All About Wedding Envelope Addressing Etiquette

How to address wedding envelopes

Planning a wedding involves countless details, and one of the most important tasks is sending out invitations. The process of addressing envelopes may seem like a minor task, but your envelopes and invitations set the tone for your guests’ first impression of your special day.

This blog post will cover traditional wedding envelope addressing etiquette, which offers a foundation for you to start from. But in this day and age, I firmly believe you should do what makes most sense to you based on your relationship with your guests! So many of these rules were made in a different age – when the woman always took the husband’s last name, when couples didn’t live together for 10 years before getting married, etc. and I think certain rules are overly strict for no reason (go see unmarried couple living together to see what I mean). Formality is nice, especially for a wedding, but most people don’t know these rules and are unlikely to be offended if you deviate.

Considerations

Before we start, there are some decisions you need to make that impact how you address the envelopes:

Will you use formal titles/honorifics (i.e. Mr., Mrs., etc.)? Use of formal titles is not required but it can help set the level of formality you expect at your event. For example, you can set the stage for a black-tie affair by using titles. Some people like the formality titles bring even if it’s a cocktail attire wedding. But it’s your choice. If you want to address some envelopes more formally and others more casually based on relationships, I say go for it. It’s not like guests will see each other’s envelopes.

 Are you using inner envelopes in addition to the outer mailing envelope? How you address the outer envelope may differ if you include inner envelopes (learn more about inner envelopes here). If you are inviting a family, for example, you can address the outer envelope to just the parents and then list everyone’s names on the inner envelope. For a general rule of thumb: if you are using both outer and inner envelopes: the outer envelope will be addressed more formally (Mr. and Mrs. Smith) and the inner envelope more casually (John and Jane).

 Some additional considerations to keep in mind:

  1. The use of “Plus-One” or “and Guest” is for when you are allowing your guest to bring whoever they want to the wedding (aka you have no say in the matter). If you know your guest has a significant other and you only want them to bring that person as a guest, then list both names on the envelope.

  2. Single people and children over the age of 18 should get their own invitation (so, 2 roommates each get their own invite). If it’s an adult child living at home, it’s your choice if you want to send them a separate invitation (hey the cost of invites adds up!). Also - I have seen couples that already have children address an envelope directly to their under 18 children, which is super cute if you ask me.

  3. Historically, the men get listed first (if there are no professional ranks). But it’s 2024 so list whoever you want first! Even the queen of etiquette, Emily Post, agrees! List the person you are closest to first. If you know both equally, list them in alphabetical order. There’s a traditional rule that states you do not separate the male’s first and last name (that’s where “Mr. and Mrs. John Smith” comes from) but again, I say do what you want.

  4. Whether you use someone’s full birth name (Matthew vs. Matt) is your preference based on your relationship and/or how formal you want to be.

If you chose to use titles/honorifics, they are:

  • Mr. – for all men

  • Mrs. – for married women, including widows unless you know they go by something else

  • Ms. – for an unmarried woman, a married woman who kept their own last name, or any woman who prefers a title that doesn’t refer to their marital status (I mean, men don’t distinguish themselves by their marital status!)

    • Side note – the use of Mrs. vs. Ms. for married women who kept their own last name is debated. I personally recommend Ms. in this scenario, otherwise it seems like you are addressing the envelope to their mother (my last name is Chakamian and Mrs. Chakamian is my married mother!). But it also comes down to what your guest uses (and some may not care one way or the other).

  • Miss – for young girls under 18

  • Mx. – for people who don’t identify with a gender or chose not to use gender-specific titles

  • Mmes. – for married women with the same last name (or you can do Mrs. and Mrs.)

  • Messrs. – for married men with the same last name (or you can do Mr. and Mr.)

For distinguished professional titles, it is proper etiquette to use the title. The person with the professional title goes first. There are usually five professions distinguished by honorifics.

