Messy Handwriting - Invitations

beachbride0427 · January 2013

I would like to start addressing our invitations this week. I have been practicing on a tablet of paper but my handwriting is just awful. It looks like a 5th grader could do better. And I'm not trying to write fancy, it's just not pretty. If I print it looks a little better (a very little). It's not in the budget to hire a calligrapher.

Is it completly out of line to print address lables using a calligraphy font? Or should I just handwrite/print them and hope nobody judges me too harshly?

itzMS · January 2013

We get this question on here a lot. I find it hard to believe that so many people have illegible handwriting. But anyways, I digress. How is your FI's handwriting? He can help too, you know.

beachbride0427 · January 2013

Yes, I could use my printer.

Maggie0829 · January 2013

IMO, I honestly could care less how an envelope is addressed, whether by hand, on a label or printed from a computer because as soon as it is delivered to my mailbox it will be ripped open and thrown away. However, it is more appropriate to address by hand but if you are not comfortable with that then I would go the printer route. Labels would be my last resort and if you do use them use clear labels.

I will say that I used labels for both the return address I put on the back flap of the envelope and for the RSVP envelopes as well. They were clear and once I firmly pressed them on the envelope you could hardly tell it was a label. I tried running the small envelopes through the printer but they just got eaten so I went to plan B.

beachbride0427 · January 2013

I don't think my writing is illegible, it just doesn't look nice. It's not pretty and flowy, ya know how some people just have a smooth look to their handwriting? FH is in about the same category as mine...you can read it, it just doesn't look nice.

GinaV0822 · January 2013

We had decided to do labels. Seriously if someone I invite to my wedding had an issue that there is a label on there then they are not the type of person I would want at my wedding! I know that sounds harsh, but I'm just trying to say that to me it's not worth it to worry about.

I had never thought about them being hand addressed until it came up on this site. Otherwise I wouldn't have given it a thought. I am obviously out of the etiquette loop. I felt like they had to be hand addressed and there is no way I would write them. They would be slanted, messy and look ridiculous. I think people would "talk" more about them looking bad rather than a label. THis is obviously an opinion and not what most etiquette people say of course.

But in the end, my sister offered to address them. She has amazing handwriting. I told her I was good with labels since there are lots of nice fonts. But she insisted on doing it for me.

If you'd feel embarrased by your writing, I would use labels. Or put the envelopes through the printer as others said.

TheBaysideBride · January 2013

Agree with the above posters - run through printer or use clear labels. Save your sanity

s-aries8990 · January 2013

If you can do the printer route, go that way - it will look nicer and you can adjust the font more easily than with labels.

You can do labels, but I personally don't like the way they look, but that's just me. Leave labels as the last resort if you can help it.

Maggie0829 · January 2013

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_etiquette_messy-handwriting-invitations?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding BoardsForum:9Discussion:bf15667a-3ea6-41f6-88fc-bb735bac583fPost:ab3dd357-151a-4cf8-883a-1c620bcc07c3">Re: Messy Handwriting - Invitations</a>:
[QUOTE]We had decided to do labels. Seriously if someone I invite to my wedding had an issue that there is a label on there then they are not the type of person I would want at my wedding! I know that sounds harsh, but I'm just trying to say that to me it's not worth it to worry about. I had never thought about them being hand addressed until it came up on this site. Otherwise I wouldn't have given it a thought. I am obviously out of the etiquette loop. I felt like they had to be hand addressed and there is no way I would write them. They would be slanted, messy and look ridiculous. I<strong> think people would "talk" more about them looking bad rather than a label</strong>. THis is obviously an opinion and not what most etiquette people say of course. But in the end, my sister offered to address them. She has amazing handwriting. I told her I was good with labels since there are lots of nice fonts. But she insisted on doing it for me. If you'd feel embarrased by your writing, I would use labels. Or put the envelopes through the printer as others said.
Posted by GinaV0822[/QUOTE]

Honestly, if people "talk" about how envelopes are addressed, whether in crappy handwriting, printed on labels or done by a paid calligrapher I think those people need to get a hobby because apparently they have way too much time on their hands gossiping about something so inconsequential.

