Postage

tanyamary627

I'm sending invites to 3 sets of guests in Canada.  Do I put postage on their response envelopes?  I'm assuming that I cannot buy Canadien postage at the U.S. post office, correct? I can order a sheet of 4 USA-delivery stamps online from the Canada Post, but my shipping will cost as much as the stamps and I'm not sure if the stamps will arrive early enough (I plan to send out my invites a week from today).  What does E suggest? 

TIA!

jessicabessica

You can get vouchers from the post office that your guests can take to their local post office to redeem for proper postage.  I think they are called international reply coupons.  If that sounds like a PITA, I would just contact your Canadian guests once invitations go out and let them know that they can just email or call with their RSVP.  

ootmother3

We sent our international invitations without retun postage on the reply cards, It's just not that big a deal, really

AmJam04

I wouldn't do anything that'd ultimately inconvenience my guests.
For example, I wouldn't do the voucher for the stamp because as a guest, I'd rather just use my own stamp than have to drive to the post office to get the free one...

If I were you, I'd put the hassle on myself and get the stamps that my guests will need, and put them on the envelope so all my guest had to do was say yes or no and put it back in the mail box.
But that's just me.

ootmother3

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_etiquette_postage?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding BoardsForum:9Discussion:adfe76c5-de65-485c-8050-3b7a029d0eb7Post:c39dfc5c-477d-468a-9612-7b54abfe3774">Re:Postage</a>:
[QUOTE]If by new you mean a little over a hundred years old...
Posted by StageManager14[/QUOTE]

Not by a long shot!

We did not include reply cards with the invitations to our adult friends and family as we assumed they knew the correct etiquette.

We did include them to the friends of the bride and groom.

It's not a matter of age, it's a matter of good manners.  I have yet to receive a reply card included with an invitation from an adult friend who would know better.

Loopyseven

I sent a couple of invitations to Germany.  I didn't include postage on their RSVP envelopes.  I didn't have a way to get German postage.  (Granted, I didn't try too hard, other than asking as the post office)

Knottie_22382102

3 people isn't a lot of people. I might contact the individuals just to indicate that you're thinking of them and ask what is easiest for them. I'm sure they will all say don't worry about it, just send it and they'll RSVP by phone or e-mail or they'll send it to you themselves....
But at least they'll know you thought about it.

STARMOON44

Etiquette doesn't require response cards at all your guests are "supposed" to write you a note on their personal stationary and mail it back. I don't think it's worth the hassle to get international postage, and it certainly isn't rude.

zantster

Ours won't go out for a few more months but my FILS told me last week that RSVP cards that include return envelopes and postage are not the custom in England and Ireland.  They told me that people simply purchase a stamp and return it and that it is not expected for the couple to pay for postage.  I asked them over and over again if they were sure since that is the custom in the US and I was trying to figure out how to do it for FI's family and friends overseas.  And they said do not worry about postage.  It is not expected and will not be considered rude or inconvenient to leave it out.  Since they are born and raised in Ireland and living now in England we will take their word for it.  Everyone else stateside will get the customary RSVP card with envelope and postage included.  And since they are visiting a bit early to help with planning in a couple months, they will take a few back with them to post from there, which will help out a lot.  So I say all that to say I think etiquette in this area depends sometimes on what you're doing and where you're doing it.

tanyamary627

Thanks for the input, everyone! We decided to call them and let them know that they can email or call us with their response if they preferred.  We are including the self addressed reply envelope, without postage, so they can use their own postage and mail it back if they choose to.