  • Doctors – use “Dr.” or “Doctor”

  • Military Personnel – use “Captain”, “Lieutenant”, etc.

  • Judges – use “The Honorable” or “Judge”

  • Religious Dignitaries – use “The Reverend”, “Rabbi”, etc.

  • Lawyers – use “Esq.” (but at the end! Ally McBeal, Esq.)

 

Envelope Addressing Etiquette

Okay, enough preamble. Onto the names! I’ve provided different envelope etiquette options based on the level of formality you may be interested in. I also added notes about how things may differ if you use inner envelopes.

Single person, with no plus-one
Formal: Ms. Daisy Jones
Not Formal: Daisy Jones

Single person, with a plus-one
Formal: Ms. Daisy Jones and Guest
Not Formal: Daisy Jones and Guest
Note: If you are using inner envelopes, the outer envelope would only have Daisy's name; "and Guest" would only be noted on the inner envelope
A cream envelope with calligraphy address in walnut ink, with gold wax seals

Envelope addressed to a single person

light purple envelope addressed to a same sex couple in black calligraphy

Envelope addressed to a same sex couple

Married couple, with same last name
Formal: Mr. and Mrs. Dunne
Also Formal: Mr. Nick and Mrs. Amy Dunne
A Little More Formal: Mr. and Mrs. Nick Dunne
Not Formal: Nick and Amy Dunne
Note: List the person you are closest to first. If you’re equally close, then list them in alphabetical order.

Same sex married couple, with the same last name
Formal: Mrs. and Mrs. Hugo
Also Formal: Mrs. Evelyn and Mrs. Celia Hugo
A Little More Formal: Mrs. and Mrs. Evelyn Hugo
Old-School Formal: Mmes. Hugo
Not Formal: Evelyn and Celia Hugo
Note: List the person you are closest to first. If you’re equally close, then list them in alphabetical order.
A purple envelope with vintage stamps and white ink calligraphy addressed names

Envelope addressed to a married couple

Married couple, with same last name, and one uses a professional title
Formal: Dr. and Mrs. Watson
Also Formal: Dr. John and Mrs. Mary Watson
A Little More Formal: Dr. and Mrs. John Watson
Not Formal: John and Mary Watson
Note: List the person you are closest to first. If you’re equally close, then list them in alphabetical order.

Married couple, with the same last name, and both use the same professional title
Formal: Drs. Elizabeth and Stephen Best
Also Formal: The Doctors Best
Not Formal: Elizabeth and Stephen Best
Note: List the person you are closest to first. If you’re equally close, then list them in alphabetical order.
Married couple, with different last names
Formal: Ms. January Andrews and Mr. Augustus Everett
Also Formal: Ms. Andrews and Mr. Everett
Not Formal: January Andrews and Augustus Everett
Note: List the person you are closest to first. If you’re equally close, then list them in alphabetical order.

Unmarried couple, living together
Traditionally, you don’t use “and” if the couple is not legally married and would instead list the individuals on two separate lines using single person rules:
Ms. Tiffy Moore
Mr. Leon Twomey
HOWEVER, I say this is a judgement call. In this calligrapher’s opinion, if the couple is living together then their legal marital status doesn’t matter. In that case, the “married couple, with different last names” rules apply.
Note: List the person you are closest to first. If you’re equally close, then list them in alphabetical order.
Wedding envelopes addressed in calligraphy with vintage stamps

Envelope addressed to a doctor

Married couple, with different last names, and one uses a professional title
Formal: Dr. Alexis Montgomery and Mr. Daniel Grant
Not Formal: Alexis Montgomery and Daniel Grant
Note: List the person you are closest to first. If you’re equally close, then list them in alphabetical order.

