Wedding Stationery Pieces Explained: Additional Details
So I have a confession - I am obsessed with the little details that finish off a suite. Gabrielle and I both are. We own multiple glue guns for wax seals, Gab has a vintage stamp collection that would make you envious, and I frequently just run my fingers over silk ribbon because I like the way it feels, and I’m weird. It often feels like these details get overlooked, or people just don’t know about them, and I’m here to educate you! These can be inexpensive ways to add a little special touch, or if you really want to make a splash, you can add all of them, and listen to people rave about how cool you and your invitations are. Let’s dive in!
Vintage Stamps
Vintage stamps are a perfect way to take your envelope from 0 to 100, real quick*
There are a lot of beautiful vintage stamps out there, and a little collection of those beauties gracing the corner of your envelope is certainly eye catching. We will curate a collection that matches your invitations or theme perfectly, and because we love you and want this to be an easy process, we even affix them to your envelopes, if you also have us doing your calligraphy. Otherwise, we package them up extra cute for you, since if you make a mistake addressing your envelope, you don’t want to throw away perfectly good postage.
Our vintage stamps arrive in perfect condition, and while they tend to cost a bit more than standard postage, we believe for a special occasion like your wedding, it’s totally worth it.
*Aubrey Drake Graham, rapper and noted vintage stamp enthusiast (probably).
Inner envelope
Inner envelopes are pretty self explanatory - they are envelopes that go inside your outer envelope. They are holdouts from the days of yore, when your outer envelope would be so tattered and disgusting that the mail carrier would remove it before delivering the letter. I would say the treatment of the outer envelope has gotten slightly better in the past 100 years, so while not strictly necessary, the inner envelope is still a nice touch. It also allows you to get very specific with who is invited to your wedding - traditionally, the names of each guest is calligraphed on the inner envelope, so if you wanted to invite John and Jane Smith but not little Joey, you could just write ‘John Smith’ and ‘Jane Smith’ on the inner envelope, and they should get the hint that you don’t want their kid there too.
Wax Seal
Wax seals are an ancient tradition that grew from the need to seal and add a mark of authority to envelopes and documents. Today they add elegance and individuality to letters and wedding invitations. Wax itself has also improved, so it can go through the mail without fear of crumbling.
We are happy to design a custom seal just for you. Many couples choose a monogram, but if you have a family crest you want used, or something a little more individual (we think a little illustration of a beloved pet would be extra cute), the sky is the limit!
The wax itself comes in many colors these days, so this could be a great opportunity to incorporate a little extra color into your suite, or metallics are also very popular.
So where does this wax seal go? Well, we don’t recommend putting it on the outside of your envelope! It actually adds an additional postage charge, along with additional weight. It’s also possible it can be damaged. We love putting it on your inner envelope, should you choose to have one, sealing your belly band or ribbon, or even incorporating it into on of your suite cards.
_Not a return address stamp, but I didn’t want to blast someone’s home address across the internet. You get it. _
Return Address Stamp
Getting married means you send a lot of mail. From save the dates, to all the different invitations (rehearsal dinner, wedding invitation, reply card) to your thank you notes, you will become more intimately acquainted with the post office than you may ever have wanted to be.
We offer custom calligraphy for anything you may require, but our standard calligraphy is just your guest address, and having us hand write your return address can get pricey. A rubber stamp is a great solution - we can write out your address in our signature calligraphy style, you can choose from some of our designs, or we can design something just for you. It’s easy to use, and you can keep using it long after the wedding.
Envelope Liner
An envelope liner is an additional piece of paper you affix inside of your envelope. Typically a contrasting color, or pattern, it’s often used to add a bit of pattern, or pull together a color scheme.
_A belly band can be as simple as a piece of ribbon, or as elaborate as a printed piece of paper paired with ribbon and a wax seal. _
Belly Band
The belly band is used to wrap around all of the different components of the invitation, to keep it together inside the envelope. A belly band can be as simple as a piece of paper, or a ribbon, or it can be several components paired together.
