Here Is Why Your Wedding Invitations Are Being Returned
There are a million things to do and think about when planning a formal event. Sadly, envelope addressing is something many people don’t think about until after their envelopes are in the wrong hands.
Planning a wedding can be stressful enough without wondering if your invitations actually made it to your guests. I mean, why wouldn’t they arrive?
Studies show that the United States Post Office processes 493.4 million pieces of mail every single day. That’s over 5,700 pieces every second. This is just insane – but incredible.
You’ve put everything in the mail, but then find out some of your guests haven’t received their save-the-date or invitation yet. Out of almost 500 million pieces of mail handled by the post office every day, sometimes some pieces slip through the cracks.
Here are the 3 main reasons why your wedding invitations were returned:1. You Didn’t Update Your Guest List
If you sent out Save the Date 6 months ago, follow up with guests directly to make sure the address is correct. People move, lives change. This is especially true for homes labeled with an apartment number, suite number, or “up” or “down” following the street address.
2. The Zip Code Was Incorrect
Check to ensure you have the correct zip codes for each guest. When I’m addressing envelopes, I keep the zip code spread out on its own line for best results. It’s customary in the world of wedding invitations – the machines read from the bottom up, so if the zip code is clearly legible and correct, it’s most likely to get where it needs to go. If you’re using a spreadsheet, some of the data may have been entered incorrectly or accidentally reformatted, mainly for the zip codes that begin with the number “0”.
In my blog post for addressing invitations using a Google or Excel Sheet, I break down how to fix this issue.
3. Return Address was Mistaken for Mailing Address
The placement of your return address can be a factor. Putting the return address higher up on the envelope will keep it out of the guest’s address zone or on the back flap (which is what I do for 95% of my wedding invitation clients). The basic principle is to make it so the machine couldn’t possibly think your return address is the main address. I like to keep everything on the same line as the city/state. This may mean you’ll need to move your logo/monogram to the back flap.
It can be sad or even frustrating to have an invitation sent back, but be glad you have it in your hands. You can update it and send it back out with the correct information. With the cost of each invitation and your guests hopefully expecting said invite, you wouldn’t want it to go to waste. A return address tells guests two things and the postmaster one thing: where gifts are to be mailed and where the response is supposed to be mailed, and where to send the piece of mail back if the address on the front of the envelope is an epic fail. In most cases, you will use the same address for both the back flap of your invitation envelope which is your return address and on the front of your RSVP envelope.
So before you mail your wedding invitations, be sure you have the most up to date addresses and guests list.
Did you find this blog post helpful?
If so, you may find my Guest Addressing Template and 15-minute video tutorial helpful for you build your guest list, manage your RSVP process, and most other stationery items you need for your wedding.
This is a Google Sheet; it is set up with formatting and formulas so you can plan for your invitations and manage your RSVPs with ease. Plus, you’ll be able to:
Setup the First 5 sets of guests that should be on your guest list (most forgotten)
Easily determine the number of invitations you need
Preformatted columns to make your envelope-addressing process easy and post office friendly.
Understand the RSVP Card Numbering System if you need to use it
Take advantage of the Built-In Calculator to Track the Total Number of Guests and RSVPs
about the author
Ruby Brewer-Watkins is a Certified Wedding Planner, Chef, and Hospitality Professional specializing in full-service wedding stationery and etiquette. Her guest list planning and creative process created efficiency within her client projects, which allowed her to effectively collaborate, design, and create beautiful wedding invitations and “day of” stationery for countless couples since 2015.
Hi, I’m Ruby, your creative wedding professional. FINALLY, you made it! You can catch a glimpse into a few things I love, specifically how I passionately create wedding invitations and details for the “day of” for couples. I hope that that my blog posts and articles contained within this beautiful space truly inspire you. I offer unfiltered advice and space to give yourself permission to be creative and explore options, and ideas that are available to you to celebrate life's greatest moments.
