A7 Envelope Postage for a 5x7 Invitation
An A7 envelope is 5 1/4 x 7 1/4 in and fits a 5 x 7 invitation. It is a standard letter: $0.82 at 1 oz, $1.11 at 2 oz, $1.40 at 3 oz.
Your answer
Standard letter
No extra postageRegular letter postage. No surcharge.
- Postage per piece
- $0.82
- 100 invitations
- $82.00
Stamps for each one
1 × Forever (1 oz letter)
Why
- This is a standard letter: within 6.125 x 11.5 in, no thicker than 0.25 in, and length divided by height is 1.38 (it must be between 1.3 and 2.5). USPS rule
Rates last verified on
100 invitations: $82.00 in postage ($0.82 each, standard letter)
The safe choice for wedding invitations
The A7 is the most common wedding invitation envelope, and it is also the easiest to mail. Length divided by height is 1.38, inside the 1.3 to 2.5 range the machines need. Nothing about the size adds postage.
So with an A7, postage comes down to two questions: what does the finished suite weigh, and is there anything on it that the machines cannot handle?
Weight is where A7 suites get expensive
A single 5 x 7 card in an A7 is usually within 1 oz. A wedding suite rarely is. Add a reply card and its envelope, a details card, an envelope liner and perhaps a belly band, and many suites land in the 2 oz step at $1.11. Double-thick or letterpress stock can reach 3 oz.
The steps are whole ounces. A suite at 2.1 oz pays the 3 oz price. If you are a hair over a step, a lighter liner or dropping one insert can save $0.29 on every invitation. More on heavy suites.
What adds the surcharge to an A7
A wax seal, a ribbon or twine tie, or a rigid insert makes any letter nonmachinable and adds $0.49. So does writing the address along the 5 1/4 in side, which is an easy one to avoid.
Portrait card, landscape envelope
Most 5 x 7 invitations are designed upright, and some calligraphers address the envelope upright to match. An A7 addressed that way is still mailable, but USPS reads it as 5 1/4 in long and 7 1/4 in high. That ratio is 0.72, so every one pays the $0.49 surcharge: $73.50 on 150 invitations for a choice nobody will notice.
Compare the options
| Option | Mail class | Each | For 100 |
|---|---|---|---|
| A7, 1 oz | Standard letter | $0.82 | $82.00 |
| A7, 2 oz suite | Standard letter | $1.11 | $111.00 |
| A7, 2 oz with a wax seal | Nonmachinable letter | $1.60 | $160.00 |
| 5.5 x 5.5 square, 1 oz | Nonmachinable letter | $1.31 | $131.00 |
Questions and answers
How much postage for a 5x7 invitation?
In an A7 envelope, $0.82 up to 1 oz, $1.11 up to 2 oz and $1.40 up to 3 oz, with no surcharge for the size.
How many stamps does an A7 envelope need?
One Forever stamp at 1 oz. At 2 oz, use one Two-Ounce stamp or a Forever stamp plus an Additional Ounce stamp.
Is an A7 envelope nonmachinable?
No. A plain, flexible A7 envelope addressed along its long side goes through the sorting machines.
Can I address an A7 envelope vertically?
You can, but USPS then treats it as nonmachinable and adds $0.49 to each one.