Beauty and Romance Make A Perfect Match

New Wedding Stamps on Sale May 1

High-resolution images of the stamps are available for media use only by emailing roy.a.betts@usps.gov

WASHINGTON — Wedding invitations never looked prettier as the U.S. Postal Service today announced two new wedding stamps on sale online and at Post Offices nationwide.

The new, one-ounce, 44-cent First-Class Wedding Rings stamp features a photograph of two gold wedding rings resting on a small white pillow; a slender ribbon of white silk unites them.

This year’s two-ounce, 61-cent First-Class Wedding Cake stamp depicts a three-tier cake topped with white flowers, their stems and leaves a delightful contrast to the cake’s creamy white frosting. Both photographs were taken by Renee Comet of Washington, DC.

The stamps may be purchased at local Post Offices, at the Postal Store website at www.usps.com/shop, or by calling 1-800-STAMP-24.

Wedding Rings Stamp:
How to Order the First-Day-of-Issue Postmark Customers have 60 days to obtain the first-day-of-issue postmark by mail. They may purchase new stamps at their local Post Office, at The Postal Store website at www.usps.com/shop, or by calling 1-800-STAMP-24. They should affix the stamps to envelopes of their choice, address the envelopes, to themselves or others, and place them in a larger envelope addressed to:

After applying the first-day-of-issue postmark, the Postal Service will return the envelopes through the mail. There is no charge for the postmark. All orders must be postmarked by July 2, 2009.

How to Order First-Day Covers
Stamp Fulfillment Services also offers first-day covers for new stamp issues and Postal Service stationery items postmarked with the official first-day-of-issue cancellation. Each item has an individual catalog number and is offered in the quarterly USA Philatelic catalog. Customers may request a free catalog by calling 1-800-STAMP-24 or writing to:

Philatelic Products (Wedding Rings)
There are three philatelic products available for this stamp issue:

574261*, First-Day Cover, $0.82
574265*, Digital Color Postmark, $1.50
574299*, Cancellation Keepsake (Digital Color Postmark cover/pane), $10.30

Items with an asterisk (*) will use the 128 barcode from Stamp Fulfillment Services. All other philatelic products will continue to use barcode series A, with the exception of the Yearbook and the Guide Book.

Wedding Cake Stamp:
How to Order the First-Day-of-Issue Postmark
Customers have 60 days to obtain the first-day-of-issue postmark by mail. They may purchase new stamps at their local Post Office, at The Postal Store website at www.usps.com/shop, or by calling 1-800-STAMP-24. They should affix the stamps to envelopes of their choice, address the envelopes, to themselves or others, and place them in a larger envelope addressed to:

After applying the first-day-of-issue postmark, the Postal Service will return the envelopes through the mail. There is no charge for the postmark. All orders must be postmarked by July 3, 2009.

Philatelic Products (Wedding Cake) There are three philatelic products available for this stamp issue:

574161*, First-Day Cover, $0.99
574165*, Digital Color Postmark, $1.50
574199*, Cancellation Keepsake (Digital Color Postmark cover/pane), $13.70

# # #

Please Note: For broadcast quality video and audio, photo stills and other media resources, visit the USPS Newsroom at www.usps.com/communications/newsroom/welcome.htm

An independent federal agency, the U.S. Postal Service is the only delivery service that reaches every address in the nation, 149 million residences, businesses and Post Office Boxes, six days a week. It has 34,000 retail locations and relies on the sale of postage, products and services, not tax dollars, to pay for operating expenses. Named the Most Trusted Government Agency five consecutive years by the Ponemon Institute, the Postal Service has annual revenue of $75 billion and delivers nearly half the world’s mail.