lyndausvi · January 2013

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_etiquette_messy-handwriting-invitations?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:9Discussion:bf15667a-3ea6-41f6-88fc-bb735bac583fPost:8dbb91f2-b64d-4732-96e6-a9cd44a8d7d2">Re: Messy Handwriting - Invitations</a>:
[QUOTE]We get this question on here a lot. I find it hard to believe that so many people have illegible handwriting. But anyways, I digress. How is your FI's handwriting? He can help too, you know.
Posted by itzMS[/QUOTE]

<div>
</div><div>Why is that so hard to believe? I type on a computer 10 hours a day at work. It's rare for me to handwrite anything more than make a grocery list or address an occasional card. 1/3 of the way doing my xmas cards were written you couldn't read them. ::shrugs::</div><div>
</div><div>OP - my handwriting sucks also. So bad my sister and another friend (BM) addressed the envelopes for me. I'm also a lefty and tend to smear when as I go across the page. Maybe you can have a family member or friend help? Or print the envelope directly.</div>

GinaV0822 · January 2013

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_etiquette_messy-handwriting-invitations?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:9Discussion:bf15667a-3ea6-41f6-88fc-bb735bac583fPost:6e969cc1-7f5a-4bad-ae31-c798bffed979">Re: Messy Handwriting - Invitations</a>:
[QUOTE]In Response to Re: Messy Handwriting - Invitations : Honestly, if people "talk" about how envelopes are addressed, whether in crappy handwriting, printed on labels or done by a paid calligrapher I think those people need to get a hobby because apparently they have way too much time on their hands gossiping about something so inconsequential.
Posted by Maggie0829[/QUOTE]

<div>Totally agree which is why I think it's crazy to worry about it. I couldn't tell you how previous inviations I received were addressed. I'm just happy to be invited, I don't care if they saved time by doing labels. It doesn't make the invitation any less personal, in my opinion. </div>

bridalmarch · January 2013

I'm left handed as well, and my handwriting looks as if a drunken salamander has been allowed a pen.

FI has lovely penmanship, as does my sister. FI is doing his family's side, and my sister offered to do our side. We're doing a movie night and just handing out while she does them. I'll place stamps. I can stick a mean stamp.

Jager1219 · January 2013

I agree with PP. I personally never pay attention to the addressing of envelopes. My name could be spelt wrong and unless is was a really obvious error, I probably wouldn't even notice! That being said, I had my amazing sister hand address all our invitations for the wedding. I had the envelops printed with the return address on it and the response card envelop will also be printed with the return address. However, for our STD I used clear lables & probably will do the same for the RD invites. I think my mom is planning on hand writing the shower invites & I hand-wrote our engagement party invites (I would have used labels if I was to do that again).

OwningAHome1981 · January 2013

I don't think people really care whether or not an envelope is hadnwritten or not. If address labels offend people, that is their problem not mine. At the end of the day, it's a LABEL. Way more important things to get offended about.

beachbride0427 · January 2013

Thank you so much everyone. I've decided against labels but will run them thru my printer. Just printed my first one and it looks fine.

StephJean83 · January 2013

I very rarely look at the envelope aside of seeing who is listed on the outside(my FH, our roommate or me since I *usually* am the grab the mail after work). If it is addressed to my FH, I do look to see if I'm listed as well(invites, STDs, cards) but do I rarely notice if it is handwritten, printed on the envelope or on a label.

Like Lynda said, as I was addressing our Christmas cards this year, my handwriting was getting bad as I was getting towards the end of the cards. I split them up into a couple of days of writing them out because it was starting to look bad. I told my FH that when we send out invites, we are paying to have a calligrapher to do it or we are printing directly on the envelopes.

NikishaMcFall · January 2013

Hi!

