We’re all about snail mail at Ivory House Creative. There’s something so special about opening your mailbox to find a letter or postcard. With digital save-the-dates and wedding websites becoming ever-more popular, it’s always good to remind ourselves of the value of printed stationery.

As with any piece of mail, all of your wedding invitations, thank you cards, etc. will be required to fit the current pricing standards to post. Variables such as international versus domestic, even size and weight all impact the price to ship your paper goods.

However, postage for mailing wedding invitations or holiday greeting cards doesn’t have to be complicated. It’s important to know how much you need to budget for postage, and our guide below will help you calculate your expenses and requirements.

Now, here’s everything you need to know about stamps, weights and sizing for your wedding invitations, holiday cards and other paper goods.

How much do stamps cost?

In January of 2019, the USPS raised the cost of Forever Stamps. This increase was notably higher than any others in the past decade (source). As of now, a book of stamps (which includes 20 stamps) cost $9.80; the cost of a single stamp is $0.55.

But the good news is that on October 9, 2019, the USPS announced their proposed rates for 2020, and First Class Forever Stamps will remain at $0.55 in 2020.

A single stamp at this price will cover the shipping cost of most save the dates, thank you cards, invitations and single cards. Items up to 6-1/8 inches high by 11-1/2 inches wide may use just one forever stamp; but there are minimums too: 3-1/2 inches high x 5 inches wide.

Pro tip: Most of our paper goods are designed and printed in 5 by 7 inch format, an A7 envelope. We digitally (flat) print on your choice of white or ivory #130 paper stock. These specifics ensures our clients’ paper goods fit USPS requirements. Thicker cardstock (such as #220) and unusual shapes (i.e, not a rectangle) may require more than one postage stamp.

How many stamps will I need?

If you are mailing your wedding invitations and they have any sort of embellishment (wax seals, ribbon, twine, etc.) expect that one stamp isn’t going to cut it. You will likely need another stamp to cover a non-machinable fee. This fee may vary depending on the size, weight, shape and thickness of an envelope, so be sure to check with your local post office to confirm the price.

Don’t forget that you will also need a stamp for your reply cards. If you are sending a traditional reply with an envelope you will need an additional forever stamp. If you are sending a postcard then you will only need an additional postcard stamp.

Forever Stamp pricing is as follows:

Additional Ounce Forever Stamp rate: $0.15
Two Ounce Forever Stamp: $0.70
Three Ounce Forever Stamp: $0.85
Global Forever Stamp: $1.15
Postcard Forever Stamp: $0.35

You can view more postage pricing here or via the USPS website.

Pro tip: If you need more than one stamp, you can upgrade for the ounces needed rather than adding more of the same value stamp. If you add two Forever Stamps to a 2 ounce letter, you would be paying $1.10 for an item that should only cost $0.70.

These days, there are so many convenient ways to get stamps delivered straight to your door. Not to mention, you can customize them to look however you’d like. I offer custom postage design and recommend stamps.com for all of your personal printing needs.

Want even more stationery info? Download our free stationery guide today!

Please note: These rates are current as of December 2019 and are subject to change. It is always recommended that you take your invitation suite to the post office prior to mailing your invitation suite to confirm the proper postage amount. Ivory House Creative, LLC. is in no way liable for any issues that may arise when dealing with the United States Postal System.

FREE POSTAGE GUIDE