What Font to use for mailing address labels?

MeganBM · September 2010

What is the reccommended font to use for mailing address labels? I am prinitong the addresses out on clear labels so I don't have to hand write them all. We are having a traditional wedding, elegant, modern....etc, what font should I use?

tsp698 · October 2010

While I don't like labels, I did print mine directly on the envelopes. Neither my FI or I have neat (read legible) handwriting, and we couldn't afford to have them done.

I tried alot of fonts, but most were to hard to read, or kind of blah. I ended up choosing Edwardian Script IT ( I also bolded it), it has that elegant feel yet is still legible so the post office didn't have any troubles with it.

ootmother2 · October 2010

you don't use labels.

handwrite or print directly on the envelopes

labels = commercial mail

banana468 · October 2010

Ditto PPs that labels shouldn't be used.

aerinpegadrak · October 2010

I also vote for printing directly on. The font we used was Miama, which was a nice balance between fancy and legible. Printing directly on also allowed me to include a graphic that was used on the invitation and the programs, which I thought was a nice touch. PIB.

BlueBoxBride · October 2010

My fiance just gave a bunch of **** about using printed labels on our Save the Date cards I'm mailing out. But seriously, they are Stds... I am NOT paying for calligraphy or custom printing for cards letting people know that they'll get more formal invitations in a few months.

We used "copperplate" by the way for our labels, which matched one of the fonts on our StDs.

banana468 · October 2010

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_invites-paper_font-use-mailing-address-labels?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding BoardsForum:cd062f89-8272-496a-b0ab-225e1f87acecDiscussion:ca0c3282-2e32-45ce-883c-1932f6e7e1e0Post:845e1a3e-72ca-4950-a694-cdd26846b07c">Re: What Font to use for mailing address labels?</a>:
[QUOTE]Some of you girls are being quite rude if you ask me. Megan didn't ask for your opinion about using the labels; she asked for your opinion about what font she should use. And even if you want to give your opinion about what you consider 'tradition' or 'elegant' or 'commercial mail', you should say it as your opinion and not in a way that makes it sound like a concrete fact or rule that should never ever ever be broken. Maybe this is in your own wedding planning etiquette book, but not all of us have the time or money or talent to handwrite addresses on the envelope or print directly on the envelope or hire a calligrapher, etc. MeganBM - I would check out Lucida Calligraphy Bold font for your labels!
Posted by daisy28426[/QUOTE]

The advice stated is based on correct etiquette. And there are indeed rules regarding how an envelope should be addressed. You can like or dislike the rule however the OP should be informed that labels are not correct etiquette and should be avoided.

That isn't a matter of opinion. That is a fact. You can like or dislike the facts but that won't change what correct etiquette is.

Remember, when you do post on a message board, you can't control the responses that you get.

daisy28426 · October 2010

Maybe your opinion of proper etiquette is to not use labels on envelopes, but that certainly does not make it a rule or a fact. It may be the way you think it customarily should be done, but etiquette changes from person to person and in different places of the country and/or world. The way you traditionally do things may not be the way someone else does the same thing, so just because you deem it to be polite and correct doesn't make it a fact or rule.

vsgal · October 2010

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_invites-paper_font-use-mailing-address-labels?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:cd062f89-8272-496a-b0ab-225e1f87acecDiscussion:ca0c3282-2e32-45ce-883c-1932f6e7e1e0Post:1c640655-da1b-434e-81e7-bd0d6256cfe3">Re: What Font to use for mailing address labels?</a>:
[QUOTE]Maybe your opinion of proper etiquette is to not use labels on envelopes, but that certainly does not make it a rule or a fact. It may be the way you think it customarily should be done, but etiquette changes from person to person and in different places of the country and/or world. The way you traditionally do things may not be the way someone else does the same thing, so just because you deem it to be polite and correct doesn't make it a fact or rule.
Posted by daisy28426[/QUOTE]

Etiquette dosn't change over the years. People's interpretation and their level of desire to follow etiquette changes. You are mistaken. You do not use labels to print on your wedding invitations. That is not an opinion. It comes down to whether or not you have the time, energy or patience to do it. Choosing to print and affix labels on your invitations is not evolving etiquette. It is lazy.

