1. Consider getting us to print your guests' names.

If you find the whole task daunting, we can print on each guest's name individually and even address your envelopes. You can select this option when ordering.

2. Select the Right Pen

This is very important as using the wrong pen will ruin your invites and once you write them, there is no going back! Take a scrap piece of paper and try out a number of different pens. Look to see if they smudge easily. Does the ink flow consistently or do you have to re-write some parts. What size is the nib? You don’t want the handwriting to be to light, or too heavy in comparision to the rest of the printed text. Unless you are an experienced calligrapher, avoid using pen & ink, fountain pens or calliraphy markers. We have tested a number of pens and selected ones which work best with Love Letters stationery, these can be ordered via the self assembly order form.

3. Practice your Writing

Here are some techniques to ensure that your handwriting is at its best; shake your hands to get them loose, don’t hold the pen too tightly, relax and let the writing flow. Practice the address a couple of times on a scrap of paper before you write on the envelope. 

4. Keeping the Lines Straight

It’s easy with our templates. You can download templates for each size of envelope here (Adobe PDF). Simply print it out, cut around the dotted lines and then slip the template inside the envelope. The thick black lines will be visible through the envelope to act as a guide to ensure neat straight lines.

5. Know Your Envelope Ettiquette 

When writing an envelope, there are a couple of rules to note. Names - Always use titles, such as Mr. Mrs, Miss, Ms, Dr. and so on, even if you have chosen not to be so formal on the invite. Don’t write out full first names, use their initial only. E.G. Mr. & Mrs. D. Smith.    
Addresses – Don’t abbreviate word if possible, E.G. Road, not Rd., Avenue not Ave.and so on.
Punctuation – put a comma at the end of each line and a full stop at the last line.

6. Let the Ink Dry

Once you have written the envelope, don’t be tempted to put the invite in immediately, leave it to dry throughly. Ideally write all the envelopes and place them out on a large table to dry overnight. Then you can fill them the following day.

7. Sealing the Envelopes

A word of warning! – don’t seal them until all the invites are inside, you may be left with an invite and envelope that don’t match meaning you may have to recheck everything. Once you are sure that everything is correct and all invites and any other enclosure cards are inside, go ahead and seal them.

8. Postage

Special wedding stamps are a lovely finishing touch. Available from An Post (Ireland) www.irishstamps.ie and Royal Mail (UK) www.royalmail.co.uk, Make sure to check with your post office however, that you have enough postage to cover the weight of the finished envelope and any invites going abroad etc. Ideally, hand deliver as many invites as you can, this ensures they arrive safely!

9. Placing the Finished Envelopes Back in the Box

As you place each envelope back, ready to be posted, place a sheet of tissue between each one, this will stop any ink rubbing of from one to the other.Once you post your invitations, the excitement begins!