Wedding Etiquette & Wax Seals
Wax seals are a beautiful and elegant way to add flair to your wedding correspondence. Invitations, thank-you cards and postcards are given an air of formality when graced with a seal. Unfortunately, the habit of using seals for personal and business communication has largely fallen out of practice, and with it the knowledge of proper etiquette when using wax seals.
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History and Trivia
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Wax seals have been used for thousands of years as a method of identifying and sealing documents. Medieval sweethearts, seeking privacy, sealed their love letters with wax seals, which would break when opened, allowing them to know if the letter had been read before being delivered.
Wax Color
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Black wax was traditionally used for mourning, while red was preferred for business. If these are your wedding colors, you may choose to disregard traditional symbolism. However, you may want to look at other colors of sealing wax that would be more suitable for your happy occasion. Sealing wax is available in a variety of colors and effects (such as metallic or glitter), which can add a touch of flair to your design.
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Seal Design
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Traditional wedding seal designs include hearts, flowers, wedding bells or the first initial of the couple's last name. You may also choose to have a seal designed for the occasion, containing the wedding date, your names, or a design or inscription that is important to you both. Wax seals are most commonly done with a stamp, which is easy to use, but signet rings can also be designed or found at antique shops.
Usage
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Follow the instructions that came with the wax and seals you purchased. Different kind of wax requires different techniques. Practice a few times on scrap paper before trying it on the actual correspondence. If you are sealing a large number of envelopes, have all your supplies handy at a large, clean table or workspace. If you wish to incorporate ribbon or twine into the seal, pre-cut the number you'll need, as this will allow you to achieve a uniform look and streamline the sealing process.
Postion and Mailing
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If you will be mailing the invitations, place the seal well out of the way of the stamp, as it could interfere with the visibility of the stamp or the cancellation method of the post office. Putting the seal on the back of the envelope is the most traditional, and most secure, location. Be prepared to pay a little extra, as the weight of the seal may incur a higher postage fee.
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References
- Photo Credit Stamp ant twin image by Mykola Velychko from Fotolia.com
