What a personalized greeting card is
A personalized greeting card carries a name, photo, message, or design that you supply. Two routes exist: print at home or send a file to a print shop. Home printing works for 1 to 20 cards. Print shops handle foil, letterpress, and offset runs. Five choices drive the result: card size, paper weight, print method, quantity, and mailing format.
Card sizes and matching envelopes
- A2 flat card: 4.25 x 5.5 in. A2 envelope: 4.375 x 5.75 in.
- A7 flat card: 5 x 7 in. A7 envelope: 5.25 x 7.25 in. A 4x6 photo fits with a border.
- Square card: 5.5 x 5.5 in. Square envelopes take a USPS nonmachinable surcharge.
- 4x6 photo card: 4 x 6 in. Envelope: 4.75 x 6.5 in.
A folded A7 card starts as a 7 x 10 in sheet. Folded cards give four panels: front, two inside, back.
Paper stock
Cardstock is sold by cover weight. Common choices:
- 80 lb cover, 216 gsm. Runs through most home printers.
- 100 lb cover, 270 gsm. Standard for store-bought cards.
- 110 lb cover, 300 gsm. Heavier feel, needs a straight feed path.
Finish options are matte, gloss, and uncoated. Uncoated stock takes pen ink and stamps. Gloss resists smudges on photo fronts.
Print methods
- Inkjet: 1 to 20 cards, photo output, drying time 5 to 15 minutes per sheet.
- Digital press: 1 to 500 cards. Turnaround 1 to 3 business days.
- Offset: 250 cards and up. Lower unit cost at 500 and 1,000.
- Foil stamping and letterpress: a metal plate or die. Plate fees apply. Turnaround 5 to 10 business days.
Mailing rules
USPS First-Class Mail letters must measure at least 3.5 x 5 in and 0.007 in thick. The maximum is 6.125 x 11.5 in and 0.25 in thick. The first ounce is covered by one Forever stamp. Square, rigid, or lumpy envelopes pay a nonmachinable surcharge. Hand-addressed envelopes route the same as printed ones.
File setup
- Set the document to the final trim size.
- Add a 0.125 in bleed on all sides.
- Keep text 0.125 in inside the trim line.
- Use 300 ppi images at final size.
- Convert to CMYK for offset. RGB is fine for home inkjet.
- Proofread names against the recipient list.
Order checklist
Count the recipients. Add 10 percent for errors. Confirm the envelope size matches the card. Ask the printer for a paper sample. Check the delivery date against the event date. Order addressing at the same time as printing.