A hand-addressed envelope is the first thing a wedding guest sees, and it makes the invitation feel personal before anyone opens it. In this tutorial, calligrapher Suzanne Cunningham, filmed for the Calligraphy Masters channel, addresses two envelopes from start to finish: a grey one in flourished Copperplate with white ink, and a navy one in a faster modern script with metallic gold.
She addresses a lot of wedding and rehearsal dinner envelopes. Watch her pace. Copperplate is slow on purpose.
What you need to address envelopes in calligraphy
A pointed pen setup: an oblique holder and a flexible nib. Suzanne uses a Brause 361 Steno, the Blue Pumpkin, for metallic ink. For ink she has two favourites: Dr. Ph. Martin's Bleedproof White, and Finetec metallic watercolor, which you wake up with water. Add a laser level for guide lines, a small jar for mixing, and a water brush.
Getting the ink consistency right
Bleedproof White comes out of the jar far too thick to write with. Thin a little in a separate jar until it moves like whole milk. Too thick and the nib drags and skips. Too thin and the white turns grey and see-through on a coloured envelope. When the ink skips mid-word, dip the nib tip in water and carry on.
Finetec works the other way round. You add water to the dry pan until it is creamy, then paint it onto the back of the nib.
Guide lines without pencil
Pencil lines on dark envelopes are hard to see and harder to erase. A laser level throws a straight line across the envelope that you can use as a baseline or slant guide, and it leaves no mark. Suzanne's Slider Writer is no longer made, but a hardware store laser level does the same job.
Laying out the address
Plan the lines before you write. Name on top, then street, then city and state, with the zip code on its own line. Keep descenders clear of the line below. Suzanne shortens a g on the city line because she knows the zip code goes underneath. Spaced zip digits with small dots between them look formal. Leave the dots off for modern script.
Copperplate or modern script?
| Style | Look | Speed | Best for |
|---|
| Copperplate | Formal, even slant, flourished capitals | Slow, many starts and stops | Formal weddings |
| Modern script | Relaxed and bouncy | Faster | Showers, parties, casual weddings |
Common envelope calligraphy mistakes
- Rushing Copperplate. Speed makes wobbles in the hairlines.
- Letting ink dry on the nib. Wipe and re-wet often, especially with white ink.
- Skipping the test envelope. Some papers feather, so try your ink on a spare first.
- Stacking too soon. Let each envelope dry flat, and work top to bottom so your hand rests on blank paper.
- Machine cancelling. Ask the post office to hand cancel so the sorting machines do not scuff the ink.
Where to go from here
New to pointed pen? Start with how to use a calligraphy pen and how to learn calligraphy. Want the look without a nib? Faux calligraphy works with any pen. And for stationery to write on, try making your own paper envelopes.
