If you’re mailing save the dates, wedding invitations or even your holiday cards any time soon, I just thought I’d share this  bit of information I learned the hard way from the United States Postal Service.

I’ve been doing save the dates, shower invites, bachelorette invites and wedding invites for friends, family and clients for years.  Often times, these include some sort of knotted ribbon.   This is particularly popular on Save the Dates (tying the KNOT).   I did a variation on this for my own holiday cards/Save the Date, which I’ll share more on in a later post.   My STD is a simple cardstock-weight folded card with a ribbon in it.  I’ve sent similar designs out many times before without paying extra postage, so I didn’t worry about getting a sample STD weighed at the post office first.  Here’s a shot of our Holiday/Save the Date cards to give you a general idea of what they looked like before going into envelopes:

After stamping all of my envelopes with a festive Christmas stamp, I waited in line at the Georgetown post office to ask them to hand cancel my box of envelopes so they had a nice DC postmark on them.   Apparently, USPS folks don’t like to hand cancel very much because I was immediately given a hard time.   Then she informed me that it would cost $.20 extra to mail each envelope because of the “bump” (the bump being the knot on the ribbon).  She told me if I mailed them, either my guests would receive an envelope asking for the additional $.20 in order to deliver… or they would be returned to me a full two weeks later with a stamp that says “insufficient postage.”    Since this was the first time I’d ever been told this, I left – WITH all of my Save the Dates in hand.

I returned to my local Virginia post office the next morning and decided to mail a few, make sure they arrived, and then would return to mail the rest.   A gentleman working at the post office stopped me as I was putting the envelopes into the mail slot (I had given up on hand canceling for these) and asked to see one.  I handed one over and to my surprise (and dismay), he also told me that it would cost an extra $.20 to mail each envelope due to the bump.   He repeated the info about the addressee having to pay the difference or that they would be returned to me two weeks later.

!?!?!?!?!?!?!

I asked if this was new and the gentleman informed me that they started enforcing it with the last rate increase in the spring.    Since I don’t want my guests to be charged to save the date, I proceeded to the counter to purchase $.20 stamps.  Of course, they only had $.10 stamps, so my cute STDs looked like this by the time the USPS got done with them:

I returned home, and did some research on the internet.  It is very hard to come by, but I did find this info on the USPS site:

“Letters that meet one or more of the nonmachinable characteristics… are subject to the $.20 nonmachinable surcharge.”

As it turns out, non-machinable characteristics include ribbons, bows, buttons, embellishments (that are common on holiday cards!) and even things like STD magnets inside the card.

Here’s my best advice on how to avoid getting caught off-guard:

1.) Check with your stationary designer on whether your design will require extra postage.   If it’s heavier than 1 ounce, is a square shape, is addressed vertically (instead of horizontally) or has the aforementioned embellishments that cause a “bump” in the envelope, you might have to pay more.

2.) Double-check with the post office by bringing a sample in BEFORE purchasing stamps, or possibly before purchasing the STD, invite, etc…

3.) If you do require extra postage and want to avoid having 2 or 3 stamps on your envelope, be sure to purchase stamps in the right amount.  You may find that sites like Stamps.com or Zazzle.com are very useful in that you can design your own stamp with the exact value required for your envelopes.

4.) Skip the embellishments if you want to save money.    There are ways to “tie” ribbons without a bump.  I’ve already mentally changed my DIY invitation design to include a bump-less ribbon!

I know this isn’t the usual post filled with swoon-worthy inspiration that most of our blog reader enjoy the most, but since ’tis the season for snail mail, I thought some of you out there might find it helpful since the USPS doesn’t promote awareness of this new charge.   Have any of you experienced similar problems with the USPS?   Please share to help your fellow readers avoid the same situation!

Until next time… happy mailing!

We often get inquiries from engaged couples who aren’t sure how much help they need for their wedding.  While of course we always advocate having a planner on hand to manage the little details, the following quiz can help you determine if you need a wedding coordinator or not:

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WishQuiz: Do I Need a Wedding Coordinator?

1. Do I have a break between my ceremony and reception?

• I’m not sure.  I don’t have a venue selected yet.  4 points
• No.  Everything is at one venue.  3 points
• No but my guests will need to travel between two places. 2 points
• Yes.  I have a couple hours in between the ceremony and reception. 1 point

2. Am I a DIY-er? Maybe I’m making my own invitations, place cards, favors, or programs? At the extreme, maybe I’m even purchasing my own tablecloths, arranging my own flowers, or using my friends as vendors?

