Why do wedding invitations have two envelopes?

Picture this: you’re sifting through your mail and you see a beautiful envelope decked out with calligraphy and vintage stamps, obviously a wedding invitation. So you open the envelope expecting to see the invitation card but inside is…another envelope?? Why on earth does a wedding invitation need two envelopes?

This second envelope is called the inner envelope, differentiating it from the outer envelope which has the address and postage on it. While not strictly necessary, there are several practical and visual reasons couples choose to use inner envelopes.

Let’s start with the practical reasons. One of the biggest reasons to use an inner envelope is simply for extra protection. Unfortunately, the postal service is not always gentle on mail, and outer envelopes can get torn and damaged, even if you hand cancel them. It’s frustrating to say the least, but we’re stuck with USPS for better or for worse. If your actual invitation and details cards are inside an inner envelope, there is a much better chance that they will arrive unscathed even if the outer envelope gets damaged.

Another practical reason to use inner envelopes is that they provide a much better opportunity for your guests to see and enjoy your envelope liners, which are included in all base packages here at Jubilee Paper. Since your outer envelopes need to be sealed down for mailing, guests will need to tear the top to open them rather than lifting the flap up. This means that if your envelope liner is on the outer envelope, guests will hardly be able to see it. An inner envelope does not need to be sealed, so guests can simply lift up the flap and will be able to see the full envelope liner in all its glory!

Visually, the inner envelope provides a crucial place to have fun with color and pattern. Take the invitation suite above, for example—cover up that olive green inner envelope with your hand and you’ll see how much energy and life it provides for a mostly neutral invitation suite. Combined with a unique envelope liner, the inner envelope can be a real visual workhorse when it comes to the look and feel of the suite overall.

So, why do wedding invitations have two envelopes? Hopefully now you’re convinced that it’s because an inner envelope is both practical and beautiful—a winning combo! And if you’re interested in having custom invitations designed just for you, you’ve come to the right place! Jubilee Paper is a wedding stationery design studio where deeply personal custom invitations are brought to life. Fill out our contact form to get in touch!