Married couple, with different last names, and both use the same professional title
Formal: Dr. Briana Ortiz and Dr. Jacob Mddox
Not Formal: Brian Ortiz and Jacob Maddox
Note: List the person you are closest to first. If you’re equally close, then list them in alphabetical order.
silver envelope with angled calligraphy names

Envelope addressed to a couple with different last names

black wedding envelopes with inner envelopes and vintage stamps

Envelopes addressed to a family, featuring inner envelopes

Family, with the same last name
The Rostov Family
Note: If you are using inner envelopes, you can also address the outer envelope to just the parents using the married couple rules, and then list all the family member’s names on the inner envelope.
Second Note: If only some children are invited, then follow the rules for “married couple, same last name” and list the invited children on a separate line.

Family, with different last names
The Weasley Granger Family
Alternative Option:
Mr. Ron Weasley and Ms. Hermione Granger
Rose and Hugo (on a separate line)
More Formal Option: The Family of Mr. Ron Weasley and Ms. Hermione Granger
Note: If you are using inner envelopes, you can also address the outer envelope to just the parents using the married couple rules, and then list all the family member’s names on the inner envelope.
Second Note: If only some children are invited, then follow the rules for “married couple, same last name” and list the invited children on a separate line.

 Hopefully this guide to wedding envelope addressing etiquette makes preparing your names for your envelopes a little easier! I know it’s a lot of rules, but at the end of the day, remember, you know the person you are inviting better than any etiquette rule book. Knowing what the rules are helps you to comfortably break them and infuse your personality into your invitation suite.

Addressing envelopes for your wedding can be a time-consuming task, so consider hiring a calligrapher (cough me, cough) to take this off your plate, save you from hand cramps, and transform your envelopes into works of art, adding an extra layer of elegance to your wedding stationery. Inquire today!

PS. If you noticed most or all of the book references that these characters are from, then we should be friends! Add me on Instagram and tell me your favorite book!

 

All About Return Addresses for your Wedding Invites and Other Special Mail

While the guest address is the star of your calligraphy envelope, your return address is still a key component! Even though my calligraphy style promotes legibility to ensure your envelopes make it to their recipient, things happen during the transit process, and you need a way for your envelopes to get back to you should something arise.

Today’s blog post will outline different considerations and options for including your return address on your wedding invite envelopes, holiday cards, thank you cards, and more!

RETURN ADDRESS PLACEMENT

To start things off, where should you place your return address? When you address an envelope for perhaps a bill or just sending a card to a friend, you likely put the return address on the top left corner of the envelope. When addressing envelopes for weddings, events, or even special holiday cards, it’s preferred to put the return address on the back flap of the envelope.

You may have heard stories of post office machine confusing the return address on the back flap as the guest address – resulting in the sender getting their invites or cards sent back to them! While this does occasionally happen, us calligraphers have different tricks to make sure it doesn’t happen to YOU, such as using different size text or design. So have no fear!

Handwritten calligraphy return address

Handwritten calligraphy return address

RETURN ADDRESS ETIQUETTE

In my humble opinion, there are no hard and fast rules on how to address anything these days. Yes, there is tradition, but don’t feel forced to follow tradition if it doesn’t fit your personality!

For weddings, traditionally speaking, whoever is hosting the wedding would be noted as the return address – so that may be a parent or the couple themselves.

Other options are first names only (Alex and John), first and last names (Alex Jones and John Smith) last names plus wedding (Jones and Smith Wedding), or even no name at all and just the address! If you do decide to use last names, the one consensus no-no is to combine last names (Alex and John Smith) as you aren’t married yet.

For non-weddings, I say do whatever the heck you want! On these holiday cards, I did first initials and thought it was a really classy and elegant look.

RETURN ADDRESS OPTIONS

Now the fun part – all the different options for getting your return address onto the envelope.

RETURN ADDRESS LABELS

Perhaps the simplest, most well-known option is creating return address labels to stick on the envelope. These can be printed at places like VistaPrint and Shutterfly or even designed on your own computer and printed at home on label paper and be used long after your event.

