Have you ever wondered why wedding invitations come with tissue paper and two envelopes?
Back in the 20th century, most wedding invitations were hand-delivered by messengers on horses. Thus, the need for a double or outer envelope to protect the invitation from being soiled by dirt and water. Likewise, it served to provide directions to the recipient’s estate, castle, or farm.
The messenger or courier would usually hand the invitation to the butler, who would take out the inner envelope containing the invitation and place it on a silver tray. This made sure that the master or mistress’s hands do not come into contact with the dirt. Though nowadays, the double envelope is optional.
The tissue paper, meanwhile, was inserted between the leaves of the invitation to keep the engraving’s ink from smudging. At present, it is used as decoration.
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Sources:
The History of the Social Invitation. http://www.invitationsetc.com/m1_eh.htm
The History of the Wedding Invitation. http://www.weddingchannel.com