• We haven’t gotten this far yet.  Why would we need invitations?   6 points
• We’re doing almost everything ourselves! Weddings are so expensive and it’ll be nice to save some money. 5 points
• I have some medium-size projects but am mostly relying on professional vendors for the wedding day. 3 points
• I’m not crafty and those things aren’t important to me. I’d much prefer to skip the accessories. 0 points

3. Am I planning on asking my friends or family to help set up on the wedding day?

• Uh oh, I’m not sure.  What am I going to do with all these DIY projects?  5 points
• Of course! That’s what the bridal party is for, right? 4 points
• My caterer or hotel person said they’d do this – 3 points
• I’ve thought about it but am not sure I want to ask my family or friends. 2 points
• No, I’d much prefer to trust the vendors I’ve hired. What could go wrong with Grandma’s heirloom cake topper? 1 point

4. Who have I asked to clean up at the end of the evening? My guest book, toasting flutes, cake knife, and wedding gifts need to make it home somehow!

• I don’t know but don’t like the idea of asking a guest to stay late. 6 points
• My mom, my maid of honor, or I will be staying late after the reception to gather up my personal items. 5 points
• Doesn’t my caterer or hotel  representative do that? 4 points
• I won’t have any personal belongings at the end of the wedding.  No guests are bringing cards or gifts and everything we’re using will be rented. I don’t even want to keep the top of my wedding cake . 1 point

5. Do I trust the vendors I’ve hired for the wedding day?

• I’m not sure — I haven’t hired a lot of my vendors yet. 6 points
• I am relying mostly on friends and family for the catering, photography, venue, flowers, and music. What could go wrong? 5 points
• No, I booked most of my vendors through the yellow pages or through bridal show promotions.  I’m not confident that they’ll all show up. 4 points
• Yes, most of them are great. One or two companies are hard to get in touch with but I’m sure they’ll be fine. 3 points
• Yes, entirely!  I relied on personal recommendations from friends and have been very happy with the service I’ve received from everyone. 2 points

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Add up your points and see how you scored!

0-5 points: I probably don’t need a wedding coordinator. Not all engaged couples need someone around on the wedding day.  Since my wedding is at a full-service hotel or catering facility and I’ve hired top-notch professional vendors, I’m probably alright on your own.  I don’t mind being distracted by questions from vendors in the morning and during the wedding reception

6-9 points: I should consider a wedding day coordinator. At the very least I can assign a friend to the setup/cleanup duties at my wedding.  I’ve done that for many of my friends and am sure they wouldn’t mind working for a few hours.  It’s the least they can do for the four-hour open bar, right?

10-16 points: I should absolutely hire a wedding day coordinator. I’m pretty organized and have things planned well but don’t want to deal with last-minute emergencies and setting up the decorations on the wedding day.  After spending so much on the whole wedding, I’d much prefer to invest a little bit more and ensure I’ll be a guest at my own party.  Having a Wedding Day Coordinator will take care of all the little details so I don’t have to worry about them.  It’ll be nice to relax and have fun with my new spouse.

17-22 points: I probably need some assistance with the rest of the wedding plans. Maybe I have a few more vendors left to book or I haven’t thought all the way through the details.  A Partial Wedding Planning package might be the best fit for me so I can wrap up the loose ends and create a solid plan for the day.  It’ll be nice to know that I’m covering all my bases.

23-27 points: OMG! HELP! I don’t know what I’m doing and really need the advice of a professional.  If I can’t afford Full Service Wedding Planning, I should at least seriously consider some Hourly Wedding Planning Help on an as-needed basis.  This will give me the education I need to get organized and on track with the wedding plans.  It’ll be here sooner than I think!

Lindsay & Sam’s bridal party poses for DC wedding photographer Greg Gibson

Have you created a formal photo ’shot list’ for your photographer yet?  This list is a simple guide to help your photographer capture all the combinations of family portraits you want taken.  Since they don’t know who your families are, a shot list can help keep things running smoothly and quickly.  Besides, who wants to spend time getting formal photos taken by an unorganized photographer when they can be enjoying cocktail hour?

Here’s an example of a very simple, traditional, and basic shot list:

1. Bride, Groom, Bride’s Parents, Bride’s siblings, Bride’s grandparents
2. Bride, Groom, Groom’s Parents, Groom’s siblings, Groom’s grandparents
3. Bride, Groom, Bridesmaids, Groomsmen
4. Bride, Bridesmaids
5. Groom, Groomsmen
6. Bride, Groom

Of course you can augment this list any way you like!  Have a bunch of sorority sisters who always get a group shot at every wedding?  Or a special family friend who helped raise you?  Maybe your parents or grandparents want a photo with just you and them.  Add all the combinations you want but remember the longer your list, the less time you have to mingle with guests at the reception.