Pro: affordable, simple
Con: white labels on a color envelope can look inelegant, inconsistent style with guest address

PRE-PRINTED RETURN ADDRESS ON ENVELOPE

If you are ordering envelopes online, often times you can have your return address pre-printed for a small fee. This is a huge time saver, as no one needs to stick, stamp, or write the address. It’s also provides for a clean look.

The only downside? If you run out of envelopes or need more for any reason, you can’t just use extra envelopes you have in a pinch. Well, I mean you can but then you need some other option for the return address since it won’t be pre-printed!

Pro: no assembly time
Con: extra cost, lead time for printing, inconsistent style with guest address

Don’t forget, if you’re working with a calligrapher be sure to order 20% extra envelopes upfront in case of errors! We’re human after all and ink has a mind of its own.

Custom return address stamp

Custom return address stamp

RETURN ADDRESS STAMP

Similar to labels, you can order your return address a stamp you can use over and over again. A service I offer is to actually design your return address stamp for you for a cohesive envelope look! I will hand calligraphy your name and write your return address in block letters, digitize it, and turn it into a stamp. This means the calligraphy of your guest addresses matches the calligraphy of your return address, since it was all written by me.

There’s also a variety of ink colors available, so if you use colored ink for the guest address, chances are we can find a similar color ink for the stamp.

Pro: cohesive style with guest address, stamp is yours to keep
Con: time to apply the stamp, slightly more cost

CALLIGRAPHY RETURN ADDRESS

The crème de la crème option? Have a calligrapher also calligraphy your return address! Given the small real estate, your names would be in calligraphy and the address in block letters. This is the one route to ensure a 100% match in writing style and ink color. The tradeoff is this is the most expensive as it takes the most time for the calligrapher…but no time at all for the client!

Pro: most cohesive style with guest address, hands off for client
Con: most expensive option

 

Well, there you have it. Did you ever think there was this much to consider when it came to return addresses? The devil is always in the details and working with a calligrapher like me can help make the entire process simple. Inquire today for your own calligraphy addressed envelope!

Elevate Your Envelopes with Vintage Stamps for your Wedding

Originally published February 12, 2021. Updated July 22, 2022 with new postage prices.

Your invitations are tucked into beautifully calligraphy addressed envelopes that are all enclosed with a wax seal. They’re ready to be mailed to your loved ones across the country, where you expect to get texts and messages about how much people loved the envelopes and how can’t wait for your party.

But wait. There’s one more important detail before you drop those envelopes in the mail. STAMPS!

In today’s blog post, I share all about vintage stamps and how can they can elevate your envelopes. I also share my favorite tip on how to control costs.

Most importantly, AC Letters Calligraphy can find the perfect vintage stamps for your wedding or event and apply them to your envelopes, saving you countless hours searching the internet or sticky fingers from trying to activate the adhesive. And time is money!

Let’s dive in!

Nature themed vintage postage collage on a calligraphy addressed envelope

Nature themed vintage postage collage on a calligraphy addressed envelope

What are Vintage Stamps?

A little known fact is that USPS stamps don’t expire. Any unused stamp issued in or after 1860 can be used to mail letters. We in the business call these vintage stamps or vintage postage. You just need to use enough stamps to equal the current price of postage.

Vintage stamps can be a beautiful way to complete your calligraphy addressed wedding envelope. Like with the present day stamps, there are a ton of different stamp styles and designs. You can find large rectangular stamps, small square stamps, or even circular stamps. There are stamp designs for probably everything you can think of - animals, places in America, celebrities, people who made an impact to the world, sports, food, nature, and more. And of course, there are stamps in every color of the rainbow.

And because stamp prices have changed over time, you can use different priced stamps to create an artistic collage of different designs and styles on the front your envelope. This is where the fun comes in!

