How to Assemble Wedding Invitations: Stacking Order, Vellum, Ribbon and Wax Seals, Step by Step

Knowing how to assemble wedding invitations properly makes the difference between a stack of cards and a suite that feels like a gift when it’s opened. The good news: there’s a simple order to follow, and once you’ve made the first one, the rest is a rhythm. This guide covers the stacking order, which way the cards face, vellum, ribbon, wax seals, RSVP cards and the envelope, plus how long it all takes.

First, a choice. Our invitations can arrive assembled for you, with the cards stacked, the ribbon tied and the seal in place, or as separate pieces if you’d love to put them together yourself. Just let us know which you’d prefer when you send over your details. If you’re weighing it up, the table below should help.

Assemble them yourself, or let us do it?

Ordering assembled? Skip ahead to posting. Putting them together yourself? Read on.

What you’ll need

• A large, clean, dry table, cleared of drinks and anything greasy.
• All your printed pieces, counted, with the proof beside you to check against.
• Sharp fabric scissors for ribbon (paper scissors fray it).
• A ruler or a pre-cut ribbon template, so every piece is the same length.
• Wax seals, plus a wax melter or glue gun and a stamp if you’re pouring traditional wax.
• A damp sponge or envelope moistener for gummed envelopes. Please don’t lick 60 of them.
• Your guest list with addresses, in the same order as your envelopes.
• Stamps, once you’ve checked the size and weight of a finished invitation.
• Optional: cotton gloves for vellum, a bone folder for crisp folds.

The stacking order for wedding invitations

What order do wedding invitations go in? The simple rule is largest at the back, smallest at the front, all facing up, so that when your guest lifts the stack every card is visible at once. With our suites, that looks like this:

1. The invitation (5×7 inches) at the back, face up.
2. The details or enclosure card (120 mm square) on top of it.
3. The RSVP card (A7, 105 × 74 mm) at the front, with its return envelope behind it or the card tucked under the envelope flap.

If you have more enclosure cards, such as a map or an evening schedule, slot them between the invitation and the RSVP card in size order. Some stationers put the invitation on top instead, with the inserts tucked behind it; it’s equally correct. What matters is choosing one order and repeating it for every guest. Not sure what belongs on each card? See our guides to the details card and RSVP wording.

Which way should the cards face?

All the same way: face up, top edges aligned, text reading the right way round. Square the stack by tapping the bottom edge gently on the table, then centre the smaller cards so there’s an even border showing on the invitation.

Does the RSVP card go in front of the invitation?

In a stacked suite, yes: it’s the smallest card, so it sits at the front where it’s easy to find. Address the RSVP envelope to yourselves and, if you’d like replies by post, stamp it too. Guests are far more likely to reply on time when all they have to do is tick and post.

How to assemble wedding invitations, step by step

1. Check every piece against your proof and count them. It’s much easier to spot a missing RSVP card now than after the envelopes are sealed.
2. Set up a production line: one pile per card type, left to right in stacking order, with ribbon, seals and envelopes at the end.
3. Prepare the RSVP envelopes first: address them to yourselves and add stamps if you’re including them.
4. Stack the cards largest to smallest, face up, and square the edges.
5. Secure the stack with a clip, ribbon, belly band or vellum wrap (details below).
6. Add the wax seal, over the ribbon knot or where the vellum meets.
7. Make one complete invitation and weigh it before going any further.
8. Insert into the envelope so it faces your guest when opened, then seal it.
9. Address and stamp the outer envelope.

How to assemble wedding invitations with vellum

Lay the vellum jacket flat, place your squared stack in the centre, and fold the sides in so the edges meet (or overlap slightly) at the front. Run a finger lightly along each fold rather than pressing hard, as vellum creases easily. Hold it closed with twine, ribbon or a belly band, then add the wax seal where the edges meet. Handle vellum by its edges with clean, dry hands, because fingerprints show.

How to assemble wedding invitations with ribbon

Cut every piece of ribbon to the same length before you start: wrap one around a finished stack, tie the bow, trim it until you like it, then untie it and use it as your template. A bow on a 5×7 invitation usually needs roughly 50–70 cm, depending on the ribbon width and whether it wraps the whole stack.

• Wrapped ribbon: wrap it around the stack, cross it at the back, bring both ends to the front and tie a flat bow or a simple knot.
• Threaded bow: if the invitation has punched holes, thread the ribbon through from the back, tie the bow on the front and keep the loops even.
• Under a seal: tie a single flat knot rather than a bow and press the wax seal over it. It’s the flattest option for posting.
• Finish the ends with a sharp diagonal cut or a small V (a fishtail) so they don’t fray.

