How to Properly Assemble Your Wedding Invitations

All your months of planning are coming together and, finally, the time has come to mail your wedding invitations. But wait! As much as you want to, don't mail your wedding invitations until 4 weeks prior to your wedding day. Remember, because your guests, even those coming from out-of-town, received their "Save the Date" cards several months ago, they've already made their travel arrangements or are in the process of making their plans to attend your wedding. So, waiting until 4 weeks prior to your wedding to mail your wedding invitations is not only all right, it's proper.

· Outside envelopes ~ with postage (not metered) stamp

· Invitations

· Inside envelopes (optional)

· RSVP cards

· Envelopes for RSVP card ~ stamped

· Reception cards

· Tissue (optional)

To begin the sophisticated process of mailing your invitation properly, place your wedding invitation face-up in front of you. If you decide to use the tissues, place the tissue over the writing. There are many schools of thought on the tissue-issue. Tissues aren't necessary for today's wedding invitations. Tissues were originally used when engraving inks were oily and wouldn't have had time to dry by the time they were mailed, so the tissues kept the inks from smudging. Tissues should have been removed before assembling the invitation for mailing. Somehow, it has become proper to use the useless tissues, so use them if you prefer. If you don't, you're very within proper etiquette. An exception to using tissues would be if you have printed your own invitations on your own printer. Tissues might actually serve a purpose since printer inks often smudge in the course of mailing.

1. Layer the enclosures on top of the invitation in order of size, with the largest enclosure nearest the invitations.
2. Enclosures are placed on top of each other in a pile writing-side up. Enclosures, such as RSVP cards, that have an envelope should be tucked under the flap on the envelope so that the triangle covers part of the writing side of the card.
3. Now, place this set on the pile with the partially covered writing on the RSVP card face up. Yes, the writing on the front of the stamped RSVP envelope will be face-down.
4. If your invitation needs to be folded in half to fit into the envelope, fold the invitation from top to bottom, with the writing on the inside.
5. Enclosures go inside the second fold. The first fold is the one that turns the invitation into a little booklet-type shape.
6. Whether you are right or left-handed, pick up the pile in your right hand; pick up the inner envelope in your left hand; stuff the pile into the envelope with the first fold of the invitation at the bottom of the inner envelope, and with the writing on the invitation facing the back of the inner envelope.
7. Again, whether you are right or left -handed, place the inner envelope in your right hand and turn it over so the writing on the inner envelope is facing you. Stuff the inner envelope into the outer envelope with the bottom of the inner envelope to the bottom of the outer envelope and the front of the inner envelope facing the back of the outer envelope.
8. Done!

Please, please, please, do not run your wedding invitations through a postage meter and always remember to place a stamp on the RSVP card envelope.

The reasoning behind this sophisticated process is to make certain that when your invitees receive your invitation to the wedding; they open the outer envelope and immediately come upon the inner envelope. Now, as they withdraw the inner envelope of your wedding invitation the writing is facing them. It is then natural for the invitee to then flip the inner envelope over and pull out the invitation and enclosures. And, because you have properly stuffed your enclosures, they are right on top. The writing on the invitation will face the right direction for them to easily read. Now, isn't that worth it?