I have horrible handwriting, but I still wrote adresses on the outer envelope of every one of my invites. There are some things you don't find short cuts to, and this is one of them.

daisy28426 · October 2010

Just because someone chooses to print and affix labels on wedding invitiations doesn't make them lazy. Everyone needs to get a grasp on reality and realize you are not the god of wedding etiquette, and we can all make our own rules when it comes to these types of things. All of this is just your opininon! Also - I didn't say Etiquette changes over the years, I said that it changes from person to person and in different places of the country/world. And at the end of the day, I'd rather an envelope look nice rather than appalling handwriting greeting me in my mailbox - thats my opinion (but good for you for showing off your horrible handwriting - I'm sure everyone truly appreciates it and will applaud your industrious work).

vsgal · October 2010

I said I have horrible handwriting. On my invites, I took my time and wrote nicely. Took me three days, but they got done. They were nice and they were legible.

And at the end of the day, I'd rather an envelope look nice rather than appalling handwriting greeting me in my mailbox - thats my opinion (but good for you for showing off your horrible handwriting - I'm sure everyone truly appreciates it and will applaud your industrious work).

I would much rather get a wedding invite that looks like someone spent some time on instead of an obvious through-put product.

Your snarky sarcasm did not go unnoticed.

banana468 · October 2010

And that's yet another great point vsgal.

BlueBoxBride · October 2010

Personally, my opinion is that there is a tier of what is acceptable for the occasion.
For a formal wedding, hiring a professional calligrapher is what is preferred. While I did printed labels for my StDs, we will be doing a completely formal invitation suite complete with professionally addressed inner and outer envelopes.

For semi-formal or more modern, individually professionally printed envelopes are acceptable.

If it's an informal/casual wedding, then I think printed labels or personal hand writing is fine.

But really, there's no point in trying to make someone feel bad for using printed labels.

If any guests would be offended by something so miniscule in the scheme of things, they probably aren't even worth the grief of inviting.

mica178 · October 2010

How about getting a personalized embosser and pressing your return address into the backs of the envelopes? That might be a good compromise for you.

daisy28426 · October 2010

I'm glad you two feel the need to take on the role of wedding etiquette police, but perhaps you should stick to nabbing people for breaking your social laws within your own jurisdiction. Etiquette is something that is customarily done to be polite. No one around where I live would think an envelope with a label on it is impolite. So I will say again, etiquette changes from person to person and in different places of the country/world. I do agree with one thing you said, 'there is indeed a correct and incorrect way to address an envelope' -- The incorrect way gets sent back to you by the post office for a number of reasons, and last time I checked using labels on your envelopes is not one of them. Labels have no place on your wedding invitations, and I think you should speak for yourself instead of making people feel bad for not having enough money to hire a calligrapher or not having enough time to learn a calligraphy font to do it yourself. People have lots of other things going on in their lives outside of this little wedding bubble your living in. Your snarkiness did not go unnoticed either.

MeganBM · October 2010

Thank you for all of your input- you all have your own opinions of what is right and what is "socially right". It seems as though NONE of you are answering my question. I asked " what is the best font to use on mailing address labels- for the SAVE THE DATE." not the invitations themselves. I KNOW that it is proper to get them done professionally. Do not put people down who cannot afford it. if they have bad handwriting and the post office cannot read their writing "socally correct"or not theyre better off printing in anyway shape or form on SOMEthing so that their special invite is being reached to the right people. Some people could care less if they are socially or properly correct, it is their day, and they can choose to do as they wish. If they want to have a white dress - which is "socially correct" then so be it. If she chooses to have a black dress- SO BE IT! It is what makes the world go round.

kathrynhabibti · October 2010

[QUOTE]<strong>Some of you girls are being quite rude if you ask me. </strong>Megan didn't ask for your opinion about using the labels; she asked for your opinion about what font she should use. And even if you want to give your opinion about what you consider 'tradition' or 'elegant' or 'commercial mail', you should say it as your opinion and not in a way that makes it sound like a concrete fact or rule that should never ever ever be broken. Maybe this is in your own wedding planning etiquette book, but not all of us have the time or money or talent to handwrite addresses on the envelope or print directly on the envelope or hire a calligrapher, etc. MeganBM - I would check out Lucida Calligraphy Bold font for your labels!
Posted by daisy28426[/QUOTE]
I didn't see anything rude until I got to your post. Plus, she did get suggestions on fonts - Edwardian, Miama, and Copperplate - before you came along, with a better suggestion to print directly on the envelopes.

