Help, I have horrible handwriting!

[Deleted User]

Hi everyone,

I'm going to be hand addressing my wedding invites. I do have a stamp that I'm using for the return address, but I will be writing everyone's addresses myself. My FI and I have HORRIBLE handwriting, and we can't afford to hire a calligrapher. Have any of you sent invites already, and did yall hand address them? Also, do any of you know of any easy caligraphy guides, or ways I can magically improve my handwriting???

labro

I actually found several super easy calligraphy guides at Michael's (Jo-Ann's and Hobby Lobby also sell them)! My handwriting is NOT pretty and neither is H's. I got the guides, some pens, and practice paper and practiced quite a bit until I was comfortable with the basics. Then I started addressing my envelopes a few at a time in order to not get worn out. The key is to go slowly and not overwhelm yourself with ALL of them all at once. Also make sure you have plenty of extra envelopes in case you make mistakes (like me...).

It also helps if you have a sheet of paper with lines on it that you can insert into the envelope. It kind of helps to provide a guide while you write so your address lines are straight. My invitations came with one, but you could easily print one off, just make sure the lines are dark and thick so you can see them through the envelope paper.

lyndausvi

I have horrible handwriting. Plus I'm a lefty and get that smear thing going on.

My sister/MOH and BFF/BM addressed the envelopes.   I did all the stamping and stuffing.  I had wine and snacks available too!   

DH would have helped, but he was in the islands and the invites were being sent from the states.   

MyNameIsNot

lyndausvi said:

I have horrible handwriting. Plus I'm a lefty and get that smear thing going on.

My sister/MOH and BFF/BM addressed the envelopes.   I did all the stamping and stuffing.  I had wine and snacks available too!   

DH would have helped, but he was in the islands and the invites were being sent from the states.   

I also bribed friends with nice handwriting to do mine.

If you don't have anyone willing to help, I would print the envelopes using a calligraphy font before I attempted to do them myself. But my penmanship is really that bad. 

princessleia22

I have decent handwriting, so I addressed all mine.  My sister has horrible handwriting and just printed them in a calligraphy font. 

A compromise I've seen is to print them in a lighter color grey ink, then trace over it by hand.  This is best done with a larger size font and don't get too crazy/fancy of a font. 

Otherwise, the best bet is to find someone else to help you out with it or to just write slowly.

MobKaz

labro said:

I actually found several super easy calligraphy guides at Michael's (Jo-Ann's and Hobby Lobby also sell them)! My handwriting is NOT pretty and neither is H's. I got the guides, some pens, and practice paper and practiced quite a bit until I was comfortable with the basics. Then I started addressing my envelopes a few at a time in order to not get worn out. The key is to go slowly and not overwhelm yourself with ALL of them all at once. Also make sure you have plenty of extra envelopes in case you make mistakes (like me...).

It also helps if you have a sheet of paper with lines on it that you can insert into the envelope. It kind of helps to provide a guide while you write so your address lines are straight. My invitations came with one, but you could easily print one off, just make sure the lines are dark and thick so you can see them through the envelope paper.

We used a lined 4 x 6 index card for this job.  The thicker stock allowed us to "tap" it down easily into the envelope.  We used a thick Sharpie and traced the index card lines multiple times to ensure they showed through the envelope.  Having a goose neck desk lamp also helped this process.

We also used a felt tip pen/marker called Elegant Writer.  It has a great writing tip.

[Deleted User]

lyndausvi said:

I have horrible handwriting. Plus I'm a lefty and get that smear thing going on.

My sister/MOH and BFF/BM addressed the envelopes.   I did all the stamping and stuffing.  I had wine and snacks available too!   

DH would have helped, but he was in the islands and the invites were being sent from the states.   

I like this idea of bribing someone with nice handwriting to do it. I write like a five year old.

[Deleted User]

MobKaz said:

labro said:

I actually found several super easy calligraphy guides at Michael's (Jo-Ann's and Hobby Lobby also sell them)! My handwriting is NOT pretty and neither is H's. I got the guides, some pens, and practice paper and practiced quite a bit until I was comfortable with the basics. Then I started addressing my envelopes a few at a time in order to not get worn out. The key is to go slowly and not overwhelm yourself with ALL of them all at once. Also make sure you have plenty of extra envelopes in case you make mistakes (like me...).

It also helps if you have a sheet of paper with lines on it that you can insert into the envelope. It kind of helps to provide a guide while you write so your address lines are straight. My invitations came with one, but you could easily print one off, just make sure the lines are dark and thick so you can see them through the envelope paper.

We used a lined 4 x 6 index card for this job.  The thicker stock allowed us to "tap" it down easily into the envelope.  We used a thick Sharpie and traced the index card lines multiple times to ensure they showed through the envelope.  Having a goose neck desk lamp also helped this process.

We also used a felt tip pen/marker called Elegant Writer.  It has a great writing tip.

I will be pretty much following both of your advice here, so thank you!

[Deleted User]

Pretty font, set printer to envelope, test to make sure it lines up....print.


Etf...spelling.

VerizonGirl

If your parents' names are on the top line of your invitation, then the invitation is coming from THEM, not you.  And your mom figures out how to address HER invitations that are inviting people to the event SHE's hosting. 
I was all set to address our invitations, and then my mom said SHE intended to address them.  I checked the etiquette, and sure enough, the host takes care of the invitations to the event he/she is hosting.

MobKaz

VerizonGirl said:

If your parents' names are on the top line of your invitation, then the invitation is coming from THEM, not you.  And your mom figures out how to address HER invitations that are inviting people to the event SHE's hosting. 
I was all set to address our invitations, and then my mom said SHE intended to address them.  I checked the etiquette, and sure enough, the host takes care of the invitations to the event he/she is hosting.

The OP does not indicate whether her parents are named at the top of the invitation.  What if the OP began the invitation with, "Together with their families"?  Would you suggest that all family members find a joint time to address the invitations?

Being mentioned on the invitation does not always translate to who is hosting the wedding. 

porkchops926

I know this post is old but I have horrible handwriting too and actually found some advice online that worked really well. 

Find a nice font you like (there's a lot available for free if you search) type out the name and address and print them on regular paper. I did just the name and zip code in script and the rest of the address in regular block lettering. Copy it in pencil on the invites then ink over. I have horrible handwriting and it actually looked really good. I got lots of compliments. I didn't even used a fancy pen. Just a fine tip sharpie, go back over some of the 'thicker' parts and fill in.