invite addressing question

sms274

so I had planned to use really pretty silver labels on my outer envelopes for both the to and return address (my envelopes are black metallic) and clear labels on the inner envelope (pink metallic pocket fold).

Well Tuesday FH mom called and said she would be happy to write out the inner envelopes and that she thinks it will look bad if we don't. So I called my DOC, who is out at a destination wedding and wasn't really much help cuz she didn't have her stuff in front of her but she did say that I should keep it consistent and either handwrite everything or have everything printed. UGH! THEN she says label are tacky and usually a no-no, I told her my situation with the black envelopes so I couldn't print straight on them and she didn't offer much help from there...

I don't want FH mom to be embarrassed by the invites since 1/2 are going to her friends and family, but I was ALMOST DONE with these, they just needed labels - which would have been easy and I could get them out next week.

Also, if I hand-write everything, I don't know if I should use cursive or just regular print - I haven't written in cursive in years and a calligrapher is not an option at this point.

So, what do you ladies think?

Celles

I voted to use the labels on the outer envelope and let your mom handwrite the inner envelopes if it's important to her.  I don't know if Emily Post would approve of my answer, but it seems like a decent compromise that deals with the logistical challenge of addressing a black outer envelope while still adding a personal touch via the handwritten inner envelope.

fisktobe

I keep getting error messages, which Im assuming is for the survey part...so I cant vote.

Etiquette does say that you are suppose to hand write the invitations, both envelopes.  I only had one envelope and I threw that out the window.  I printed right onto my envelopes.  But I found a font on pea font

https://www.kevinandamanda.com/fonts/fontsforpeas/
that looks almost exactly like my own hand writting but I used it on all my paper products, but it could work for printing out the labels and the inner envelopes.  Everyone thought I wrote everything   But if you're still feeling like she'll be embarrassed, maybe compromise and hand write inside and print out side.

NillaWafer10

I would say to do the labels on the ones that aren't FMIL's friends and family.  I would let her address them if she wants, especially if she has better handwriting than you do.

I like the look of labels, but I know that it is a big faux pas.

belgirl

From what I understand labels are a BIG no-no.  In my opinion, you need to write them out and make them personal.....

alschmid

Even though I know its a big etiquette no-no, I've gotten wedding invitations with labels and never thought twice about it.  Not sure what I'm going to do with this one either...I have awful handwriting - but have always wanted to learn calligraphy - maybe I'll give it a shot

I thought I saw somewhere, you can get like metallic silver marker or something to write on dark envelopes - that might be an option.

Mrs_AF

I think that the whole handwritten invitations thing in kind of an old-fashioned tradition. I don't see it as a huge deal or an embarrassment if you have labels. The paper I'm making the invites out of has a texture, so handwriting won't really work either. You might be able to get a silver metallic pen to write on the black paper though, if you decide to do handwritten addresses.

Gogalina

I encountered this crisis when I was about to send out my invites. It's like you're almost at the finish line, but the addressing is keeping you from sending them out & that can be so frustrating! I steered clear of the labels because I heard they were no nos & bit the bullet by taking them to the calligrapher. Maybe you can save money & avoid labels if you & your FML split the work up. I know FML offered to address all of the inner envelopes, but what if you had her do 1/2 of the invites (both outer & inner envelopes) while you did the other 1/2? Regardless of whether she did cursive & you printed, each guest would receive an invite that had consistent writing for the inner & outer envelopes, which is what matters. I second the silver metallic pen idea & think it would show up beautifully on black & hot pink. I know it seems like it'll take forever, but it's worth the extra work. I was so tempted just to throw labels onto my envelopes & I'm so glad I didn't because my guests were really impressed with how my invites came out, envelopes & all. GL!

sms274

Update: I gave in and FH and I are addressing them all by hand. The ones I did with labels (minus the few to her friends) are staying that way though.

I am doing all the cursive for the names and he is doing the print for the mailing and return address. It's taking FOREVER but I have to admit it does look SO MUCH BETTER. Ugh I hate being wrong

Agentmysterycat

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/local-wedding-boards_arizona-phoenix_invite-addressing-question?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Local%20Wedding%20BoardsForum:71Discussion:5e2e20c9-0eff-4af4-bbd0-140576267561Post:f2164f19-d65e-4b55-a9e4-93856568eedd">Re: invite addressing question</a>:
[QUOTE]Update: I gave in and FH and I are addressing them all by hand. The ones I did with labels (minus the few to her friends) are staying that way though. I am doing all the cursive for the names and he is doing the print for the mailing and return address. It's taking FOREVER but I have to admit it does look SO MUCH BETTER. Ugh I hate being wrong :(
Posted by sms274[/QUOTE] THANK GOD!!!!!!!!1 I just read this and almost fell over! Labels are a huge no no!!! social stationary should always be hand written OR if you must, you can do them on a laser printer in pretty font!!! You just spent X amount of $$ on beautiful invitations, why cheapen them up with labels. even the clear ones. I have horrible handwritting, so DH got stuck with the task of hand writting 200 invites! lol! poor dh