly after a postal rate increase, but your invitations are being mailed out before the increase goes into effect, make sure your response card envelopes have the new stamps with the appropriate amount of postage.
Seal and Peel Envelopes
If you are looking to save time and eliminate extra stress, you can order peel and stick, self-seal outer envelopes from most print houses for an additional fee.
Baby Boy or Baby Girl?
If you and your spouse have decided not to find out the sex of your baby until its arrival, you might save yourself some extra time and stress by pre-selecting two announcements: the one you want if you have a baby girl and the one you want if you have a baby boy. Once the baby has arrived, all you’ll have to do is contact your dealer and place the order for the appropriate card.
Reception Cards
If your event is being followed by a reception at a different location, you will probably want to include a reception card which identifies the location, exact address, and the time of the celebration. By doing so, you avoid overcrowding the text on your primary invitation.
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