Why are people around here so opposed to being told what is the right thing to do?

banana468 · October 2010

Daisy, I'd just like to point out that in the time you took to argue your point, you could have addressed quite a few envelopes.

I also think some people are confusing etiquette and tradition.

Etiquette is a social law that exists for how to treat others appropriately. One addresses her wedding or STD envelopes by hand as it tells the guest you personaly want their attendance, you're taking the time to personalize such a large event and you're conveying that hospitality. Labels do not work.

Tradition holds that a bride wears a shade of white. That isn't etiquette at all.

You can opt not to follow etiquette, but you can't ignore it or claim that for you it doesn't exist once you've been informed.

MeganBM · October 2010

By someone even getting an invite- ( Everyone wants to be invited to a wedding) especially since it is a first for the grroms side- It feels personal and special to them that they are getting invited, because a professional doesnt know who you want at your wedding- only you do.

banana468 · October 2010

Megan, you're certainly right about that.

However plenty of people do indeed pay attention to the invitation from the envelope to the printing of the invitation itself. My own mother said, "You're definitely addressing those envelopes by hand."

I don't know that anyone is offended by a label the same way that some may be offended by a cash bar which is also a breach of etiquette. However there is an appropriate way to treat guests from start to finish and that does mean that a label on an envelope has no place on a wedding invitation or STD.

aerinpegadrak · October 2010

I don't know that people are going to necessarily be offended, but I think you do open yourself up to your wedding being taken less seriously with labels. People do notice that kind of thing.

AmyJSnelly · October 2010

To answer the original question:
I would google "free handwriting font" I came up with a lot that way, and a friend of mine printed directly on the envilopes in a navy blue and she used a font she found online and downloaded. I thought they came out really nice, and a lot of ppl didn't realize she used her printer. She did like a million test runs where she printed her address like 16 times on a piece of paper and cut them out and asked us obsessively which one looked more natural lol

I am having two bridesmaids with great handwriting do them

)

Best of luck!

cc+mm · October 2010

For our save the dates I printed directly on the envelope in the standard script font in publisher. I actually downloaded an envelop template (free download) for publisher and used a mail merge. After a few practice runs to adjust the size and color, the envelopes took less than 30 minutes to print and looked good. I am practicing calligraphy for the actual invites, but printing directly on the envelop worked out great for our STDs.

MeganBM · October 2010

Thanks for all the info- I ended up hand writing them.
- CASE CLOSED.

pamsue66 · January 2012

I came on here to get advice about fonts, it seems to be a touchy subject. WOW.

I will be mailing my envelopes with clear labels *SHOCKER*, hope this isnt too offensive, seeing it will be going in the garbage anyways. WOW.

tigern2012 · March 2012

Hey, I am using Vivaldi for my labels size 16.

And to be honest, this cat fight that has erupted is ridiculous. I am a full-time college student in my senior year and writing my senior history thesis. I would love to have enough time to individually handwrite on each invitation, but my fiance and I both have large families that we are close to. Also, my MOH and other people who would originally be helping with addressing envelopes do not live near me. It is not being lazy, it is just a fact that this is what sometimes needs to be done.

Yes, etiquette has a great influence on weddings today, but a good part of our "traditions" are really not that old. They are more guidelines than set in stone dictations as to how a wedding should be.

mlr8575 · August 2012

I am also using labels and online RSVPS... waiting for the smelling salts to be passed around. I realize it's not correct etiquette... but I have a job! I work 80 hours a week, my family lives multiple hours away and are not helping with wedding preparation. It took me a year and a half to find the right venue... If I have to hand-address 150 envelopes... well I will be married before the invitations get into the mail. Some people have more forgiving schedules and can spend all day fixating on the minute details of the envelope that will ultimately end up in someone's trash under the used coffee grounds... not this kid! I bought my labels today and I am using Lucidia Handwriting Font... and if someone decides to take my wedding less seriously... well then I don't have to spend $100 per person to feed them. The only person who has to take my wedding seriously is my fiance... and he is less than interested in the details...particularly handwritten envelopes.