Wedding envelopes with vintage postage

Vintage Stamp Aesthetic

For example, at the time of this blog post, the price of first-class stamp to mail a letter is 60 cents. Imagine you are sending invitations for a California seaside wedding. You can use 4 stamps - 10 cent, 10 cent, 15 cent, and 20 cent - to get to the required 60 cents. Perhaps you pick one stamp of the California Poppy flower, one stamp of a beach scene, one stamp of a seashell, and finally one stamp that says “Love”. You have now set the stage for your wedding and told a story about your day before your guests even opened the envelope. How cool is that?

You can also use vintage postage stamps to tell the story of your relationship. Let’s say you are from California and your partner is from New York and you met at a basketball game. You could use three stamps - the Brooklyn Bridge, the Golden Gate Bridge, and a basketball player - to share the story of your history just through stamps!

Cost of Vintage Stamps

Now you might be gung-ho to use vintage stamps on your calligraphy wedding envelopes (or every day life!). But, there’s a very important consideration and that’s cost (ugh).

Vintage stamps, while perhaps only worth 3 cents to USPS, cost more to buy than their marked denomination. You can’t actually buy vintage stamps directly from USPS, you have to purchase these from stamp collectors and curators. And vintage stamps can be hard to find. I mean, maybe you’ve found some old stamps lying around your grandma’s house, but to create an elegantly themed artistic vintage stamp collage for 50 wedding invites, you need a lot of the exact same stamps. This is where stamp curators come in. They search far and wide for unused vintage stamps and sell them at a markup (to cover their business expenses, make a profit, etc.).

It's that markup that can make vintage stamps costs add up. Depending on how many stamps you use, it might cost $1 - $2 to actually mail a 60 cent letter. Perhaps that’s fine for your budget but maybe you want something more cost effective.

Calligraphy envelope addressing feauturing a mixture of vintage postage and a Forever stamp

Calligraphy envelope addressing feauturing a mixture of vintage postage and a Forever stamp

Enter my favorite solution - using 1 high denomination stamp and then 1 or 2 lower denomination stamps. This works especially well when you’re mailing a letter that’s over 60 cents - say your invitation suite and envelope weighs 2 ounces, so now you need 80 cents worth of postage. You can use a current Forever USPS stamp equal to 60 cents, which you’d pay face value for, and then get a 5 cent and 15 cent stamp to get you all the way to 80 at a fraction of the cost of going full vintage. Charming and unique, yet more affordable! The perfect combo.

One final word on vintage stamps before we wrap up. Most of them are not self-stick like the stamps we use today. They have a glue adhesive on them that is activated with water. It can be tedious and a bit sticky to activate a bunch of stamps for a lot of envelopes. As mentioned at the top, this where I can save you time and prevent headaches! AC Letters Calligraphy can not only find you great vintage stamps, but I can also apply them to each envelope for you before I mail them back to you or off to your guests.

Vintage stamps can be the perfect way to tell a story and showcase more of your personality. I love scouring the internet to find my clients the perfect vintage stamps to compliment their calligraphy envelopes and would love to do so for your next event! Contact me below to learn more or visit my Envelope Addressing page. While I’m a San Diego calligrapher, I love working with couples and people all over the country!

Do You Need Inner Envelopes for Wedding Invitations?

Wedding inner envelope with outer envelope

You are faced with a lot of questions as you plan your wedding. There are plenty of obvious ones, like “how many guests?” “What flowers should be in the bouquet?” “What will we eat?”

But there are lots of unexpected questions that will arise as you plan, such as “do I need inner envelopes for my wedding invitations?” or even, “what the heck are wedding inner envelopes?”

What are Wedding Inner Envelopes?

To answer that second question first, inner envelopes are, you guessed it, an envelope inside your mailing envelope. The full invitation suite (invite, RSVP card, extra details) is placed inside the inner envelope. The inner envelope lists the guests’ names on the front and then is placed into an outer, mailing envelope with the guests’ address, stamps, and your return address (and maybe sealed with a wax seal!).

Benefits to using Inner Envelopes

What’s the point of inner envelopes for wedding invitations? Well, inner envelopes for wedding invitations date back to olden days when mail was delivered via horse and carriage. Mail got really beat up in those days and the inner envelope protected the invite from the damages seen on the outer envelope.

