Before planning a wedding, most of us know little to nothing about postage rates or the post office. I mean we know that postage stamps exist and that we need to stick them onto letters to mail them, but that’s about everything that we know. It isn’t until the wedding invitation process rolls around that we are forced to learn the mystical ways of the United States Postal Service.
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On the surface, it can seem like an overwhelming system.Okay, so here are the basics:
Standard Letters
In 2024, the postage rate for a standard letterstarts at 73 cents of postage. USPS will charge extra postage on top of this based on the characteristics of the mailing. Specifically, USPS will look at the weight of the letter and the general characteristics of the invitation.
As mentioned above, a traditional A7 wedding invitation (5 x 7) is usually considered a standard letter by USPS. If the envelope is overeither 6⅛″ in height, 11½″ in width, or ¼″ in thickness, it gets bumped into the large envelope category (which requires extra postage and different rules apply to large envelopes).
Weight
This is one is pretty simple and straightforward. A standard letter that weighs under one (1) ounce will require 73 cents of postage to mail in 2024. USPS charges extra postage for any weight above that amount. In 2024, USPS charges an extra 28 cents for each additional ounce. So a letter that weighs between one (1) and two (2) ounces will require $1.01 in postage. This is true even if the mailing weighs even a little over the weight class limitation (e.g., 1.01 ounces).
The Non-Machinable Surcharge
Aside from weight, USPS also looks at the characteristics of the letter to determine if it is “non-machinable”. This is a little tricky, because it is subjective in nature. Specifically, USPS checks to see if the letter is rigid, lumpy, has a wax seal (either in the inside or outside of the envelope), or are square-shaped. If USPS determines that any of these characteristics are true, it will charge a “non-machinable surcharge,” because they will take the position that the letter can’t be automatically processed through their sorting machines. The “non-machinable surcharge” is an additional 46 cents of postage.
Large Envelopes // Flats
If an invitation is overeither 6⅛″ in height, 11½″ in width, or ¼″ in thickness, it gets bumped into the large envelope category (which requires extra postage and different rules apply to large envelopes).
The postage rate of large envelopes(also known as flat mail) starts at $1.50 in 2024 and goes up in27 cents intervals based on weight. For example, a “flat” that weighs 1.05 ounces will require $1.77 cents to mail.
The same “non-machinable” rule described above (in the standard letter section) does not apply here. Instead, if the flat is rigid or contains items that cause more than 1/4 inch variation in thickness, USPS may bump the mailing into the “parcel” category.
Parcels
If the large envelope is rigid,contains items that cause more than 1/4 inch variation in thickness, or it ismore than ¾″ thick, 12″ high, 15″ long or weighs more than 13 ounces, USPS may consider the envelope, a parcel.
Parcelsrequire a ton of postage (e.g., $3 to $5 each in postage). The amount of postage actually varies by the destination, so you would need a list of all of the zip codes that the invitations are going to.
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I hope that is guide is helpful! Please feel free to email us if you have any questions at all! We’re always happy to help and help you navigate the postal system! For brides interested in working with us on a curated vintage postage set or their wedding invitations, there is no need to worry about any of this! I will estimate the postage rate for you during the design process!See our vintage postage curation services!
To see our custom and semi-custom wedding invitation options, click below!
* Please note that all postage rates mentioned in this article are based on the USPS postage rates for 2024. However, USPS reviews the postage rates on a bi-annual basis and may change such rates. Please refer to the most recent article on our blog to learn more about current rate. Subscribe to our newsletter to stay up-to-date on postage rates.
** Please make sure to the confirm the required postage rate with USPS prior to mailing out your wedding invitations or other letters. This article is only intended to be a helpful resource guide. However, postage rates will vary and depend on the specific characteristics of your mailing. **
