The United States Postal Service handles millions of pieces of mail daily, and, unfortunately, some envelopes disappear into the void. Sometimes, I feel like getting BachTix to show up at your doorsteps via USPS in one piece—or, frankly, at all, is a miracle. This is because the Uncle Sam’s Snail Mail isn’t exactly batting 1.000. In our experience with running this shop and using USPS for our wedding, roughly 4% of our deliveries don't make it without some sort of complication. If you’re inviting 200 people, that’s eight or more guests who received a save the date and end up accidently getting ghosted when the actual invite was supposed to arrive.
But here’s the good news: we’ve been running BachTix for more than two years now and have used USPS the whole way. We've learned how to expect and side-step some of the situations that create errors with The Post. So, Let us help you avoid invitation-related stress caused by missing or lost invitations.
- Always Follow Up with Radio-Silent Guests: If you’re mailing via USPS (and honestly, most of us are), don’t rely solely on the mail to do its job. Guests who don’t RSVP might not just be lazy—they could genuinely not have received their invitation. Save yourself the embarrassment of realizing this too late by: (1) Sending a personal follow-up call or text, and (2) Including your wedding website on social media for backup.
- Skip the Wax Stamps and Custom Envelopes: We know your fiancé thinks wax stamps are so chic and would win some likes on Instagram. But USPS sorting machines? They think aesthetics are stupid. They’ll chew up that envelope and spit it out like the Hawk-Tuah girl. Thay might also get manually processed which is a real wild card, so use simple envelopes. Also, be prepared for a serious mail upcharge if you do decide to go the wax stamp route… Nothing is free in this world.
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Upgrade Your Shipping Game: For invites that cost more than $5 or $6 per envelope (yes, this happens), look into something other than USPS priority.
- Private Shipping Services: If you’ve got room in the budget, companies like FedEx and UPS can treat your invitations like the VIPs they are. Expect anywhere in the $3-$6 range for reliability.
- Certified Mail: It’s USPS, but someone needs to sign for it upon delivery. You also get text updates. It does cost more though and you'll have to fill out paperwork for every invite.
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Send it as an Envelope Parcel or inside a Pak: You’ll get a shipping number, can track the invites to their destination, and you can file a missing mail claim for refunds on lost items. The cost of shipping AND the invite will be refunded to you. But just be proactive about following up on missing ones.
- Consider Virtual Options - A digital save the date option can be a good insurance policy for your guest list and your wallet. You can email, text, or even share them on social media, which cuts down your mailing list (and stress), and saves you money to splurge on invites, champagne, your honeymoon, or more open-bar hours. Just know that virtual invites are less than kosher for the official invitation. It comes off as cheap and moms like to scrapbook things.
When Things Go Wrong: Damage Control. Sometimes, despite your best efforts, invitations get lost or destroyed. Here’s how to recover gracefully:
- Own the Oops: If a guest mentions they didn’t receive their invite, don’t freak out. Apologize, laugh it off, and send them a digital copy. If you want, you can always follow up with another physical copy, if you have extras.
- Leverage Social Media: Use a fun, lighthearted post to remind everyone to RSVP and check your wedding website for details.
- Have Extras Ready: Always order more invitations than you think you’ll need. Trust us.
If you’re determined to stick with USPS, be prepared for some hiccups. A few lost invites don’t have to derail your wedding. But if you’re shelling out big bucks on those luxe invitations, you might want to give certified mail (or UPS/FedEx) a hard look.
At the end of the day, your wedding is about celebrating with the people who matter most. Whether they get their invite via snail mail, email, or carrier pigeon, they’ll show up for you—and that’s what counts.