You know what the US Postal Service rate increase affects in a big way? Wedding invitations. Many invitation sets weigh in at over an ounce, especially when you add up all the extra pieces (inner envelope, response cards, reception cards, maps, travel info, etc). Frugal brides & grooms can save postage and trees by going for a simpler approach. But it’s nice to have an invitation of substance, so most don’t worry about it. That’s why the USPS has taken to printing two ounce “Love” stamps. I didn’t think I’d have to deal with a stamp increase right in the middle of the summer that only affects items over an ounce. I’m waiting with bated breath to see if they’ll immediately issue a new two ounce “Love” stamp or just annoy all the, uh, detail oriented (aka “anal retentive”) brides by making us ruin the aesthetics of our outer envelopes with an extra 2 cent stamp. I’m planning to avoid it all by getting our invitations mailed before the rate change.

On a related note, here’s what happens when I go to the post office before eating lunch:
Me: I’d like a book of stamps.
Clerk: Flowers? Love? Statue of Liberty? Fruit?
Me: Fruit! HUNGRY!
I actually made a postal worker smile. Amazing.