Standard Wedding Invitation Weight: What You Need to Know Before Mailing
Jun, 29 2025
Picture this: the excitement of designing your dream wedding invitations. You’ve chosen the perfect paper, fussed over fonts, maybe even debated if that vellum overlay is too much. But wait—before your invitations become real and you hold them in your hands, there’s an odd but essential detail that nobody warns you about: weight. Seems boring, right? Yet, a gram or two can mean extra dollars at the post office or worse, invitations returned to sender. Suddenly, what your invitations weigh isn’t just a fussy detail—it’s the difference between hassle-free invitations and royal mail mayhem.
The Typical Weight of Wedding Invitations
Walking into any stationery shop or chatting with invitation designers, you’ll hear numbers thrown around for invitation weights. So, what is the average weight of a wedding invitation? Most classic wedding invitations, complete with an envelope, RSVP card, and maybe a details insert, weigh between 30 and 50 grams in Australia. That’s for a set of standard size—usually around A5 (148 × 210 mm) or 5" x 7" if you’re speaking old-school inches. The weight fluctuates based on paper thickness (aka GSM, which stands for grams per square metre), the number of enclosure cards, choice of envelope, and those fancy add-ons like wax seals or silk ribbons.
Curious people sometimes grab their kitchen scales to weigh a finished invite. You’d be surprised: a single invitation card printed on 350gsm matte stock with a basic envelope usually lands at about 25 grams. Add an RSVP card and an extra insert, and you’re nudging 35 grams. A heavy suite—think luxe cotton paper, liners, and embellishments—can tip over 50 grams easily. Why does this matter? Australia Post and most global postal services have tiered postage based on weight. Just over 50 grams, and you shift into the next pay bracket. In June 2025, here’s the current breakdown for standard letters via Australia Post:
| Weight (grams) | Postage (AUD) |
|---|---|
| Up to 50g | $1.50 (standard letter rate) |
| 51g-125g | $3.00 |
| 126g-250g | $4.50 |
Invitations shouldn’t just look pretty—they need to be practical. That luxe handmade envelope liner? Tack on five grams. Silk ribbon tied in a bow? Another three grams minimum. Wax seals, which are on-trend in Melbourne right now, weigh between 1.5 and 3 grams each. It adds up, and for couples inviting 100 guests, that small weight increase amplifies your postage cost dramatically. Suddenly, calculating the wedding invitation weight per envelope makes or breaks your postal budget. When ordering samples, always check the weight (stationers often forget to include this in listings). For people ordering invites online, request a photo of a finished sample on a digital scale. It’ll save you headaches—trust me.
Postage Surprises: Real Numbers and Common Mistakes
Let’s break the myth: not all wedding invitations need standard postage. In fact, about 40-60% of wedding suites in Melbourne in 2024 required increased postage due to bulk, weight, or thickness. That’s because anything thicker than 5mm or heavier than 50g moves into ‘Large Letter’ territory. The big shock for many Australian couples comes when their invitations either get returned—or guests are asked to pay extra to collect them. Ouch.
Why do so many get it wrong? First, people forget inserts add up. A map for the venue, dinner menu, RSVP card—all super lovely, but each slip stacks weight. Even metallic or textured paper weighs more than it looks. If your invitations feel hefty in your hand, they probably are. Second, postage calculators online often lag behind current Australia Post increases, which have hit twice in the past year. Always double check rates on the official website right before you buy stamps.
- If you want to dodge postage drama, assemble a finished invitation (including every envelope and all the inserts you plan to send). Head to your local post office—they’ll weigh it, measure it for thickness, and give you an exact price.
- For bulkier invitations with embellishments (wax seals, silk ties, or pocket folds), always assume you’ll need Large Letter postage even if you’re just under 50 grams. Sometimes ‘lumpy’ or unusually shaped mail triggers extra charges even if the weight is fine.
- For people worried about extra cost, go light on extras—ditch the envelope liner, use digital RSVP instead of physical cards, and limit embellishments.
- Some couples in Victoria have swapped traditional printing for recycled 120gsm paper, which looks smooth and modern and drops 6-10 grams per invite. If you want unique flair but need to stay under the 50g limit, it genuinely works.
There’s also a sneaky trick not many people talk about: Australia Post doesn’t check every single envelope as diligently as you’d think, but it’s risky. If an invitation is too thick or heavy, the sorting machines sometimes eat them or spit them back. Some couples have reported torn envelopes, missing wax seals, and even invitations arriving weeks late because of failed sorting. Not fun. So, while you *can* take a gamble, your best bet is weighing before you mail.
Smart Design Choices to Keep Invitation Weight (and Price) Down
If staying under that magic 50g threshold is your goal, there’s a bunch of creative ways to keep invitations elegant and affordable. Start with the basics—paper thickness or GSM. Most standard wedding invitations use 250-350gsm for a sturdy feel. The heavier you go, the more premium, but also the pricier for mail. Some of the trendiest sets in 2025 use double-sided printing on lighter 200-220gsm recycled stock for a chic, eco-friendly vibe. It shaves off weight without sacrificing style.
Envelope choice makes a difference too. Regular C5 or A5 envelopes are about 6-8 grams. Lined envelopes or textured ones can jump to 15 grams quickly, especially if you pick handmade or specialty types. If you adore envelope liners but worry about weight, try ultra-thin tissue paper liners—they add elegance for just 1 gram per envelope. That’s far better than thick glitter paper or foam liners, which can add 5-10 grams in an instant.
For extras: try digital QR codes instead of printed RSVP cards. Not only does this drop 3-5 grams per mailing, but it also feels modern (and your tech-savvy friends will love it). If your heart is set on wax seals, use flexible wax or stickers instead of traditional sealing wax—it looks luxe and is about half the weight. If you want to include maps, opt for a half-size card or print on thinner paper stock. And forget metal embellishments or heavy vintage keys—they’ll send your invitation weight (and costs) skyrocketing.
- Pro tip: Always factor in the full set—every card, every layer of paper, the return envelope, and even those tiny matching stickers. Even the adhesive on address labels adds a fraction of a gram.
- If you’re sending invites internationally, double check each country’s weight limits. New Zealand, for example, considers anything over 50 grams as a parcel, not a letter, so the price multiplies fast.
- If you want to test your postal price, assemble one invitation—fully ready—and mail it to yourself. See how it arrives (timing, condition, accuracy in postage). That one small test could save you a pile of stress and cash.
- Bulk posting? Australia Post’s large letter rates apply up to 125 grams, so if your invitation is, say, 52 grams, you’ll pay $3 per unit. For 100 invitations, that’s $300 just for postage. Stay under 50 grams and pocket the difference for your honeymoon cocktails.
Thinking ahead makes all the difference. Make a spreadsheet of your design choices, estimated weights, and postage costs. Some stationers now include postage calculators in their design software, which is a gnarly hack for future couples. And if you want zero surprises, go minimalist: one card, simple envelope, and a digital RSVP—your wallet (and your guests) will thank you.