What Is a Victorian Puzzle Purse? The Story Behind Our Victorian Folding Letter

A Victorian puzzle purse is a love letter folded from a single square of paper. It closes into a neat little square and opens in stages, with something new on every layer. People were sending them to their sweethearts more than two hundred years ago.

We make them for weddings. Ours is called the Victorian Folding Letter, and it is the most unusual format we offer. This is where the fold comes from, how it works, and how we use it for save the dates and wedding invitations.

What is a Victorian puzzle purse?

A puzzle purse is one square sheet of paper, creased into a grid of smaller squares and then twisted closed, so the corners wrap round each other like a pinwheel. Folded, it sits flat in your hand. The paper holds itself shut.

The name tells you most of it. "Purse" because it closes into a little pocket. "Puzzle" because opening it is easy and folding it back up is not.

You will also see it called Victorian letter folding, a folded love letter or a love token. They are all the same idea.

The Victorian love letter that is older than Victoria

The name is a little misleading. Puzzle purses are older than Queen Victoria.

Sweethearts in Britain and colonial America were exchanging them in the 1700s, before printed Valentine's cards existed. They were still being sent well into the nineteenth century, which is how the Victorian name stuck.

Every one was made by hand. The panels were often numbered, so the verses were read in the right order as the letter opened, with the final message waiting in the centre. Hearts, flowers and birds turn up again and again.

A few survive in museum collections, creases and all.

How a puzzle purse opens

This is the part a photograph cannot quite show.

It arrives as a small square. Lift the first flaps and it becomes a pinwheel. Open those and the whole sheet unfolds flat, with everything in front of you.

It is slow on purpose. Your guests have to stop, sit down and open it properly, which is more attention than most post gets.

Our Victorian Folding Letter

We call ours the Victorian Folding Letter. It is the puzzle purse fold, drawn and printed for weddings.

The idea was Joshua's. It reminded us of the paper fortune tellers we all made at school, except this one holds your wedding details.

Each one is printed on a square of Italian paper with a laid texture, so it feels like a letter and not a card. It can be printed in any colour or gradient to match your wedding, and white envelopes are included.

There are two designs so far:

• Celestial. A sun and moon design, available as a save the date, a wedding invitation or an evening invitation. See the Celestial Victorian Folding Letter.
• Candle and Key. A hand drawn gothic gallery wall of frames, keys and candles, with planchette details. See the Candle and Key puzzle purse wedding invitation.

An all in one wedding invitation

The Candle and Key design is an all in one wedding invitation. Your invitation, the order of the day and a QR code to your wedding website for RSVPs are all on one sheet.

One piece of paper, one envelope, nothing loose to fall out. If you want folded wedding invitations that do everything without a stack of extra cards, this is the one.

Hand folded or self-fold

You can order them two ways.

• Hand folded. We fold every one for you and they arrive ready to post.
• Self-fold. We send them flat and you fold them at home. This is the budget friendly option, and a good excuse for an evening at the table with a drink. See the self-fold version.

Puzzle purse questions

Is a puzzle purse the same as a Victorian folding letter?

Yes. Puzzle purse is the historic name for the fold. Victorian Folding Letter is what we call our version of it.

Can a puzzle purse be a wedding invitation?

Yes. Our Candle and Key design is a full wedding invitation, with the order of the day and RSVP details on the same sheet. The Celestial design can be ordered as a save the date, a wedding invitation or an evening invitation.

Do they arrive folded?

That is up to you. Choose hand folded and they arrive ready to post, or choose self-fold and they arrive flat.

Can we choose our own colours?

Yes. Every Victorian Folding Letter can be printed in any colour or gradient to match your wedding.

How do guests RSVP?

The Candle and Key invitation has a QR code that takes guests to your wedding website.

How does ordering work?

Choose your quantity and send us your details. We email a digital proof within 7 days, and you can ask for as many changes as you need. Nothing is printed until you are happy with it.

“George was very quick to respond and send us proofs. Very easy to make any changes.”
Dana H. | Read all our Google reviews

See the collection

If you want the first thing your guests open to feel like a secret, this is the format for it.

See the Victorian Folding Letter collection, or read our guide to Victorian wedding invitations for more ideas. You'll also find it among our vintage wedding invitations.

George & Joshua