I prefer to get the family photos taken first, then the bridal party, then the bride and groom.  This allows us to get the larger groups finished and sent off to the cocktail hour.  Besides, the less people you have standing around and staring while you have photos taken the less stressed you’ll be!

Photographer Heather Z, lining up the family photo at Kirsten & Daniel’s wedding

Be sure you TELL YOUR GUESTS if they are to stay and get their photos taken.  We recently had a couple who wanted some select guests to take photographs at the church after the ceremony ended.  These poor guests had no idea and got on the buses with everyone else.  While your coordinator or photographer can help gather family members and put them in order, we won’t recognize your aunts, uncles, and cousins to pick them out of a crowd.

Are there any photographers out there who have additional advice on creating a shot list?  Please share your thoughts in our comments!

Most traditional wedding gowns have a train extending off the back of the skirt.  It’s a beautiful and elegant detail that gives the dress a more formal look.  99% of our brides opt to wear a gown with a train.

The problem comes in when it’s time to dance!  What do you do with all that extra fabric?  Sure, you could leave it down and let it get stepped on all night.  Or you could pick it up and carry it through the reception, losing the use of one of your hands for about five hours.  Neither of these options are really good.  Your best bet is to put a bustle into your gown!

A bustle is a set of strings, ribbons, buttons, hooks, or other closures attached to the back of a wedding gown.  This allows the fabric to be cinched up and held off the floor.  Here’s a ‘before and after’ example:

Knottie ginanjason

There are a few different ways you can have your dress bustled:

Simple “Over” Bustle
This is the simplest type of bustle and is usually the cheapest to ‘install.’  Your seamstress will attach a few buttons along the waist seam of your gown.  Then they will put string loops a little lower on the train.  To bustle, just match up the buttons and loops.  The train will pull off the floor.  This can also be done with hooks and eyes, depending on the existing decoration of your gown.  Here’s an example:

Simple “Under” Bustle:
Similar to the Over Bustle, the ‘Under’ pulls the fabric underneath itself instead of being pulled over the rest of the skirt.  Get it?  Buttons and loops are placed on the underside of the fabric so they are hidden from view.  Then they’re matched up to pull the fabric off the floor.  The outside of the fabric has a different look because the fabric is folded differently.  Here’s an example:

WeddingBee’s Miss Hot Cocoa

French Bustle:
A French bustle is a complicated version of the Under bustle.  Instead of buttons or hooks, the seamstress will attach ribbons underneath the dress.  The ribbons simply get tied together, matching up the fabric and holding it to itself.  It sounds trickier but it’s really not.  This type of bustle is very popular because several points can make several layers of bustle:

Austrian Bustle:
This type of bustle is less popular although it still creates a beautiful effect.  Instead of putting ribbons or buttons underneath the dress, the seamstress will sew bias tape or a set of eyes to the underside of the train.  Then when it’s time to bustle, another ribbon is pulled tight to cinch the fabric together.  If you grew up in the ’80s like I did, undoubtedly your house had balloon shade curtains.  It’s the same idea:

Here’s a close-up example of what the button/loop system looks like:

And the hook/eye system:

Photos from the very helpful Leanna.com

Of course now that you have your bustle, you need to find someone who can help out on the wedding day!  Usually your mother, maid of honor, or wedding coordinator will fill this role.  If possible, it’s best if that person comes with you to the final gown fitting to practice putting up the bustle.  Here’s a funny photo of Wendee at Lucie’s Weddings and Events bustling a bride’s gown:

Have you decided what type of bustle you’ll have on your gown?  Which do you think is the prettiest?  Tell us in the comments!

Just engaged and wondering how to budget for the wedding?  Already booked some vendors and just now realizing that you should have a financial plan of attack?

Join me as I talk about event budgets and how to stretch your wedding dollar!  From decor to flowers to catering and every detail in between, there are always opportunities to cut corners and save in unexpected places.  Here’s the info on this casual event:

When: Tuesday, April 21st, 7-8pm
Where: The Dandelion Patch, 111 Church Street, Vienna, VA
Why: Because everyone likes to save money!
RSVP: Email The Dandelion Patch

See you there!

At the Washington Bridal Showcase last weekend, my good friends at WeddingWire.com approached me to make a quick video tip for their website.  I had about 3 minutes to think about it and 30 seconds to record.  Here’s what the final product looks like: