ROMANCE, AR — Each year the Romance Post Office offers a customized postmark designed by the Postmaster for Valentine’s Day that makes the envelope just as much of a treasured keepsake as its contents.
Romance Officer-In-Charge Rebecca Palmer postmark about 7,500 valentines and wedding invitations annually from as far away as Australia, Canada, Germany, Great Britain and Japan.
Some happy couples take advantage of a local minister who is on stand-by Valentine’s Day to renew vows. There also is a justice of the peace available to perform the nuptials with a two-hour notice.
Customers interested in the special postmark should enclose stamped, pre-addressed valentines into a Priority Mail or Express Mail envelope or box addressed to:
Postmaster
Valentine Remailing
Romance, AR 72136-9998
Customers are asked to allow enough time for their cards and letters to be postmarked, re-mailed, and delivered in time for Valentine's Day, Tues. Feb. 14. Depending on Post Office proximity, items mailed by Feb. 6 should be delivered by Feb. 14. If you are within the state of AR, you should mail your items by Feb. 10.
The new Love Ribbons Forever Stamp is on sale today at usps.com and by phone at 800-782-6724. Stamps are arriving in Post Offices over the next few days and will be sold as soon as they are available.
“We are excited to bring this colorful new stamp to our customers in time for them to mail their Valentine’s Day greeting cards and letters,” said Stamp Services Manager, Stephen Kearney. “We will continue selling the Garden of Love stamps too.” The official dedication ceremony for Love Ribbons will be held Feb. 14 in Colorado Springs, CO.
Evoking images of romance and elegance, this year's Love stamp features a graphic design of satin ribbons that spell out the word “Love” in a graceful, cursive script.
Like stamps, ribbons often adorn special packages to friends and family. Attached to floral arrangements, boxes of candy, and gifts of all kinds, ribbons beautify and embellish gestures of romance, friendship and caring. Silk, satin, taffeta and organdy ribbons often are used to enhance the beauty of bridal bouquets and invitations for weddings and other special celebrations for friends and loved ones.
Graphic designer Louise Fili worked with art director Derry Noyes on this stamp.
The Love Ribbons stamp is being issued as a Forever Stamp in self-adhesive sheets of 20. Forever stamps are always equal in value to the current First-Class Mail 1-ounce price. At the time of issuance, the Love Ribbons stamps are being sold at a price of 45 cents each, or $9 per sheet.
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