Handwriting or labels... ?

QueerFemme · April 2012

So, I know etiquette says we should handwrite all of the addresses on our invitations. However, my handwriting is horrid after probably one or two, and my fiance's is just as bad. MY MOH lives in another city... so, she can't help. I can't really afford to pay a professional calligrapher.

I am trying to decide what is the best scenario. Hand writing them, knowing that the handwriting will SUCK after the first or second one. Or, just using clear labels and using a pretty font.

Thoughts?

casyme · April 2012

You're going to get opinions on both sides of this issue. Some people argue that handwriting is the only way to go, and it certainly is traditional.

My opinion is that handwriting is best, but not mandatory. It doesn't have to be YOUR handwriting; what about a sibling, or a parent who would be happy to help? Heck, even a neighbor's kid that you could pay $25? But if the choice is between using nice labels and paying lots of money to a calligrapher, I think you're entitled to use the labels. It's just not that important, at the end of the day, and anyone who bitches about your labels can pony up the dough for the calligrapher, as far as I'm concerned! Out of all the wedding invitations I've ever received, I couldn't tell you which ones were handwritten and which ones weren't.

QueerFemme · April 2012

thanks. I don't have a relationship with my family, and my fiance's family, while AWESOME, is crazy busy all the time and his sisters have little kids. So, it has been difficult to pin down times to do things. I was hesitant to just start pulling in other friends that aren't family or in the bridal party.

If I get the invitations soon (hopefully, ordering next week), maybe I'll just try to do no more than 5 a day or something.

Kindachewy · April 2012

I agree that if you really really want someone to handwritten the labels you can probably find someone on Craigslist for 30 dollars, but I don't think it's 100% nessacary and if I had the choice between barely legible or a label, I'd definitely go with the label!

JaxInBlue · April 2012

Here was my big etiquette faux paux for our wedding: we used address labels on the invitations. They were clear labels that we designed to match the invite motif with a fancy, scripty font that also matched the invites. It look forever to align them nicely on unevelopes, but they were definitely neater and cleaner than my handwriting is.

This was plan C for us. We'd wanted to print directly on the envelopes but our trials did not go well and we were running of our practice materials.

We didn't hear anyone complain about our invites and their tackiness, so I'm assuming if anyone was offended, they kept it to themselves.

LeiselEB · April 2012

Run them through a printer and print directly onto each envelope. No labels = cheaper and easier, plus looks so much better.

Peavy · April 2012

Labels are tacky, even clear labels in a nice font with a little heart in the corner. Either hand address, or print directly on the envelopes.

HobokensFury · April 2012

I'm going to etquitte hell because I used labels. Handwritting wasn't an option and my printer wouldn't take the envelopes. No one complained. Actually I've been to 10 weddings in the last 2 years and not 1 person handwrote them.

aimers1525 · April 2012

OP, another idea: take your envelopes to a Staples/Kinkos or something and see if they can print directly on them? Still cheaper than a calligrapher, but not as tacky as labels.

QueerFemme · April 2012

Ok. thanks everyone ! I am going to try a couple (with extra envelopes) and see how I do... if they suck, I'm just going to have to live in etiquette hell with HobokenBride. I'm positive this won't be the only etiquette screw up I do in the next 4 1/2 months.

tamrahelmer · April 2012

I have been running mine through the printer with gray ink, and then tracing over that with a fine tip sharpie. This way it looks like real handwriting, but you have a guide to make it look better than your normal handwriting would look. I have ok handwriting, but things like this stress me out and it just looks horrible if I free hand it. This tracing is going pretty well and I'm just doing 3 or 4 everytime I am at my desk. Good luck!

Beads921 · April 2012

I'll either run them through the printer or do clear labels. I'm not even attempting to handwrite the addresses. My writing is atrocious and I won't be happy with the result. I prefer the clean look of machine printing.

I don't think it's worth stressing over this. Of all the possible etiquette faux-pas you could commit, this one is fairly minor and becoming more acceptable IMO.

coraleetbwed · April 2012

There are a lot of people who will do digital calligraphy for you. They will print on your envelopes. I've seen prices as low as $.50 per envelope. Google digital calligraphy in your city and see what comes up.

Labels are just not the way to go on wedding invitations.

LeiselEB · April 2012

Run them through you printer! I'm tellin' ya, it's easiest, cheapest, looks best out of the options you're working with.

hoffse · April 2012

I'll be honest - I notice labels on wedding-related things, and I judge. I wouldn't say it to your face, but I would probably mention it to my FI. Even if you can only do 2 at a time, I feel like that's what you should do to make it correct. Maybe it's wrong for me to judge, but I do - I feel like labels belong on professional correspondence, not something that is purely social.

MrsMeganL2012 · April 2012

Why can't you print directly onto the envelopes? Don't do labels.

librababy · April 2012

Never even knew this was an etiquette issue. Who cares, really?

With that said, I have excellent handwriting and can mimic that nice handwriting script so I was planning on hand addressing each of my invites. I am cheap and on a budget, so hand writing the adresses would save me a ton of money and would be easier for me as well. I thought labels would be better and look more professional but glad I am on the right side of the etiquette argument this time.

pixalicious · April 2012

I'm using labels (or maybe I'll try my own printer, thanks for the idea) because my own handwriting is AWFUL! I'm in a similar predicament as you, don't really have people close enoughwho would be able to help.

I'm not one who cares much about these kinds of things, but I do recall one wedding invitation I received that was handwritten and looked really bad. My first thought upon seeing it was "should have went with labels". Tradition or not, sometimes the bad handwriting just looks worse.

coker90 · April 2012

I have terrible handwriting as well, so I am using my printer with a font style that is very similar to hand writing. Microsoft word has different paper settings so you can change the size, and most printers have guides that you can move so that your envelope doesn't get twisted and sideways(learned that one the hard way!)

Handwriting or labels... ?

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