Sticking an uncomplimentary stamp onto your envelopes can be like ruining the most beautiful cocktail dress with the wrong accessories. It can take a bit more time and effort to source the stamps and the cost will most likely be two or three times the regular value but it's so worth it in this planner's opinion.HELPFUL TIP: Here are some ways of finding the stamps!
Hire someone. Many custom invitation designers will also offer the service of finding vintage stamps to finish off your envelope look. Soolip in Los Angeles (pictured above) will source the stamps for $15 -/+ per envelope.
DIY. There are a couple ways of finding the stamps yourself. 1) Ebay has tons of vintage stamps available and I've had great success of finding exactly what I need online. When you enter the search look for "stamps" then click on "United States" ==> "sheets" ==> "New." Most sheets are 50 stamps but read carefully to make sure you're getting the right quantity. 2) Find a local stamp store near you that sells a variety of older stamps. If you're in New York City try Champion Stamps. The cost will be more than finding them on Ebay but the benefit is that there's no bidding, waiting and shipping.
Remember to always always always weigh your entire envelope to see what the postage will be and if it is an oversized or square envelope find out what that extra rates will be on that.
Check out a few recent envelopes we've done:
These purple "B stamps" matched their beautiful envelopes perfectly. The postman asked me if these were for a royal wedding!
(Want to see what's inside?)
Minna Designs did an amazing job on these!
This envelope for a wedding in Lake Como, Italy we used the same jewel tones that were used throughout the wedding decor. Also we choose stamps that represented the couple and their wedding: a Jazz and Amateur radio stamp to showcase the groom's passion for music, an Italian hero Giuseppe Garibaldi for the destination wedding,...
Don't forget the rsvp envelope!
For a wedding for two opera singers I almost fainted when I found this stamp!
It was a perfect touch to the beautiful envelopes Bernard Maisner calligraphied.
I hope I've inspired you all to make the extra effort to finish your envelopes with the perfect postage! Remember, first impressions are everything!
P.S. Get your envelopes hand canceled (so the post office would manually stamp those round cancel stamps over your vintage stamps rather than running it through the machine and getting those wavy line things). It goes with the vintage look and your envelopes won't have a risk of getting damaged when being fed through the machine. It's free for the first 50 envelopes and then only 5 cents for every additional.
P.S. Get your envelopes hand canceled (so the post office would manually stamp those round cancel stamps over your vintage stamps rather than running it through the machine and getting those wavy line things). It goes with the vintage look and your envelopes won't have a risk of getting damaged when being fed through the machine. It's free for the first 50 envelopes and then only 5 cents for every additional.
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