Do Wedding Invitations Ever Come Pre-Assembled and Stuffed?

If you'd prefer not to take on this DIY project, talk to your stationer about assembly and stuffing options; some (but not all) professionals offer this service for an additional fee. Similarly, this may be something your wedding planner will help with if you're working with one.

When Should You Assemble Your Wedding Invitations?

Plan to assemble your wedding invitations at least a week before you want to mail them. The process can be more time-consuming than you'd think, especially if you're planning to add any extras, like wax seals or belly bands, to the invitations themselves.

When Should You Stuff Your Wedding Invitations?

You'll want to stuff your wedding invitations once they're all assembled. Some couples prefer to stuff each invitation after assembly, but we find it's easiest to create a full assembly line—no pun intended—instead. Be sure to give yourself enough time for this process, too; if you plan to add an envelope liner, wax seal closure, return address, or vintage stamps, stuffing invitations can eat up hours of time.

Should I Use an Inner and Outer Envelope?

Ultimately, there's no right or wrong answer here. Inner envelopes were traditionally used to protect the invitation suite in transit, but they can be costly and aren't as typical anymore. If you love the look of a more ornate, formal suite, go for it, but if you're looking to cut costs (and cut down on work), there's no need to have one. If you do decide to include an inner envelope, it's best to leave this unsealed but closed.

Which Direction Should My Invitations Face Inside the Envelope?

Your wedding invitation should be face up, with text facing the envelope flap; this means that guests can see the text as soon as they open the envelope.

How to Assemble and Stuff Your Wedding Invitations

Gray and white wedding invitation suite with vineyard motifs and illustrated liners — Photo by Rebecca Yale Photography

When you receive your wedding invitations from the printer, you'll probably be excited to get started stuffing envelopes and sending them off to your friends and family. However, if your invitation suite involves multiple cards and pieces, you might be unsure about the correct way to assemble the suite and stuff your envelopes. Here's the good news: Even with multiple cards and enclosures, the process of assembling said invites and stuffing the envelopes tends to be a lot less complicated than you'd think.

Here, we share exactly how to assemble wedding invitations and stuff your envelopes. Plus, we share tips and tricks to make it even easier and answer all of your burning questions about the process.

white wedding invitation suite with green and blue inserts, floral details, and ring boxes — Photo by Bonnie Sen

How to Assemble Your Wedding Invitations and Stuff the Envelopes

First things first: If you're going to stuff your wedding invitations at home, we suggest creating an assembly line to make the process go faster. Clear off a table and be sure to give it a good wipe down—you don't want to tarnish your pristine invitations with a smudge of red wine or leftovers from last night's dinner.

Next, lay out all necessary pieces in neat piles. This will include the invitation itself, any enclosure cards and additional envelopes, and adornments like belly bands, vellum or tissue paper overlays, ribbons, and wax seals. We suggest assembling piles of invitations first, then stuffing them into the envelopes, but figure out what process makes the most sense for you based on your guest list and the number of pieces you're including.

Need more guidance? Below, we outline exactly how to assemble your invitation stacks and properly stuff them into your envelopes.

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Start With the Invitation

white letterpress wedding invitation on handmade paper in ecru with simple typography — Photo by Tracy Burch

It sounds simple enough, but when assembling your suite, it's important to start with the wedding invitation, which you should place face up on the table. Generally speaking, this is the largest card in the invitation suite, so it makes sense that all additional pieces will be built upon it.

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Layer on Your Tissue Paper or Vellum Overlay, If Applicable

If a sheet of tissue paper came on top of each invitation, it's your choice whether to leave it in or not. Traditionally, this was used to keep the ink from smudging. While most inks used these days won't smudge, the tradition has continued. If you want to keep the tissue in the invitation suite, place the tissue on top of the wedding invitation.

Vellum overlays are also popular. If you've decided to use one, it will generally sit atop your invitation card.

If you want some sort of overlay, consider whether you prefer the look of vellum or tissue paper; you'll only want to use one.

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Add the Reception Card

Place the reception card (if applicable) face-up on top of the invitation (or tissue paper, if you included it). This card outlines the time and location of the wedding reception and generally includes important information such as the requested dress code.

04 of 06

Include Other Enclosure Cards

custom watercolor wedding invitation suite with venue and pet illustrations and multiple enclosure cards — Photo by Rossini Photography

Place any remaining enclosure cards—such as a map, hotel accommodations card, and travel information—face up on top of the reception card. If there is more than one enclosure card, the order doesn't matter unless they're different sizes. If they are different sizes, start with the largest enclosure card and work your way to the smallest.

The Ultimate Guide to Wedding Invitations

05 of 06

Don't Forget the RSVP Card

a blue-and-white wedding invitation suite inspired by the sea with enclosures and RSVP card — Photo by Brandon Lata Photography

Place the reply envelope face-down on top of the enclosure cards. Insert the reply card under the reply envelope flap, face-up, so that the printed side is visible. If the invitation is a folded-style invitation, all enclosures are placed within the folded invitation rather than on top.

Make sure that your reply envelope is pre-addressed and stamped. It's one more thing to think about and add to your assembly process, but we promise it makes all the difference in terms of getting your RSVP cards back faster.

06 of 06

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 that the handwritten guests' names you've put on the inner envelope are visible when they open it up.

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 the envelope flap is opened, you should see the printed side of the invitation.

White and Blue Van Gogh-inspired wedding invitation suite — Photo by Olivia Leigh Photographie

Wedding Invitation Assembly and Stuffing Frequently Asked Questions

Still have more questions about the wedding invitation assembly and stuffing process? Chances are you're not alone. Here, we answer some of the most common questions related to big-day paper goods.

FAQ

Do Wedding Invitations Ever Come Pre-Assembled and Stuffed?

If you'd prefer not to take on this DIY project, talk to your stationer about assembly and stuffing options; some (but not all) professionals offer this service for an additional fee. Similarly, this may be something your wedding planner will help with if you're working with one.
When Should You Assemble Your Wedding Invitations?

Plan to assemble your wedding invitations at least a week before you want to mail them. The process can be more time-consuming than you'd think, especially if you're planning to add any extras, like wax seals or belly bands, to the invitations themselves.
When Should You Stuff Your Wedding Invitations?

You'll want to stuff your wedding invitations once they're all assembled. Some couples prefer to stuff each invitation after assembly, but we find it's easiest to create a full assembly line—no pun intended—instead. Be sure to give yourself enough time for this process, too; if you plan to add an envelope liner, wax seal closure, return address, or vintage stamps, stuffing invitations can eat up hours of time.
Should I Use an Inner and Outer Envelope?

Ultimately, there's no right or wrong answer here. Inner envelopes were traditionally used to protect the invitation suite in transit, but they can be costly and aren't as typical anymore. If you love the look of a more ornate, formal suite, go for it, but if you're looking to cut costs (and cut down on work), there's no need to have one. If you do decide to include an inner envelope, it's best to leave this unsealed but closed.
Which Direction Should My Invitations Face Inside the Envelope?

Your wedding invitation should be face up, with text facing the envelope flap; this means that guests can see the text as soon as they open the envelope.