Five Reasons Vintage Wedding Stamps Are Gaining Popularity

Vintage stamps add a charming and distinctive touch to wedding invitation suites. Every time we spot a flat lay or a beautifully calligraphed envelope adorned with classic postage stamps, we can't help but admire them. The effort involved in calculating, sourcing, curating, and arranging vintage wedding stamps for your envelopes is more extensive than you might think. Given the many factors to consider when purchasing old stamps, we’ve gathered all the tips we’ve learned over time. Keep reading for guidance on finding and using vintage stamps for your wedding invitations.

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If you plan to use vintage stamps on your wedding invitations, notify your stationer immediately. Ideally, start this process before or during the invitation design phase. There are several considerations when designing an invitation suite with vintage stamps, such as allocating space for addressing due to multiple stamps, selecting the best envelope color to highlight your stamps, and more. Your stationer can address these questions early on, and you’ll also need to determine the weight of your invitation before purchasing stamps.

• It reflects your aesthetic sense!

Curate a vintage stamp collection that mirrors your personality or wedding theme! For example, if you love traveling, you might choose stamps featuring destinations that hold special meaning for you. If your wedding is in a garden or outdoors, a set of vintage floral stamps would be perfect. For book lovers, there are stamps honoring famous authors. The possibilities are endless.

• It complements almost any color scheme

One of the easiest and most popular approaches is to select stamps that align with your wedding’s color palette. Choose complementary shades or even create a monochromatic look inspired by your wedding colors.

• You don’t necessarily need a stationer

While a stationer can be helpful when applying postage stamps, it’s not always necessary. You’ll need to calculate the correct postage based on the weight, size, shape, and thickness of your envelope, depending on the number of pieces in your invitation suite and the type of paper used. 

Typically, domestic shipping costs $0.55 (as of 2021) for items under 1 oz that aren’t overly thick. If it exceeds 1 oz, an additional $0.20 per ounce may apply. However, with stamps, you can bypass the need for a stationer.

Square envelopes or those of unconventional sizes may incur a "non-machinable" surcharge. Non-machinable mail must be hand-canceled with a rubber stamp since it can’t be processed by USPS automated systems. This adds an extra $0.20 ($0.75 for standard mail). This postage is also required for items like hard, lumpy, wax-sealed, or clasped envelopes that aren’t machine-friendly.

• Customized stamps

Many companies offer stamp templates that allow you to include your names, wedding date, and other details on a stamp. Round stamps have a timeless appeal, subtly echoing the eternal symbol of a wedding ring. Alternatively, you might prefer square or rectangular designs. You can get creative with circles, lines, flowers, geometric shapes, symbols, and text. The design possibilities for invitation stamps are vast.

Determine the amount of postage you’ll need and budget accordingly. Vintage stamps can be significantly more expensive than modern ones. Prices vary based on availability and denomination, so expect to pay two to three times more for vintage stamps compared to current USPS stamps.

Remember to buy extra sets for keepsakes, lost mail, or returned items (like one for your wedding day photos). There are numerous stamp vendors available, such as StampsDesigner, Little Postage House, Vintage Postage Shop, Edelweiss Post, and Flourish Fine Writing, all offering excellent selections and customer service. 

Read More:  Types of Personalized Wedding Stamps: How to Choose the Best

Let stamp vendors assemble a set for you. Provide them with your wedding colors or theme, the number of sets needed, and the postage required for each. If you’re sourcing your own stamps, ensure they are UNUSED. While used stamps are valuable to collectors, they can’t be used for mailing.

Once you’ve determined your postage and sourced your stamps, plan the stamp layout for your envelopes. Discuss this with your stationer or calligrapher to ensure enough space for addressing. It would be disappointing to receive hand-calligraphed envelopes only to find insufficient room for your vintage stamps!

1. You can personalize your stamp decoration

Experiment with stamp placement! Arrange them in a straight line across the top right or stack them on the side. If your collection includes both vertical and horizontal stamps, play around with the layout to find the most balanced and visually appealing arrangement. Consider their colors and sizes when deciding on placement.

Read More: Custom Wedding Stamps for Invitations Created With Stamp Maker Tool

Vintage stamps can be sourced in various ways. Often, you’ll work with stamp collectors, either locally or online through StampsDesigner. Many collectors will help you find the perfect set that matches your wedding colors or theme and meets your postage needs. Some stationery designers also offer this service, saving you the hassle of finding a separate supplier.

Our personal favorites are these! They’re absolutely stunning and offer countless options. Vintage stamps are simply older stamps issued by the post office years ago. Since each stamp has a different value, you’ll need to combine several to cover the postage for your invitations.

Applying historical postage to envelopes requires attention to detail. Before starting, ensure your workspace is clean and organized.

Arrange your stamps in the order you plan to apply them to the envelope. Unlike modern stamps, many vintage stamps aren’t self-adhesive. You’ll need to moisten them to stick them to your envelope. A shallow bowl and damp sponge work well (use less water than you think!). Tweezers can help fine-tune the placement, ensuring they’re straight and evenly spaced.

As your stationer, we can assist throughout the process and often coordinate directly with stamp vendors for a seamless experience. If you prefer, we also offer assembly services to handle the meticulous work for you.

The beauty of vintage stamps evokes nostalgia, history, and culture. Choosing a stamp that aligns with your wedding theme is a popular choice for invitations. It could be a specific color, a romantic image, or something meaningful to your day, like flowers, butterflies, birds, or greenery. A collection of three or four different stamps can look exquisite. Watercolor and calligraphy stamps with a romantic vibe are ideal for weddings.

You can also use vintage stamps for save-the-dates and other wedding-related correspondence. While vintage mail has a unique charm, there are many modern alternatives that achieve similar results at a lower cost! Consider working with a designer to create a custom stamp featuring your monogram, paired with appropriate postage.

Sourcing a beautiful postage collection takes time and effort, and vintage wedding postcard stamps are often more expensive than their face value. For example, a stamp with a specific postal value might cost around $0.65 per piece (prices vary by vendor). To save money, mix modern and vintage styles. If you’re on a tight budget but still want vintage stamps, consider purchasing a limited number of sets for your most important guests—no one will notice the difference!

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Published on 2024-10-02