How to Assemble Your Wedding Invitations and Stuff Your Envelopes Like a Pro

• Create an organized station with invitations, envelopes, and cards to smoothly assemble your wedding suite.
• Plan to assemble and stuff your invitations a week before mailing and use a step-by-step process.
• Decide if using both inner and outer envelopes fits your style and budget and consider extras like wax seals.

Step 1: Set Up an Organized Station

First things first: If you're building your invitation suite at home, we suggest creating an assembly line for a more efficient and organized process. To do this, clear off a designated table (large enough to accommodate the production line), wipe down the surface (prevent leftover crumbs from tarnishing your pristine invites), and lay out all of the necessary pieces—including the invitations, envelopes, enclosure cards, and adornments—in neat piles. We recommend setting up a stack of your invitations first, followed by the envelopes. But, of course, feel free to establish a system that works best for you and makes the most sense for your number of guests and paper inserts.

Step 2: Start With the Invitation

Generally speaking, when assembling your suite, you'll organize your paper components in size order. Since the wedding invitation is usually the largest card in the pack, it will be the first element in the envelope, placed at the bottom. Start your stack with the invitation, print side facing up.

Step 3: Layer Tissue Paper or a Vellum Liner

Your invitations might come with sheets of tissue paper or vellum in between each one, and it’s up to you whether you include them in your suite. While these overlays were traditionally used to prevent ink from smearing in transit, since modern-day ink is primarily smudge-free, adding tissue paper or vellum isn’t necessary. If you do like the layered look, however, to pull it off, place a single sheet of either material on top of your invitation card.

Step 4: Add the Reception Card

If you’re hosting your ceremony in a location that’s separate from your reception (like with church ceremonies), you’ll likely have a reception card that contains details about the time and place of your party, plus the dress code. If a reception card will be a part of your suite, add it on top of the invitation (or the aforementioned tissue or vellum liner, if you included it), with the text and design facing up.

Step 5: Include Other Enclosure Cards

If you have additional enclosures, such as a details card, an accommodations card, or an itinerary card, put them on top of the reception card (again, facing up) according to size order, from largest to smallest. For enclosure cards that are all the same size, the order won’t matter. However, if your wedding invitation is folded, place your enclosures inside of the invite, not on top of it.

Step 6: Incorporate the RSVP Card

Nowadays, most wedding invitation suites include a QR code for invitees to digitally respond, but some still add the standard paper reply card, or RSVP card, (and the corresponding envelope) for guests to fill out and mail back. If you’re integrating the traditional method, place the envelope for your RSVP—print side down—on top of the enclosure cards (or inside of a folded invitation), with the envelope flap on the left. Make sure that the envelope is pre-printed with the mailing address and stamped with the postage. Then, insert the RSVP card face-up beneath the RSVP envelope flap to ensure the printed side is visible.

Step 7: Bring in Decorative Elements

To complete your paper stack, add the finishing touches, if applicable, whether that be a belly band, a ribbon, or a vellum wrap. Whatever you choose, wrap the decorative element around your entire suite, securing it in place with a clear sticker or double-sided tape.

Step 8: Stuff the Envelope

If you're using two envelopes (an inner envelope and an outer envelope), insert the now fully assembled invitation suite into the inner envelope (left edge first for a single-card invitation; folded edge first for a folded invitation). When the envelope flap is opened, you should see the printed side of the invitation. Insert the inner envelope into the outer envelope, so your guest's name on the inner envelope is clearly visible.

If you're using just one envelope (an outer envelope), insert the fully assembled invitation suite into the envelope (left edge first for a single-card invitation; folded edge first for a folded invitation). When a guest opens the envelope flap, they should see the printed side of the invitation.

Step 9: Seal the Envelope

Once the wedding invitation and its additional inserts are in the corresponding envelope, it’s now time to seal the envelope. There are a few different methods for this, whether it’s using a damp sponge, a glue stick, a piece of tape, or a wax seal. Choose one that suits your personal preferences and invitation design.

Step 10: Address the Envelope

After you package all of the paper components, the next step involves addressing the envelope, which varies depending on the guest. For example, if you’re mailing a particular invitation to a heterosexual couple, the outer envelope will be listed as “Mr. and Mrs. George Green,” and the inner envelope (if used) will show, “Mr. and Mrs. Green” or “George and Genevieve.” Below their full names, add their mailing address on the envelope.

Step 11: Mail the Invitations

First, bring an assembled wedding invitation suite to the post office to get it weighed, so you can determine the necessary postage. Once you’ve stamped all of your invitations (don’t forget the return label!), head back to the post office to hand-cancel your suite—which will instruct them to manually sort the envelopes, preventing potential damage.