In today’s modern age, mail is treated more nicely so many forgo the inner envelope. But we have all received damaged mail, so using an inner envelope still adds an extra level of protection to your beautiful invitation suite - especially if you don’t plan on hand-cancelling your envelopes (more on that later!).

On top of that, though, inner envelopes provide clarity as to who is actually invited to your wedding. We all know forming the guest list is one of the hardest parts of wedding planning. The inner envelope helps alleviate that stress by making it clear to the recipients exactly who from that household is invited to the wedding in a non-confrontational way.

Outer envelopes are typically addressed to the heads of the household (in a more formal manner, such as “Mr. and Mrs. Wagner”), whereas the inner envelope lists everyone from that household is invited (in a more informal manner, such as “Justin, Maxine, Rob, & Faye”).

As an example, say you are having an adult-only wedding and one family you are inviting has both teenagers and young kids. While the outer envelope would be addressed to the heads of the household, the inner envelope can then specify which of the kids are invited to the wedding.

On the flip side, say you are inviting a single friend to your wedding and want them to know they can bring a guest. The more the merrier! The outer envelope would be addressed to your single friend (“Catherine Sims”) and the inner envelope would state “Catherine and guest” so your friend knows to crack open that address book!

 
Outer envelope addressed to head of households and inner envelope addressed to the specific family members who are invited to the event

Outer envelope addressed to head of households and inner envelope addressed to the specific family members who are invited to the event

Outer envelope addressed to single person and inner envelope addressed to indicate a guest is also invited to the event.

Outer envelope addressed to single person and inner envelope addressed to indicate a guest is also invited to the event.

 

That all being said, back to the original question - do you need inner envelopes for your wedding invitations? Of course not! There are many ways to address an outer envelope to make it clear who is invited or this can be dealt with on the invite itself. Working with a calligrapher (like me!) to address your wedding envelopes can help make this process easier. I’ll help guide you every step of the way so you can be confident your envelopes are addressed appropriately and make it to their destination safely.

Like with all aspects of wedding planning, whether or not you use inner envelopes comes down to your preference and your budget. Interested in calligraphy envelope addressing me? Visit my Envelope services page and fill out the quick form to begin the inquiry process. While I’m a Southern California calligrapher, I love working with couples and individuals all over the country!

4 Ways to Use Calligraphy Envelope Addressing (that's NOT wedding invitations!)

Think calligraphy envelope addressing is only reserved for wedding invitations? Think again! Any mail you send can be elevated with beautiful, modern calligraphy. Except maybe bills…but hey, it’s not a bad idea!

Here are 4 ways to use calligraphy envelope addressing beyond wedding invitations.

Holiday Cards

As the calendar reaches December, we all know what’s coming - an influx of holiday cards! Holiday cards are a great way to spread holiday cheer, especially if you live far away from your loved ones. But, the holidays are stressful and the thought of hand addressing envelopes may seem daunting! Or perhaps the thought of figuring out how to print everyone’s addresses onto labels makes you run to the nearest wine bottle. Consider outsourcing that task to a calligrapher like me who can jazz up your holiday cards with gorgeous calligraphy and help you cross one thing off your to-do list! Silver or gold metallic ink on dark envelopes is a great look for the holiday season, especially when paired with wintery stamps.

Any Important Event or Party

Throwing a baby shower? Celebrating a graduation? Hosting an epic retirement party? If you are inviting people through mailed invitations, then calligraphy envelope addressing can be used to really show the importance of the event. This isn’t just some random dinner party, this is a special event and should be treated as such! Calligraphy can help show that to your guests before they even open their invite. They’ll see their name in calligraphy and know something special is coming!

Christmas card calligraphy envelopes with vintage stamps

Christmas card calligraphy envelope addressing

Calligraphy envelopes with gold ink

Calligraphy envelopes with gold ink

Birthday Cards, Mother’s Day Cards, Father’s Day Cards, etc.

