Tips on Sending Invitations

Gather your lists of invitees before you order the invitations. Order at least 25 more invitations than you think you will need (to cover mistakes in addressing, re-mailing to a current address, last minute “must haves”). It’s much more expensive to re-order than to order more than you need at the beginning. Type/print the list of names with the appropriate titles: Mr., Mrs., Dr., Ms., Reverend, Captain, Lieutenant, Rabbi, Fr., Messrs., Honorable, etc. If a widow: Mrs. John Smith. If divorced: Mrs. Susan Smith. For children over 18 and living at home, they receive their own invitation or are listed separately on their parent’s: Mr. & Mrs. John Smith Ms. Melissa Smith If inviting two people sharing a home or living together, or a married couple with different names, use both full names: Dr. Susan Davis Mr. James Rosser If inviting children under 18, their individual names (or, ‘and Family’) are listed below their parent’s names on the inside envelope:

Mr. and Mrs. Smith Sue, Bret and Mike If you are graciously inviting single people to bring a guest, this appears on the inside envelope: Mrs. Smith and Guest Mr. Jurgen and Guest. When purchasing postage for the outer envelopes, take a fully stuffed envelope (invitation, inner envelope, response card/ envelope, reception card, map, etc.) to the post office. Correct postage is determined by weight and size. If sending different enclosures to differing groups of people, take an example of each. Remember, postage to foreign countries is higher. And, if you are sending invitations to other countries, do not pre-stamp the response envelope. U.S. postage can only be used for mail originating in the U.S., territories or through the armed services. a