Wedding Etiquette Forum

Inner Envelope Etiquette

Is it tack to label the guests' names in the inner envelope? I dont have nice writing and I dont know how else to write it in. Any suggestions are appreciated.

Re: Inner Envelope Etiquette

  • We used clear labels and printed all of our addresses since my handwriting isn't the best either. We bought one package of big labels (for the delivery address) and one package of small labels (return address) from staples (avery brand, matte, not shiney) and this is enough for us to label all save the dates, invites, and rsvp cards. Definitely something to look into. We used a nice contemporary cursive font and you can hardly even see the label. Avery is an awesome brand because they have a website where you can download a free template that matches the labels you bought. It opens up in word and then will print out exactly liek you need it to so you dont have to mess with printer settings or any of that junk. So easy!
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  • Awesome, thanks so much! I already bought the Avery clear lables for both our Save the Dates and outer envelope for the wedding invites. However, I never knew I could go to the Avery website and download the template. I guess I thought it was going to look tacky if I put a label on the rsvp card, but if I use contemporary cursive you wouldnt be able to see the label!! Thank you again so much, I greatly appreciat it.

  • It's preferable to handwrite both the outer and inner envelopes.  If your handwriting is poor, could you have a friend or family member help with addressing?
  • In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_etiquette_inner-envelope-etiquette?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:9Discussion:2b1786ea-28cc-4038-8525-bb3a66018b68Post:02113448-6f9b-42dc-a504-f43db78ca8c7">Re: Inner Envelope Etiquette</a>:
    [QUOTE]It's preferable to handwrite both the outer and inner envelopes. <strong> If your handwriting is poor, could you have a friend or family member help with addressing?</strong>
    Posted by mica178[/QUOTE]<div>
    </div><div>This is a good suggestion. I appreciate this kind of a post rather than just degrading an idea, offer a better solution! 

    </div>
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  • What I have been practicing is printing the names using my home printer (I'm using blank paper for practice instead of envelopes) but in a super light grey shade, then tracing it with a calligraphy pen. It's time consuming, but comes out looking like authentic calligraphy without the cost. Just an idea! HTH!
  • I know its not proper etiquette, but my handwriting is absolutley horrible (I mean the post office probably couldnt read it). I didnt think it would be right to delegate to my mom or another family member to write 100 invitations to our wedding, so I printed directly on to the envelopes. Again, I know that is considered against proper etiquette, but I also thought asking people to help you do things was too. I thought they had to volunteer.
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  • They should volunteer, or you can ask for help and offer to compensate them somehow.  "Could you help me with my invitations?  I was thinking of having over X, Y, and Z to do them, and I'll bring the wine and snacks."
  • Labels don't look good on invitations. I ilke the idea of tracing calligraphy.
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  • I'd print directly onto the envelope in a nice font (skip the labels). I can't imagine asking anyone to write that out for me -- that seems unbelievably ballsy and bridezilla to ask of anyone else.
  • I agree that it seems too bridezilla to ask anyone else to address a hundred envelopes for free.  In my circle, at least, no one would blink at a printed address or label, but they would take offence to being asked to do this.  (Also, it would be rather pointless, as their handwriting is either no prettier than mine, or no more legible than mine.)  Nor can I bring myself to spent hundreds of dollars of a limited budget to hire a professional to do write prettily on an envelope that's only going to go in the trash.

    Some of these work-arounds had ^%$ better be acceptable, because I'm left handed.  If you haven't tried to do proper calligraphy left handed - it doesn't work.  Calligraphy pens only write in one direction: each stroke has to pull, not push.  For a lefty, *every* stroke is backwards.  Forget following instructions; you have to invent a new system to have a chance.  Also, you have to write right-to-left to avoid dragging your hand through the fresh ink.  Spelling and spacing are intuitive only in the direction you're used to working - just try it with a regular pen, and see how awkward it is.  Tracking over prewritten or preprinted letters is almost a necessity unless you do calligraphy all the time anyway.
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  • All of my local bridesmaids as well as my mother and now-MIL offered to help with invitations.  IF I had horrible handwriting and/or couldn't afford a calligrapher, I would have accepted their offers of help.  As it was, I managed on my own.  On the rare occasions when I did allow someone to help fold programs or wrap favors, the person volunteered on multiple occasions, and I still brought food and wine to consume while we both worked on everything.

    I fail to see how that is being a bridezilla.  Help was offered.  Sometimes it was accepted, and if so, it was accepted with much appreciated.
  • Mica, your original suggestion was to have a friend or family member help, which implies asking someone to help, and then your follow-up post says she could ask them to help and "compensate" them with food and wine. To me, that would be rude and I'd really be taken aback if someone asked me to address their envelopes, but thought it was ok if they gave me food and wine while I did it.

    Yes, it's different if someone volunteers (though personally I would still never dream of taking someone up on that kind of offer).
  • I don't think all labels aare tcky. My invitation company sells labels that match my invitations

  • You can print them on the computer! We debated this for awhile (I was okay with labels, but my mom was against it). She printed them on the computer. Some printers may not be able ot do it, but hers worked just fine, and it's not a fancy one or anything. Definitely something to check out, you just have to figure out where on the page you need everything and just copy and paste it. She did the return address and the addressee. Good luck!
    ps- clear labels sounds good to me though ;)
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