Handwriting hundreds of names and addresses can be a daunting task for any bride planning a wedding, but Shannon at Deeply Scripted enjoys the challenge!  I am a huge proponent of outsourcing tasks that I can’t seem to fit in my schedule or that someone else can do better than me.  Calligraphers add a touch of class and elegance in the smallest details of your wedding and they free up your time to finish planning your wedding.  Check out Shannon’s top tips for wedding calligraphy:

1. Organize your guest list

Please, please make an excel file, typed list, or google doc.  Bonus points if it’s numbered and/or in alphabetical order.  Weddings with 300+ invites get a little confusing if the guest list is scrambled.  Remember that your calligrapher doesn’t typically know all of your guests, so titles are important.  I print all lists out and hand mark as I go.  When additions or changes happen, I rewrite or add to my original print.

2. Give an adequate timeline

I typically produce 75-100 envelopes per week without working around the clock, so a timeline for receiving and mailing gives your calligrapher a better idea of your expectations.

3. Postage

Most wedding invitations require extra postage due to weight.  Be sure to factor postage in your paper products budget when planning.

4. Not all envelopes are created equally

Some envelopes have a particularly rough texture that increases the time it takes to complete an envelope.  If possible, let your calligrapher know or make suggestions for paper styles to save some time and heartache later.

5. Mail envelopes in small bundles

A little known fact that I have found to be truthful: mail envelopes in groups of 20-40 for the best results.  Post offices are less likely to lose them.  I did this for my own wedding and took a bundle to multiple post offices over the course of three days and had minimal “return to senders.”

6. Spring for the calligraphy

I’m not just saying this because I am a calligrapher, but because beautiful, time consuming, eloquently written letters are few and far between.  You instantly know it’s an important document when it’s written in an elegant script.

Whether you are inviting guests to the most important day of your life, sending out festive Christmas cards, or announcing the birth of a new baby, handwritten calligraphy lets the recipient know you are dear to them.

Check out more of Shannon’s work on Instagram!

Do you have any tips to add?  Share them in the comments!