KatSte · August 2012

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_invites-paper_font-use-mailing-address-labels?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding BoardsForum:cd062f89-8272-496a-b0ab-225e1f87acecDiscussion:ca0c3282-2e32-45ce-883c-1932f6e7e1e0Post:845e1a3e-72ca-4950-a694-cdd26846b07c">Re: What Font to use for mailing address labels?</a>:
[QUOTE]Some of you girls are being quite rude if you ask me. Megan didn't ask for your opinion about using the labels; she asked for your opinion about what font she should use. And even if you want to give your opinion about what you consider 'tradition' or 'elegant' or 'commercial mail', you should say it as your opinion and not in a way that makes it sound like a concrete fact or rule that should never ever ever be broken. Maybe this is in your own wedding planning etiquette book, but not all of us have the time or money or talent to handwrite addresses on the envelope or print directly on the envelope or hire a calligrapher, etc. MeganBM - I would check out Lucida Calligraphy Bold font for your labels!
Posted by daisy28426[/QUOTE]

I know this post was posted 2008 - but I tried the LUCIDA CALLIGRAPHY BOLD AND ITS ABSOLUTELY GORGEOUS!!!
Honestly I find its ridiculous this thread on fighting over lables - im doing labels and I dont see what the problem is

liz1642 · September 2012

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_invites-paper_font-use-mailing-address-labels?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:cd062f89-8272-496a-b0ab-225e1f87acecDiscussion:ca0c3282-2e32-45ce-883c-1932f6e7e1e0Post:9e45db18-6909-45bc-9312-290f444be288">Re: What Font to use for mailing address labels?</a>:
[QUOTE]In Response to Re: What Font to use for mailing address labels? : Etiquette dosn't change over the years. People's interpretation and their level of desire to follow etiquette changes. You are mistaken. You do not use labels to print on your wedding invitations. That is not an opinion. It comes down to whether or not you have the time, energy or patience to do it. Choosing to print and affix labels on your invitations is not evolving etiquette. It is lazy. I have horrible handwriting, but I still wrote adresses on the outer envelope of every one of my invites. There are some things you don't find short cuts to, and this is one of them.
Posted by vsgal[/QUOTE]

<div>
</div><div>People won't care rather your print on labels or you handwrite their addresses, and if they do then they shouldn't be invited to your wedding. All that matters is that you care about them enough to invite them, not the way you write their address. Get a life!</div>

liz1642 · September 2012

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_invites-paper_font-use-mailing-address-labels?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:cd062f89-8272-496a-b0ab-225e1f87acecDiscussion:ca0c3282-2e32-45ce-883c-1932f6e7e1e0Post:9e45db18-6909-45bc-9312-290f444be288">Re: What Font to use for mailing address labels?</a>:
[QUOTE]In Response to Re: What Font to use for mailing address labels? : Etiquette dosn't change over the years. People's interpretation and their level of desire to follow etiquette changes. You are mistaken. You do not use labels to print on your wedding invitations. That is not an opinion. It comes down to whether or not you have the time, energy or patience to do it. Choosing to print and affix labels on your invitations is not evolving etiquette. It is lazy. I have horrible handwriting, but I still wrote adresses on the outer envelope of every one of my invites. There are some things you don't find short cuts to, and this is one of them.
Posted by vsgal[/QUOTE]

<div>
</div><div>People won't care rather your print on labels or you handwrite their addresses, and if they do then they shouldn't be invited to your wedding. All that matters is that you care about them enough to invite them, not the way you write their address. Get a life!</div>

ismolina109 · February 2013

This thread is so dumb. its a damn address label. If people are really focusing on whether its caligraphied or handwritten or on a label, they dont need to come to my wedding :-p. I will be using clear labels and I dont care. I am a working woman, this isn't the old days where women could focus 24/7 on how they would caligraphy addresses on their envelopes because they could finally get married have 10 babies and be taken care of for ever and sit dumb and pretty until their children got married and they all repeated this stupidity

What Font to use for mailing address labels?

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