What's the deal with the two envelopes?

Occasionally, I am asked why wedding invitations have two envelopes: one outer and one inner.

With the advent of the printing press, now the "common folk" not just nobility and royalty were able to have beautifully printed invitations. These invitations were delivered by hand courier to the house of the guests. Couriers, in these times, were not known for their clean hands..and let's face it...we are talking about a period of time when refuse was present in the streets.

Therefore, the invitation was enclosed inside another envelope. Once it arrived at its destination the outer envelope was discarded and only the inner one (and the CLEAN one) was placed in the hands of the honored guests.

A show of luxury and expense is still important today. Before any of the guests see the bridal gown or the flowers or even hear any of the music, their first impression of the event is the invitation. It sets the tone and the anticipation for the event.

Most brides today will spend the extra money to make their wedding's first impression a great one.