How to Send Wedding Invitations: Major Mailing Mistakes to Avoid!

Sending formal wedding invitations may seem like a daunting task, but it shouldn’t be a burden, which is why we’ve simplified the process for you. With Zola, sending out your wedding invites couldn’t be more straightforward. When you purchase your wedding invitations through Zola, you’ll get free samples delivered to your door, so you can see them in person and hold the stationery in your hands, ensuring you get precisely what you want.

Truthfully, the hardest part about sending your invitations with Zola is making up your mind about exactly what you want. Lucky for you, we have lots of templates and suggestions to help you decide if you’re ever stuck.

As far as physically sending out your wedding invitations, we have lots of tips and tricks on how to stuff wedding invitations that we’d be happy to share! For now, here is our advice on how to get those finished invites into the mailboxes, and hands, of your wedding guests!

Through the Mail

You’ve come up with the greatest wedding invite ideas, and now all that’s left to do is send them. When sending wedding invitations, the recommended method of delivery is through the US Postal Service. Here are a few reasons why sending your invitations this wayl is the optimal method of delivery:

1. It’s the cheap: Most wedding invitations only require a single stamp, which means that sending a wedding invite through the postal service only costs $0.55 per invite. Even if your invites are “heavy” by postal metrics, i.e., weighing more than one ounce, the maximum spend would be just over one dollar each.

When you are planning a wedding, saving money is an integral part of the process. As a result, the US Mail is the most budget-friendly option, as well as a tried-and-ttrue method for safe, secure delivery.

2. It’s reliable: The United States Postal Service has a long, established history based on reliability. The US Postal Service is really good at handling the day-to-day affairs of standard mail, which includes things like postcards, letters, and of course, your wedding invitations.

3. It’s easy: There is very little work that goes into sending your invites through the post office. Simply address the envelopes, put the correct postage on, and drop them in a mailbox. That’s it—hassle-free and user-friendly.

Photo Credit // Emily Wren Photography

Other Postal Alternatives

If you’re looking for an option with guaranteed delivery, you may be wondering if you should send your invites via a private postal carrier like UPS or FedEx. But it’s important to know that there are some drawbacks to choosing these methods:

1. There’s no one-size-fits-all postage: As a result, the invitation you send to a cousin across the country will be a lot more expensive than the one you send to a friend who lives in the same city. Plus, you’ll have to spend multiple hours at the shipping center typing in every address for every piece of mail.

If you are overly concerned about your invitations getting lost in the mail, Zola recommends sending everything USPS certified. Certified mail comes with a tracking number and only costs $3.35 per letter—a flat rate that remains consistent no matter where your invitation is headed.

2. You’re paying extra for a service you don’t need: With private postal services like FedEx and UPS, you’re paying for rush delivery. Formal wedding invitations should be sent out approximately 6-8 weeks in advance, which means there’s plenty of time to fix any delivery issues and account for guests who have not RSVP’d. This also allows guests to make travel arrangements and change their schedules around your wedding date.

As much as you don’t want to hear this, you will likely have to follow up with a large portion of your guests regarding their RSVP. For one reason or another, there will be a percentage of your guest list that makes the RSVP process harder than it needs to be.

There is nothing you can do to prevent someone from RSVPing, but more often than not, it has nothing to do with the delivery method of the invitation. Fortunately for you, Zola has your back—our guest tracker feature comes standard with every Zola registry, and makes it easy to get those RSVPs taken care of.

Photo Credit // Zola

What If My Invitations Get Lost in the Mail?

Generally, you don’t need to worry about large amounts of invitations being lost in the mail. Sure, one or two invitations might go missing, but letters and other mailed items don’t get lost nearly as much as people assume or assert. While mail sent with the US Postal Service may take anywhere from one to two weeks for delivery, more often than not, mail does eventually arrive safely.

The Best of Both Worlds

With Zola, you don’t have to ditch the online invitation altogether; in fact, Zola is able to offer its clients the best of both worlds. Zola brings all the best aspects of digital invites, like guest tracking and RSVP counters, and combines them with gorgeous invitations that you can customize based on paper style, theme, font, and unique highlights. Zola’s incredible invitations will flood your guests with the same joy and excitement that you and your fiance share about your impending nuptials.

A well thought out, properly delivered and formal invitation tells your guest, “this is a life event we are excited to share with you,” and it lays the foundation for everything from attire to personal conduct and beyond. Your wedding invitation is the cornerstone of your entire wedding, and the way you present that information to your guests matters.

Sending your wedding invitations using Zola is the absolute right way. Pick out your favorite style, get the invitation wording perfect, and leave the rest to us. From free envelope addressing to guest tracking and free samples, Zola has your bases covered for a stress-free invitation experience. We want your wedding day to be special, but more importantly, we want the wedding planning process to be easy. Shop our entire catalog of wedding invitations today and pick the perfect piece of paper to ring in your dream day!