Specialty Envelopes

Wedding invitation styles have come a long way over the years. Traditionally, you had the two basic colors to pick from, white or ivory. Slowly, hints of color made their way into invitations and also into the envelopes. Envelopes became lined with matching colors used on your actual invitation. Today we go full color everything! Invitations now showcase bright bold colors in all different kinds of paper. Raised lettering isn't a must any more and the pieces of tissue paper that traditionally lay atop your invitations are now saved for the peeks of emotion during the wedding ceremony. There are different shapes and sizes, big and small, pockets and sleeves. You name it and it can be an invitation, even if you can't name it - DREAM it and we can make it into an invitation. One of our favorite signature styles is the sand invitation. Including sand (from the beach) on invitations - talk about going outside the sandbox:)

You don't have to stop with the invitation, envelopes are making a bold statement as well. If you think about it... the envelope is the first glimpse your guest will see of your wedding. While the invitation is the introduction to your wedding the envelope is the red curtain. You can usually tell when it's a wedding invitation you are receiving. You open the mailbox and see the smooth ivory or white envelope -  Aunt Betty's fancy handwriting for the address is usually a give away:) Now there are so much more to choose from.

Envelope Sizes

The average invitation envelope is probably an A-6, A-7 or A-8 size, a typical rectangular shaped envelope. A more modern shape would be the square, 5.5, 6, 6.5 and 7 or a #10 which is the size of a business envelope. The reply card is sent in a 4Bar, which is the smallest mailable size envelope. If you have a slightly larger reply card would be an A-2, the next size up. There are also different flaps available, the straight across flap and the euro flap, which is a long triangle shape (also known as the announcement flap). The straight flap is much more common. No curves just straight across the center of the envelope on the A-6-9's and it reaches about the quarter the way down a square envelope. The euro flap is triangle flap, where the tip almost reaches the bottom of the envelope and conveys a very elegant style. This flap only comes in certain sizes, normally your A-6-9's and the A-2 and 4Bar. The #10 have a normal flap and can also come in an open policy flap. An open policy flap is where the envelope is opened like a booklet envelope, from the top.

Envelope Colors & Textures

White and ivory are taking a back seat to some of the colors that are now available in envelopes. Manufacturing companies continue to add different colors to match the different paper lines already out there. Every color and shade of the rainbow, including silver and black, is becoming available. And color is just the half of it. Colors are now being matched with textures as well. The conventional smooth envelope is now being replaced with linen, laid, recycled and shiny shimmer envelopes. Let your guest be intrigued with what's behind the shiny silver envelope they just received in the mail.

Specialty Envelope Facts

All though we highly recommend a specialty envelopes for your invitations, there are a few important things you need to be aware of. Not all colors come in all sizes. Manufacturing companies are constantly adding new colors and shapes, however you can always play it safe knowing white and ivory will come in all sizes. If you run into a problem with this we recommend doing both. For example, your purple shimmer color only comes in the A-7 but not an A-6, make the purple your outer envelope and the inner envelope white/ivory. Or maybe only go with the inner envelope.

 Don't forget the cost of postage with budgeting and your invitation planning. Square envelopes over the size 6x6 are not considered regular mailing size and require extra postage. Another tip, if you want to lower some of your cost consider a reply post card instead of a reply card and envelope. Postage is half the cost.

If your invitation is in a #10 envelope and you want an outer envelope, your only option is a #11 open policy envelope. Don't worry though your guest will be WOWed  with this style.

4Bars are the smallest envelope that can be mailed. Although there are smaller envelopes out there, the 4bar or A-1 are smallest you can mail.


Please contact us for envelope pricing at invitationsbythisandthat@live.com