Question!

mekiakoo

This is probably a dumb question, but I am considering mailing our invitations this week. Is it better to drop off the invitations at the post office (going inside)? Or can I dump them all in the blue post office box outside of the post office?

Just trying to figure out the logistics since the post office closes early here (4 pm) and that's when I get home!

Maybe I can just drop them off in the morning when they open.

BmoreBride311

If you have already checked that you have the right postage, and you are not hand cancelling them, then I don't see why you couldn't just drop them in the box.

penny12986

Just put them in the regular mailbox.  Or, leave them in your home mailbox with the flag up so when the mailperson brings your delivery, they will pick up all of your invitations.

colleenm18

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-club-boards_july-2012-weddings_question-3?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20Club%20BoardsForum:066005ef-215f-48b1-8655-328b41e07c52Discussion:e065db98-9e60-4a46-814b-17d3f186185aPost:bd34658b-d07e-4682-8838-8c03eab6cf86">Re: Question!</a>:
[QUOTE]If you have already checked that you have the right postage, and you are<strong> not hand cancelling them</strong>, then I don't see why you couldn't just drop them in the box.
Posted by BmoreBride311[/QUOTE]

I am probably going to sound like an idiot.. but what is hand canceling?

mekiakoo

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-club-boards_july-2012-weddings_question-3?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding Club BoardsForum:066005ef-215f-48b1-8655-328b41e07c52Discussion:e065db98-9e60-4a46-814b-17d3f186185aPost:bd34658b-d07e-4682-8838-8c03eab6cf86">Re: Question!</a>:
[QUOTE]If you have already checked that you have the right postage, and you are not <strong>hand cancelling them</strong>, then I don't see why you couldn't just drop them in the box.
Posted by BmoreBride311[/QUOTE]

This is the second time I've seen this. What does it mean?

ETA: I looked it up and it says: <strong>After you drop your envelopes in the mail, the post office runs them through their machine, which quickly sorts and cancels out the postage so it can’t be used again. Since it’s a machine, your envelope runs the risk of getting snagged or damaged. When an envelope is hand cancelled, the postage stamp is hand stamped to cancel out the postage</strong>

penny12986

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-club-boards_july-2012-weddings_question-3?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding Club BoardsForum:066005ef-215f-48b1-8655-328b41e07c52Discussion:e065db98-9e60-4a46-814b-17d3f186185aPost:deef1ad2-690c-48fa-b593-73acfa591e6b">Re: Question!</a>:
[QUOTE]In Response to Re: Question! : I am probably going to sound like an idiot.. but what is hand canceling?
Posted by colleenm18[/QUOTE]

If your invitations cannot be read by a traditional mail scanner, they need to be hand cancelled by someone at the post office so they don't get run throguh the machine.  This can be necessary if you have elaborate calligraphy or dots between the numbers in your zip codes.

BmoreBride311

I didn't do it, but my understanding is that you can request the invitations to be processed by hand, which avoids them going into a sorting machine that will put lines and things on your envelopes, which some ppl don't like. But several girls on here have said that their post office doesn't allow it anymore, so you can't always do it, I guess.

mekiakoo

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-club-boards_july-2012-weddings_question-3?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding Club BoardsForum:066005ef-215f-48b1-8655-328b41e07c52Discussion:e065db98-9e60-4a46-814b-17d3f186185aPost:750615d8-fc54-4f58-93a5-18a28bbdcf98">Re: Question!</a>:
[QUOTE]Just put them in the regular mailbox.  Or, leave them in your home mailbox with the flag up so when the mailperson brings your delivery, they will pick up all of your invitations.
Posted by penny12986[/QUOTE]

Oh I don't think I'd be able to fit all of them in the mailbox at our house! I suppose I can just drop them off in the blue mail box at the post office if I don't make it before they close. We shouldn't have a problem with the cancelling (they're regular stamps and regular addressed). Thanks!

colleenm18

Thanks for clearing that up for me

penny12986

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-club-boards_july-2012-weddings_question-3?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding Club BoardsForum:066005ef-215f-48b1-8655-328b41e07c52Discussion:e065db98-9e60-4a46-814b-17d3f186185aPost:da439ffb-77c2-488d-adf0-125fc38bcccc">Re: Question!</a>:
[QUOTE]In Response to Re: Question! : Oh I don't think I'd be able to fit all of them in the mailbox at our house! Posted by mekiakoo[/QUOTE]

Oh gosh!  I didn't even think of that, lol.  I forgot you have like 250 people.  Well, I guess the blue mailbox is your best choice.

bells24412

If I didn't bring them into work to give to the postman I probably would have just gone to the post office and just drop them off that way.

moonshine876

I dropped mine in the big blue box at my work and they all went through fine. I even accidentally dropped through my 2 extras with no addresses and they got return to sendered and looked pretty still.

TChiumi

I went into the post office to mail mine because we have problems where I live with mail being stolen out of those blue mail boxes.  If that is not a problem where you are then I think it should be fine.  

bridetobe71412

I brought mine into the post office in the morning last Tuesday and the guy behind the counter hand cancelled mine for me - they wouldn't let me do the hand cancelling myself.

I brought them in so that I could be sure none of them get stuck on one of the sides of the blue drop-off mailbox (I have weird phobias).

mekiakoo

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-club-boards_july-2012-weddings_question-3?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding Club BoardsForum:066005ef-215f-48b1-8655-328b41e07c52Discussion:e065db98-9e60-4a46-814b-17d3f186185aPost:1a3c1077-ad7e-4367-8602-b75649421665">Re: Question!</a>:
[QUOTE]I brought mine into the post office in the morning last Tuesday and the guy behind the counter hand cancelled mine for me - they wouldn't let me do the hand cancelling myself. <strong>I brought them in so that I could be sure none of them get stuck on one of the sides of the blue drop-off mailbox (I have weird phobias).</strong>
Posted by bridetobe71412[/QUOTE]

GASP! Now I'm worried. I'll just go in the post office and drop them off! Haha!

michelle11988

I dropped mine off to the postal workers across from my work.  He said he would hand cancel them himself and they looked gorgeous.  He also said people will get them tomorrow in-state and out-of-staters the next few days!! I'm so pumped.

NikkiF731

I have similar phobias as bridetobe. I took them inside and handed them to the person. I wanted to see them safely on there way and not angst of flukes like one getting stuck or mixed up somehow or anything like that