Ok 1 more, Invites to Germany?

jrkjpf

As i'm going through the list trying to get a count, I realized I have more than a handful going to Germany. Not that I expect any of them to make it since it's such an expensive trip, so these are more of a courtesy.

So I have 2 ideas to save some money in postage.

1. My cousin Marion and her husband are making a trip to the US and to our town in May, I could have her take the invites back with her and have her hand out the invites that are local to her, and give her a few euros to send out the rest.

2. Scan and e-mail to those that have access to e-mail, and mail the rest. Or have Marion take the additional back with her as well.

Thoughts?

laurenclaire1386

I would just suck it up and mail them. I don't think putting the responsibility on your cousin is a very nice thing to do. I mean, I know international postage is expensive, but how much money are we talking here? It can't be so much that's breaking your budget. 

tmeyer621

Honestly. I had some out of country invitations and it was only about $1.50 each to mail. I'd just mail them

crnflkgirl75

I would mail them from here. I would be offended if someone couldn't spend a dollar or so to mail it to me. Besides, the postmark from a foreign country is always exciting. I love to get stuff from over seas.

jrkjpf

Not "too" much, looking at about $1.10 as long as it's not an odd shape or above .5 oz

It was just a thought.

Habs2Hart

It cost me close to $4 an invitation to send them to Mexico, but I still did.  Those are kinds of things you don't cheap out on to save a few bucks.

achiduck

Honestly, the savings would be so so small, it's really not worth it.

Ditto PPs - it's not really fair to put the responsibility of getting those invites in the mail on your cousin. What happens if her suitcase gets lost or damaged by the airline on her way home?

jrkjpf

I wish we had a mail system to over seas like the bank drive through

Laurahan1127

It won't be that expensive. I think my invites to Europe were about a dollar each. I couldn't figure out a way to pay their return postage for the rsvp cards though, since I don't have a way to buy foreign stamps. I felt kind of bad about that, but I don't think there is a way to get around making them pay thir own return postage.

Also, you didn't say that you are doing this, but make sure you aren't counting on them not coming for budget/space restrictions. I have guests coming from Norway that I would probably have guessed wouldn't make the trip. You never know!

Bonzo2011

For my dad's cousin in Colombia, we are e-mailing her a copy of the invitation. Mail there just isn't reliable enough, she said she would probably get the invitation a few months after the wedding, if at all!

But Germany is far more reliable than Colombia. I don't think you should have any issues with invitations not arriving, so just spend the extra cents to mail them. Like PP said, it isn't really fair to have your cousin deal with mailing your invitations.

myname1234

Mine were $1.10 to Norway.  It's not that big of a savings...I'd pay the postage.

The "good news" for you is you can't do the return stamp for the RSVP card.  They have to buy that there apparently.

MattsPenguin

I put our two overseas invitations in the mail for about $1.50 each (to UK and Denmark).

Also, to save everyone money on return postage, I included a note saying that they invitees could just email me their RSVP.  Both invitees are about my age (young professionals), so they know how to use email.  Also, luckily for us, both were coming and had told us before we even sent out invitations!  I felt so blessed to have friends from overseas come!

BTCarolus

I'm currently in Germany. Looking at the envelope to the birthday card my mom sent me a couple weeks ago: the postage was $1.05, and it arrived in 5 days. Don't forget that German postal codes come before the city, ie 80797 Muenchen, not Muenchen, 80797.

[Deleted User]

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_etiquette_ok-1-more-invites-to-germany?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:9Discussion:a6a81bf1-5e17-4cce-98b7-dded6b2bea15Post:3523d8de-ecbf-4d32-ac94-9cd053c10dec">Re: Ok 1 more, Invites to Germany?</a>:
[QUOTE]In Response to Re: Ok 1 more, Invites to Germany? : With a normal card/letter, you'd save maybe 25c per invite mailing it there instead of here. I think you've made a good call deciding to just send them from the States. You mentioned that you don't expect anyone to make it due to cost. That may be the case, but they may surprise you. If you actually want any of these people to have any chance at coming, you will want to give them sufficient notice to book a decently-priced international flight. The 8-10 week heads-up of invites isn't enough. Germans don't do save the dates (or, at least, the ones I know have never heard of them), but perhaps you or your FI could communicate the date in another manner at about the time range for those.
Posted by Schatzi13[/QUOTE]

Send it.

This is definitely good advice.  Communicate with them as far ahead as possible.  The Germans I know like to plan their trips as far ahead as possible. And German's don't do Save the dates and you'd be surprised who may show up.  We invited about 25 people from Germany and only expected about 5 to say yes, as of right now 20 are coming.

jrkjpf

Most individuals know of the date, BUT, that is good advice to communicate the date NOW instead of in June. I know my Mom speaks with my tande on a regular basis, and i've communicated the date to my cousins a few times as well. I know that save the dates are unheard of over there, possibly just an announcement letter. I've for sure counted them into the budget as coming, because you never know, and are completely right, they may very well come, which would be awesome!