Like clockwork, the same events happen every year. Birthdays, Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, Valentine’s Day. If you live far away from loved ones that you mail cards to regularly, consider ordering a set of calligraphy addressed envelopes to last you all year! This will make your recipient feel extra special on their special day, because not only are you mailing them a card (yay mail!), but you also took the time to have a calligrapher hand address the envelope for them. This also saves you time because you know you have all the envelopes ready to go when the time comes!

Bridal Shower

Okay, so this one is still wedding related but hear me out. Maybe you are having a large wedding and can’t afford calligraphy envelope addressing for all of your guests. But calligraphy envelope addressing can still be perfect for a smaller event like a bridal shower! Thanks to a smaller guest list, this still adds class and elegance to your wedding, without having to break the bank.

These are just some examples of ways to incorporate calligraphy envelope addressing into your life - and your mail - outside of a wedding day. At the end of the day, if it’s going in the mail, it can have calligraphy on it! I’ve been known to address some bills with calligraphy just to keep things interesting ;)

If you are interested in calligraphy envelope addressing for any event or occasion, please contact me here to get started!

The Beauty of Calligraphy on Wedding Envelopes

As the world becomes more and more digital, I think it’s safe to say we all love receiving snail mail in our mailbox (and not bills or junk!). I know I get a smile on my face when I get a letter from a friend in the mail. As you plan your wedding or event, consider adding calligraphy envelope addressing to add an elegant, personalized touch to your event and really wow your guests - and save yourself the trouble of having to address the envelopes yourself!

Invitations, and more specifically, the envelope the invitations arrive in, are the first thing your guests see when invited to your wedding or event. Through envelope color, ink color, and calligraphy style, you can really set the tone for your day before your guests even open their invite. Imagine how excited your guests will feel when they see their name handwritten in elegant modern calligraphy peeking through their mailbox. Getting guest addresses printed onto an envelope may be as simple, but will that convey the same excitement?

Plus, the styles are endless. Planning a rustic, outdoor wedding? Consider kraft envelopes with white ink, with the guests name in calligraphy and the address in clear block letters (such as my Daisy style). Going for a vibe as glamorous as you are? Consider navy metallic envelopes with gold ink, with an angled calligraphy address layout like on my Poppy style. There are many mix and match opportunities and a calligrapher (like me!) will work with you to find the perfect combination for your personality and event. Add-ons such as hand poured wax seals and vintage postage can elevate your envelopes even further.

Calligraphy may seem like an old school tradition, but it’s truly an elegant detail that impresses people. The addition of calligraphy for your wedding envelopes can also make people feel really special, especially in today’s fast paced world. Upon receiving a calligraphy addressed envelope, your recipients will know someone sat down and took multiple minutes to carefully and elegantly handwrite their name and address in beautiful modern calligraphy. And they will know that they are important to you because you chose this extra detail to your event!

Calligraphy addressed envelopes with vintage postage

Calligraphy addressed envelopes with vintage postage

Wedding calligraphy envelopes

Gold calligraphy on black wedding envelopes

What’s especially great about calligraphy envelope addressing is that it can be done no matter how you procure your envelopes. A simple invitation from Minted or Vistaprint can be enhanced when placed into a calligraphy addressed envelope. Or, if you’re working with a custom stationer, a calligraphy envelope can be the final detail that ties the invitation suite together.

Calligraphy on wedding envelopes may seem like an expensive, luxury add-on, but I believe that’s a misconception! For a 100-person wedding, you may only be sending out 50 invitations as guests may live together, bring a plus one, etc. That means you only need 50 calligraphy addressed envelopes, and not 100!

I’d love to discuss with you ways to incorporate calligraphy for your wedding envelopes - or even holiday cards! Contact me to get started! While I’m based in San Diego, CA, I can and would love to work with you wherever you may be located.