What You Need to Know About USPS Changes and How It Could Impact Your Invitations
When it comes to wedding communication for couples—save-the-dates, invitations, thank you cards and more—the United States Postal Service (USPS) has long remained a steady service for to-be-weds and guests alike. Most recently, however, USPS Postmaster General Louis DeJoy has undergone intense scrutiny for his operational changes as it relates back potentially to the integrity of the 2020 election. Such changes, in fact, have been denounced by Democrats, some of whom are now probing whether these decisions are, in fact, influencing delivery windows as the looming 2020 election season coincides with COVID-19's ongoing impact on the country.
Along with the increased cadence of mail-in ballots is the possibility of a slow-down in USPS services having a universal ripple effect: in this case, on wedding invitations and stationery too. "We've seen the USPS take longer than the traditional timelines for delivery," notes Kristin Peters, the Chief Marketing Officer of Artifact Uprising. "In some cases, couples who've sent out revised save-the-dates due to rescheduling their original events from COVID are now experiencing a double impact: their revised save-the-dates and invitations aren't being received in time for the new event. It's an added frustration and disappointment for couples experiencing an already difficult time."
Below are solutions for how to get ahead of possible USPS delays, with guidelines for how to support the Postal Service during this challenging time.
Allow for Extra Delivery Time
This is where you, the couple, should be proactive about the timing around your invitations. While traditional etiquette calls for prescriptive scheduling for your save-the-dates and invitations (thank you cards even), couples should take a moment to suppress buffer time into their calendars, considering the pandemic also aligns with an election year.
"The delivery windows for save-the-dates and invitations will likely continue to take longer than expected," Peters elaborates. "Couples should be planning accordingly by sending out these wedding communications much earlier than planned. They should also follow up with wedding website updates and emails to guests to ensure critical communications are received."
The Knot Editors suggest wrapping at least two extra weeks into your timelines for receipt of invitations and save-the-dates (beyond standard scheduling), so that guests will have ample time to receive paper notices. Since addresses are also evolving by the day, request your guests' addresses for when you'd like them to receive your save-the-dates and invitations.
Finally, if you're just starting the wedding stationery process, consider The Knot Invitations, where all guest information is easily linked to your wedding website. Not only will the designs match across your stationery and your wedding website (a win from an aesthetics standpoint), but guest details are also stored under your account, allowing you to focus on managing multiple moving parts in one place. In the event you need to pivot your wedding, this will be one less component of planning you'll need to worry about.
Be Conscious of Holiday Season
Although DeJoy has mentioned that proposed changes will be held until post-election, the upcoming holidays, engagement season and gift-giving periods are all factors to keep in mind as you time the delivery of your wedding save-the-dates and invitations. "These delays are likely to increase as we get closer to the holiday season, when the USPS is also dealing with big increases in packages and overall mail," Peters speculates, "Think of all of those holiday cards that you send and receive! An idea is to send holiday cards earlier this year in October, prior to Election Day on November 3, or at least to purchase stamps beforehand."
In total, it's important to factor election season and the holidays into your checklists. Wrap in additional time to communicate with guests, whether it's via email, text or your wedding website, where FAQ pages are suggested as it relates back to potential change-the-dates and other pivots amid COVID-19.
Purchase Stamps & Merch to Support the USPS
Even if you're holding off from sending invitations for several months, utilizing the USPS for other non-wedding related correspondence and purchasing stamps now (Forever Stamps start at 55 cents) are ways to support the service at present. "Whether it's a simple postcard or a more substantial letter, everyone can appreciate a little outreach right now during this time of social distancing," says Peters.
"Every little bit helps," adds Holly Chapman of Papier, a custom stationery company. "Write letters to loved ones instead of an email. Not only does it support the USPS, but a handwritten note also feels good to send and, in reverse, it feels great to receive." Along with stamps and snail mail, did you know you can purchase merch and novelty items from the USPS? Check out the Postal Store for an array of gift options.
Seek Alternatives If You're Behind Schedule
If, however, you're up against a deadline, seek alternatives as your priority is now to communicate with guests. If your invitations won't physically make it on time, you have options. "We are big fans of the USPS… but consider sending your invitations through a different carrier [in the event you're under deadline]," says Peters. "This will create additional expenses and it also doesn't support the USPS, a vital service to our country."
Ultimately, work ahead of time and be aware of ongoing changes. What you're able to do right now—purchasing stamps, planning accordingly—works in your best interest and for the greater good.