Envelope Addressing

Congratulations on your upcoming wedding or event! I am thrilled to be of service during this exciting time of life! Below are steps to walk you through the envelope addressing process.

STEP ONE | GET IN TOUCH WITH ME!

Traditionally, wedding invitations are to be mailed 6-8 weeks from the wedding date. Please allow 4 to 6 weeks for your envelopes to be completed. This timeline can be shorter or longer depending on the season.

  • Your name and contact information, as well as where you are located (city/state) for shipping purposes
  • The address layout you would like me to use (can submit a photo of your liking, or choose from the below)
  • The lettering style you would like me to use (can submit a photo of your liking, or choose from the below)
  • The number of envelopes you want calligraphed
  • Size of envelopes being calligraphed
  • Color of envelopes
  • Type of envelopes (opaque, lined, shimmery, etc.)
  • Preferred ink color
  • Date of your event
  • Date envelopes need to be completed and in your hands by

After you get in touch via my contact page or by sending me an email with the above information, I will reach back out to you via e-mail with any other questions I may have. Once I have all the details I need, I will provide you with my availability and a custom quote.

STEP TWO | LETTER OF AGREEMENT + RETAINER

Once you approve the custom quote, we will both take a look at our schedules and set a start date. Once we have set an agreed start date, I will send you your 50% non-refundable retainer invoice and letter of agreement. The 50% retainer will be due before any calligraphy work can begin. The remaining 50% + any additional fees incurred will be invoiced once your envelopes are completed, and will be due before I can deliver the envelopes back to you.

STEP THREE | YOUR ENVELOPES + GUEST LIST

Once you have signed the letter of agreement and paid the 50% retainer invoice, I will have you ship your envelopes to me. I do ask that you provide 15-20% extra envelopes to account for ink splatters and/or human error. If you are local to the Austin area, we can meet in person to exchange the items, letter of agreement and payment (if you prefer to pay by check).

Addresses: I will need a fully formatted and triple-proof-read address list — this is of the utmost importance!  Excel spreadsheets are NOT recommended for envelope addressing.  Rather, calligraphers prefer couples to format their list exactly as they want it written on the envelopes to prevent a design error.  For example, if couples want the addresses centered on the envelopes,  the addresses should be centered on the list they provide.

Also, invitation suites contain inner and outer envelopes. Outer envelopes are typically addressed formally (i.e. Mr. & Mrs. John Smith, Dr. & Mrs, the Honorable, etc.).  Again, there are traditional etiquette guidelines on which a calligrapher can provide clarity.  Inner envelopes use the “familiar” names we actually call our friends and family, such as “Grandma” or “Mike.” This is also a great time to explicitly let them know who is invited by using names instead of “guest” and “family.” This helps if you’d like to keep your wedding reception kid-free.

STEP FOUR | ENVELOPES COMPLETED + FINAL INVOICE DUE

Once your envelopes are completed, I will send you over your final invoice and an email letting you know so that we can arrange a time to ship them back to you. If you are local to the Austin area or live less than an hour away, I am happy to meet up to exchange them in person. The final invoice will need to be paid before I can hand over the envelopes.

STEP FIVE | ENJOY!

Once the completed envelopes are in your hands, it’s time for you to enjoy and then send them out to your guests! :)

PRICING

Guest Address – Starting at $3.50/per address
Return Address – Starting at $2.50/per address
Inner Envelope – Starting at $2.50/per address
Place Card – Starting at $1.50/per card

HOW TO SUBMIT YOUR LIST

Lists can be uploaded and submitted with your calligraphy order if final at the time of booking. Alternatively, you can email your final list to kelcy.parrish@gmail.com. Please only submit one final list. Changes to your list once submitted may result in additional set-up fees to reformat your list again.

Calligraphy orders include one round of corrections/additions. After the first round, all additions will be billed at $25 per round to accommodate a new set-up of the order.