One of my favorite ways to complete an invitation suite is with a custom postage stamp. It tells guests that there is something special inside the envelope and gets them excited to see what it is. Unfortunately, the United States Postal Service will be discontinuing its personalized postage program. According to a May 7, 2020 press release from Stamps.com, they were notified that the USPS was eliminating its customized postage program and revoking their authorization to offer custom postage products effective June 16, 2020. Other custom postage resellers such as Minted, Shutterfly, and Photostamps.com will no longer be selling personalized postage after this date.
But don’t fret! There are other ways you can still have fun with postage! Perhaps the easiest and most visually interesting way is to dress up your envelopes with vintage stamps.
A growing trend
A few weeks ago, I stumbled upon what seems to be a growing trend in invitation design: using real, vintage U.S. postage. I think this is the most interesting way to add some pop and color to the front of your mailing envelope. And it is fun to see all the different postage designs that have been designed over the years.
Because the older postage is printed in smaller denominations than the current postage rate, you will have to use more than one stamp. But just look at some of the fun ways you can do that in the photos below.
These stamps (and photos) are all from a great vintage postage provider I found a few weeks ago. Her name is Brooke, and her company is Postage Stamp Studio. She is on Instagram, too. Her Instagram handle is postagestampstudio.
As you can see, using vintage stamps can be really fun!
The options are endless
When you dress up your envelopes with vintage stamps, you also have far more options. You spend so much time designing the perfect invitation, carefully deciding on the papers, the theme, the fonts, the printing process, and the overall design. But often, the current stamp designs that are available at the post office at any one time do not complement the invitation inside the envelope. By using vintage postage, you open your options up in countless additional ways.
Is the guest of honor a history buff? Use a combination of stamps that feature historical figures or historical events. Brook at Postage Stamp Studio has a large assortment to pick from.
Does the guest of honor have a special hobby or career? Many vintage stamps feature personal interests and professions such as dance, photography, flora and fauna, flight, travel, medicine, pets, and so much more.
You can even choose a combination of vintage stamps in colors that complement your envelope, invitation and inserts. Vintage postage comes in every color of the rainbow: purples, pinks, greens, blues, reds, yellows, browns…name a color and you will be able to find a grouping of stamps to match.
So don’t fret too much about the loss of the personalized stamp. Have fun with real postage and dress up your envelopes with vintage stamps instead!
It’s not too late to order personalized postage
If you would like to order personalized postage for your next event, even if it is taking place after June 16, 2020, you can still place an order. The postage you purchase will still be accepted (it is U.S. postage after all). Invitation Maven is offering a discount off our Custom Postage Design Package. Normally priced at $40, we are now offering this service for only $20. This service includes the design of a custom graphic, determining the correct postage for your outer mailing and response envelopes, and placing the order on your behalf. This is in addition to the cost of the postage, which is billed separately. If you would like to order personalized postage, you must place your order by June 1, 2020.
Vintage postage custom curated just for you
If you are not quite ready to commit to a personalized postage order before the June 1st deadline, Invitation Maven can always curate a vintage postage selection just for you. We are proud to offer a new service to our clients where we will search the internet for the perfect combination of vintage postage stamps that reflects your theme, colors and sense of fun.
Our Curated Vintage Postage Package includes determining the proper postage for your invitation suite (based on its size and weight), finding up to three postage combinations to mail your outer mailing and response envelopes, and purchasing the postage on your behalf. This, too, is in addition to the cost of the postage, which is billed separately.
Because there are so many options, it takes a lot of time to find the perfect vintage stamps just for you, so this service is billed hourly. The price of our Curated Vintage Postage Package starts at $40 per hour (with a one hour minimum), but for the rest of 2020, we are offering this highly custom service to Invitation Maven clients for half price.
So don’t be afraid to have fun with postage and dress up your envelopes with vintage stamps. Not only will you enjoy reminiscing about some of the stamps from your youth, but you will relish in the huge selection of available stamps to add that perfect pop of color and fun to your envelope. And your guests will enjoy it, too!
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