Tips from the Postal Service for Mailing and Personalizing Unique Wedding Invitations

(ARA) Unique wedding invitations offer your guests the first glimpse of the special day you have planned to celebrate your unique wedding. The U.S. Postal Service offers these tips for mailing your unique invitations and for making them as unique as your wedding.

Since unique wedding invitations may be oversized and more bulky than regular mail, it's a good idea to take them to the Post Office, with all of the enclosures, to be weighed before you choose the stamps.

Many unique wedding invitations weigh more than one ounce and will need additional postage; current postage for the first ounce and additional postage for each additional ounce. (Check on current postage rates at USPS)

The U.S. Postal Service offers a variety of unique stamps like Garden Bouquet and Candy Heart love stamps that fit a unique wedding theme. If your unique invitations weigh more than an ounce, instead of buying a non-matching stamp, you may want to go with the next priced stamp like a Garden Botanical stamp or the contemporary Love stamp. "These stamps were designed specially for unique wedding invitations, eliminating the need for an additional stamp on unique invitations that weigh two ounces," says Francia Smith, vice president and consumer advocate for the U.S. Postal Service.

For an added touch of individuality, you may want to forgo the wedding-themed stamps altogether and instead use unique stamps that illustrate unique interests of the bride or groom. For example, a diving enthusiast might want to use the Pacific Coral Reef stamps, while a film buff would enjoy the American Filmmaking commemorative.

"And you'll really wow potential guests by having your unique invitations postmarked in a city with a love-themed name," says Smith. There are several cities to choose from, including Loveland, CO 80538; Loveville, MD 20656; or Romance, AR 72136.

To get these postmarks, unique invitations should be stamped, addressed and sealed, placed in a larger envelope or box and mailed to the Post Office of choice with instructions to be postmarked. Address the package to "Postmaster" of the appropriate city, state and ZIP Code. Smith says you should allow an extra week for the unique invitations to reach the Post Office, be postmarked and mailed to each invitee.

Some other things to keep in mind when sending out unique wedding invitations:

* Use complete and current addresses, with standardized abbreviations. Keep in mind that phone books are not the best source for addresses because they do not include apartment numbers or Post Office boxes.

* Use the correct ZIP Code, which can be found at USPS.com or by calling (800) ASK-USPS.

* Be sure to use a return address, preferably in the upper left corner on the face of the envelope.

* Black print on a white or pastel envelope is preferred when addressing unique invitations.

You can further simplify your planning by using the world's largest Post Office, www.USPS.com, to purchase stamps for your unique invitations and thank you notes, verify addresses and look up ZIP Codes, get postage rates, and find the hours of operation and directions to the Post Office nearest you to mail your unique invitations.

"You can also use USPS.com to have your mail held while you are on your honeymoon, or to change your address so your mail will be waiting for you at your new home when you return," says Smith.

EDITOR'S NOTE: According to Bride's Millennium Report: Wedding Love & Money, you can expect to spend about $327 on invitations, announcements and thank you notes if you purchase them from a custom printer. Courtesy of ARA Content

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