Prepare invitations for mailing
Bring one complete sample and the right questions to USPS.
US domestic mail. This checklist does not determine classification or postage. A manual postmark does not guarantee machine-free handling.
Prepare one complete sample
3 of 5 checked
Illustrative example · Simple complete sample. Verify every value before using it.
Load an example
Take it to the counter
Current sample summary- Outside size
- 7 × 5 in
- Thickest point
- 0.125 in
- Total weight
- 1 oz
Flexible · Along the long edge · None exposed
Before you mail
The physical piece, the postage, and a manual postmark each need their own answer.
1. What kind of mailpiece is this?
Dimensions alone do not settle classification. Weight, thickness, flexibility, shape, address direction, and exterior features can matter together. A square, lumpy, rigid, or oversized invitation deserves a counter conversation.
USPS applies current physical standards to the complete piece. Check the linked official standards and show your assembled sample at the counter; dimensions alone do not establish eligibility.
Do not assume a rigid or oversized piece becomes a flat. Show the complete sample to USPS and ask how that specific piece is classified.
2. What postage applies to this complete sample?
Ask about postage for the classification and weight of the fully assembled invitation. Do this before applying stamps to the whole batch. Nonmachinable postage and a request for a manual postmark are separate matters.
USPS advises enclosing exposed wax seals, strings, and ribbons inside another envelope. If you add an outer envelope, weigh and measure again with it included.
This page intentionally provides no current rate table or exact postage amount. Use USPS’s current price tools and the retail counter for the next step.
3. What can I request at the counter?
Ask the retail counter about a requested manual postmark separately from the postage required for your invitation. Confirm the current procedure with USPS.
A manual postmark does not promise that the piece will avoid every machine later in its journey. Extra postage also does not guarantee undamaged delivery. Confirm the current procedure with USPS when you bring your sample.
Keep one checklist with the sample. Record the answer at the counter before you repeat the assembly and postage across the whole stack.
Sources and scope
- USPS · How to Send a Letter or Postcard (opens in a new tab)
Envelope preparation, exterior decorations, and retail-counter guidance.
- USPS DMM 101 · Physical Standards (opens in a new tab)
Current official physical standards; classification involves more than size.
- USPS DMM 608 · Postal Information and Resources (opens in a new tab)
Section 11.2 covers requested manual retail-counter postmarks.
- USPS · Postage Price Calculator (opens in a new tab)
Check current postage after confirming the characteristics of your sample.
US domestic mail. Sources last checked 31 October 2026; notes dated 1 November 2026. Confirm current rules and prices with USPS before mailing.