Keep bows flat and tight. A loose, puffy bow looks lovely on the table but gets crushed in the envelope and adds thickness. More on choosing between satin and silk ribbon in our wax seal, vellum and ribbon guide.

With a belly band, twine or clip

A belly band is a strip of paper, vellum or ribbon wrapped around the middle of the stack. Wrap it snugly but not so tight it bends the cards, and fix the ends at the back with a small dot of double-sided tape (never on vellum where it will show), or close it at the front with a seal. Twine works like ribbon: two or three loops around the stack, knotted at the front. A clip is the quickest of all: slide it over the top edge so it catches every card, keeping it centred or neatly to one side on every invitation.

Applying wax seals

With self-adhesive wax seals, peel the backing, position the seal over the knot or join, and press firmly for a few seconds. With traditional wax, melt the wax onto the spot (a silicone mat underneath catches drips), wait a moment, press the stamp in squarely, hold it for a few seconds and lift it straight up. Let poured seals set fully before stacking anything on top. Whichever you use, do a few practice seals on scrap card first.

Keeping seals inside the envelope, on the vellum or ribbon, protects them in the post. Our wax seal guide explains why seals on the outside are riskier.

Adding RSVP cards and enclosure cards

Place enclosure cards in size order on top of the invitation. For the RSVP, either tuck the card under the flap of its own envelope, printed side facing up, or slip it inside the envelope. Tucking it under the flap is neater, because guests see both at once and are less likely to lose the card. Never seal the RSVP envelope: your guest needs to put the card back in.

How to put wedding invitations in the envelope

The aim is for the invitation to face your guest the moment they open the envelope. Turn the envelope over so the open flap is facing you, then slide the stack in with the printed fronts facing you too. When your guest lifts the flap and draws the cards out, the front of the invitation is the first thing they see. A portrait 5×7 invitation goes into a landscape envelope sideways; it doesn’t matter which way round, as long as every invitation goes in the same way.

Ease the stack in gently so the ribbon or seal doesn’t catch on the envelope edge. If it’s a tight fit, the envelope is too small for the finished thickness, so check before you assemble the rest.

Assembling wedding invitations with an inner envelope

Inner envelopes are rare in the UK, and most couples don’t need them. If you are using one, the stack goes into the unsealed inner envelope with the fronts facing its flap, and the inner envelope goes into the outer one with the guests’ names facing the back of the outer envelope, so they’re seen as soon as it’s opened. Our addressing guide explains what to write on each.

Sealing and posting your invitations

To seal gummed envelopes, run a barely damp sponge along the gum, press the flap down from the centre outwards and hold it for a few seconds. Self-seal envelopes just need the strip removed and a firm press. Check the corners are stuck down so nothing catches in the post.

Before you buy stamps, take one finished invitation to the Post Office to be measured and weighed. A 5×7 invitation is usually a Letter, but with a wax seal, ribbon and inserts it can go over 5 mm thick and become a Large Letter. Our cost guide explains postage, and our timeline covers when to post them.

Addressing is the last job. We can print your guests’ names and addresses on the envelopes in the same font as your invitations, or see our guide to addressing wedding invitations if you’re writing them yourself.

How long does it take to assemble wedding invitations?

As rough guidance, once you’ve found your rhythm (the first few always take longer):

Add addressing and stamping on top. For a fully finished suite, that’s a weekend, or several evenings with a friend and a film on. If that sounds like more than you have time for, that’s exactly what the assembled option is for.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Buying stamps before weighing a finished invitation.
• Cutting ribbon by eye, so every bow is a different size.
• Puffy bows that get crushed or snag in the envelope.
• Stacking poured wax seals before they’ve fully set.
• Glue or tape on vellum, where it shows through.
• Forgetting to add the RSVP card, or sealing the RSVP envelope.
• Putting invitations in the envelope facing different ways.
• Leaving it until the week you need to post them. Allow time for a re-order if something’s missing.

Prefer us to assemble them?

Every one of our invitations is handmade in our UK studio, and we’re more than happy to assemble them for you: cards stacked, ribbon tied, vellum wrapped and seals in place, so what’s left for you is addressing and posting. Just let us know when you send over your details. Prefer to do it yourself? We’ll send the pieces separately, ready for you to enjoy putting together. Either way, a sample pack shows you exactly how the finished suite opens.