When working one-on-one with my clients to craft their perfect suite, I get asked a lot of the same questions over and over. Which is great — that’s what I’m here for! But like Moose and Pippa right around dinnertime, specific questions tend to follow me around:

So, what’s the difference between inner and outer envelopes, anyway?

Which do I need?

I mean, I know my mom insists we get both… but do I have to?

I have a plethora of educational canned responses saved up for emails like these, so I thought it was the perfect time to add this topic to the Stationery 101 series.

Unless you’re new around here, it’s no secret that I’m a sucker for fun facts. And fun paper facts? Well, they get me feeling like Sunday morning. Way back when mail was delivered by hand, envelopes could get fairly dirty en route to their destinations. Picture a mailman coming up to your front door, doing you the favor of removing that outer envelope, and handing you the clean, pristine inner envelope. Fancy, right? (I picture something like this.) You’re too good for that regular old street dirt, I know.

Tradition since then has held, and invitations for formal events are often sent with both inner and outer envelopes. The outer envelope contains the guest’s mailing address, and the inner envelope states exactly who is invited to the event.

The choice of inner and outer envelopes can be super beneficial for a few reasons:

1. By having two sets of envelopes, you’re able to get super clear who is invited to your wedding — and, by omission, who is not. Where the outer envelope could read, “Mr. and Mrs. David Wilson / The Wilson Family,” the inner envelope would get more specific with, “Mr. and Mrs. Wilson / David and Sarah.” If the family has children who are invited, their names would read on the second line in the inner envelope. If the children are not invited, their names are left off. Inner envelopes help eliminate the potential for any awkward questions regarding your guest list.
2. Inner and outer envelopes are the more traditional option. If your wedding is black tie, classic, or just all-around formal, you may want to stick with having both sets of envelopes to abide by wedding etiquette. Your invitation suite will be absolutely gorgeous to be sure, but do you know how impressive two sets of envelopes are? They help set the tone for your event.
3. Even while having both inner and outer envelopes is a formal option, you’re still able to get a little fun and personal when listing individual names on the inner envelopes. Meaning “William Holcomb” becomes “Grandpa,” or, if you’re like me and had a bad time with your hard Gs as a kid, “Papa B.”

“I don’t want to break etiquette, but do I have to have both sets?”

Not at all! I like to leave the preference up to my clients. While both sets is in accordance to etiquette a lá Emily Post, at the end of the day, it’s truly up to you. Maybe your wedding is laid-back and intimate, maybe you’re looking to invest your stationery dollars in letterpress instead (good choice, girlfriend), or maybe you’re just not looking to use more paper than you have to. I see your earth-friendliness and I salute you. At the end of the day it’s your choice to select the specific components of what makes your wedding invitation special for you and your sweetheart.

If this post was helpful, be sure to check out the rest of the Stationery 101 series! Even better? Let’s work together to craft your family’s first heirloom. Get in touch, won’t you? xo

You are faced with a lot of questions as you plan your wedding. There are plenty of obvious ones, like “how many guests?” “What flowers should be in the bouquet?” “What will we eat?”

But there are lots of unexpected questions that will arise as you plan, such as “do I need inner envelopes for my wedding invitations?” or even, “what the heck are wedding inner envelopes?”

What are Wedding Inner Envelopes?

To answer that second question first, inner envelopes are, you guessed it, an envelope inside your mailing envelope. The full invitation suite (invite, RSVP card, extra details) is placed inside the inner envelope. The inner envelope lists the guests’ names on the front and then is placed into an outer, mailing envelope with the guests’ address, stamps, and your return address (and maybe sealed with a wax seal!).

Benefits to using Inner Envelopes

What’s the point of inner envelopes for wedding invitations? Well, inner envelopes for wedding invitations date back to olden days when mail was delivered via horse and carriage. Mail got really beat up in those days and the inner envelope protected the invite from the damages seen on the outer envelope.

In today’s modern age, mail is treated more nicely so many forgo the inner envelope. But we have all received damaged mail, so using an inner envelope still adds an extra level of protection to your beautiful invitation suite - especially if you don’t plan on hand-cancelling your envelopes (more on that later!).

On top of that, though, inner envelopes provide clarity as to who is actually invited to your wedding. We all know forming the guest list is one of the hardest parts of wedding planning. The inner envelope helps alleviate that stress by making it clear to the recipients exactly who from that household is invited to the wedding in a non-confrontational way.

Outer envelopes are typically addressed to the heads of the household (in a more formal manner, such as “Mr. and Mrs. Wagner”), whereas the inner envelope lists everyone from that household is invited (in a more informal manner, such as “Justin, Maxine, Rob, & Faye”).

As an example, say you are having an adult-only wedding and one family you are inviting has both teenagers and young kids. While the outer envelope would be addressed to the heads of the household, the inner envelope can then specify which of the kids are invited to the wedding.

On the flip side, say you are inviting a single friend to your wedding and want them to know they can bring a guest. The more the merrier! The outer envelope would be addressed to your single friend (“Catherine Sims”) and the inner envelope would state “Catherine and guest” so your friend knows to crack open that address book!