I normally only lurke on this board, but I was in the exact same boat you are in, until I found this idea. I tried it out and it came out wonderfully! You have to a have a little bit of time and patience though, especially if you are a perfectionist like me. Hope this helps!

www.projectwedding.com/wedding-ideas/diy-calligraphy

Maggie0829 · January 2013

Yes, handwritting address is etiquettely correct, but even here on the etiquette board you have many people saying that how you address the envelopes is NBD. No one will die or be offended if you address the envelopes with a printed label instead of by your own hand.

divinemsbee · January 2013

I did a mix of things on our invitations and STDs. Our STDs had our return address printed on them as part of the back (they were postcards) and I hand wrote the addresses of guests on them. For our invitations, I got a really cute stamp off of Etsy for our return address that I used on the flap and got some calligraphy pens and winged it with my handwriting for the guests. Some looked really nice, and some were passable. But I wouldn't judge anyone who didn't want to sit and do that. For our RSVP envelopes, my dad (who is a printer and did all our paper stuff) pre-printed the RSVP address (my grandmother's) on them in a pretty font.

As far as hiring a calligrapher, I know a lot of people do it, and if you have the money I think it looks really nice, but it's no more personal than printing them off of a computer. It just looks nicer (although with the fonts you can get now, it's becoming a pretty close match). It's just $1 an envelope instead of buying an ink cartridge.

I'll admit to noticing the method someone used to put addresses on a wedding invitation just once. It's because the envelopes and invitations obviously cost a pretty penny, but they were addressed with typed, printed white address labels. It was a good friend and I really wish she'd asked me about it, because I would have at least steered her towards some pretty clear labels.

Kristin789 · January 2013

This is the Etiquette board, and the correct answer is that if your parents' names are on the top line of your invitation:
Mr. and Mrs. John Doe
request the honour of your presence...

then your parents are who is extending the invitation to the guests. It's your mom who should be deciding to handwrite the invitations or print the envelopes or whatever. Don't cut your mom out of the process.

And your wedding is at the end of April. Your invitations will go out at the beginning of March. Don't address them the first week of January...

s-aries8990 · January 2013

I must say I agree with CMG's opinion that labels are "ugh", but that is a personal preference. I also agree with xt5678 that it's silly to marr a beautiful envelope with sloppy handwriting.

It seems as though your printer is working just fine, so stay that route. Just do it in a nice font.

I think that labels are fine for "mailings" (kids parties, holliday cards, announcements) but invitations to a wedding should have a little more effort (define effort however you'd like).

StephJean83 · January 2013

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_etiquette_messy-handwriting-invitations?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding BoardsForum:9Discussion:bf15667a-3ea6-41f6-88fc-bb735bac583fPost:3e6c1b6a-4af6-4d93-a61c-fa50d29b75ff">Re: Messy Handwriting - Invitations</a>:
[QUOTE]This is the Etiquette board, and the correct answer is that if your parents' names are on the top line of your invitation: Mr. and Mrs. John Doe request the honour of your presence... <strong>then your parents are who is extending the invitation to the guests. It's your mom who should be deciding to handwrite the invitations or print the envelopes or whatever. Don't cut your mom out of the process. And your wedding is at the end of April. Your invitations will go out at the beginning of March. Don't address them the first week of January...
</strong>Posted by Kristin789[/QUOTE]

Traditionally, yes the bride's parents usually hosted the wedding, however in this day and age, it can be a mix of people from the just the couple to both sets of parents or the couple with both or one set of parents. When it comes to my wedding, my parents and my FILs will be cohosting with my FH and I, however the RSVPs will be coming to me simply because my neither set of parents lives near us or where the wedding will be. Since my FH and I are the ones meeting with the venues, deciding on venue and will the persons of contact with the venue and giving the final count, it will be easier for me to have the RSVPs vs calling my mom daily to get a head count.

I have to disagree with the addressing of the envelopes. I mailed out 85 Christmas cards that I hand wrote the address of who was receiving the cards. I sat down one Sunday night thinking I would get them done in a matter of a couple of hours and I ended up quitting when I got done with the "C/D" section of my address book and that was after about 2 hrs of doing cards. I didn't have to sign any of the cards as I used picture cards and a small insert that said we had moved. I ended up doing all the Christmas cards over the course of one week, working on them for about 2 hrs almost every night. If I end up handwriting my invitations, I will be starting a 1 or 1 1/2 months prior to sending out invites so I wouldn't be writing 200+ invites out in the course of one week prior to me mailing them out.

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