Requirements for sending something as a postcard?

Question

For my wedding invitations I want to do response card postcards. I thought I could save some money by just using cut card stock or heavy paper and printing them out myself. However I am not sure what the paper size/weight or texture requirements are for a postcard. Does anyone know? I don't want to send cards to small or paper to light weight that they cannot be sent through the mail without an envelope.

Answer 1

I work at a publishing place/ print shop and you have a couple of options that I know of. The first is that there are places where you can have postcards made with a picture you choose. Photobucket offers this online, but you can also hit a FedEx Kinkos for these as well. I do believe that there is a company that makes some that you can run thru your own printer at home to produce but I'm going to warn you that with any and all do it yourself wedding projects you may save money but most times you make up for it in hassle/time. Card stock is a heavier paper that I would use as a postcard in a pinch. Cut it to postcard dimensions, which can be found at usps.com, and make sure that you have the proper addresses and postage on them. When it doubt, do one, take it to your local post office and ask an official. That's what they're there for. Good luck & Congratulations.  

Answer 2

Definitely check with the postal service on this one!  I know that Canada Post has all the requirements (to exact detail) listed on their website because I used to design marketing material for a software company and we did a mailer/postcard thing for our clients and we had to check and re-check that it would get to them with a certain priced postage.

So scour the website for information about that, and then, just to be sure, make one as an example and bring it to the post office to ask.

Good Luck!

Answer 3

My cousin had postcards for the response cards.  It's a brilliant idea!  There are several different weights of cardstock.  the higher the pounds the heavier the card stock.  I would suggest a 100 lb cardstock.  I mail these all the time and they get where they need to go.  If your office supply store doesn't have that, I have used as low as an 80 lb cardstock and it worked as well.

Answer 4

"Postcard size is defined as between 3 1/2 inches and 4 1/4 inches in height (measured vertically, perpendicular to address), must be between 5 and 6 inches in width (measured horizontally, parallel to address).

The thickness of paper used in making a postcard size mail is also important. Postcard size mail must be made from paper that is between 0.007 inches and 0.016 inches in thickness."

Answer 5

Card stock is definitely the way to go.  We do that at my work.  We always print 4 post-cards per page on a regular 8.5" X 11" page.