Sending Out Wedding Invites: How Early Is Too Early?

Sending out wedding invitations early is a tricky topic. While it's important to give your guests enough notice, sending invitations too early could lead to an inaccurate guest count. The general rule of thumb is to send out invitations six to eight weeks before the wedding. This gives guests enough time to clear their schedules and make travel arrangements if necessary. However, some people choose to send out invitations earlier, especially if they have a lot of guests coming from out of town or if the wedding is during a busy holiday season. On the other hand, sending invitations too early may result in guests forgetting about the wedding or changing their plans. It's a delicate balance, and it's essential to consider your unique circumstances when deciding when to send out your wedding invitations.

Sending out wedding invites early can result in a higher number of RSVPs

Sending out wedding invites early can indeed result in a higher number of RSVPs. However, there is a fine line between sending invites out early enough to give your guests a heads-up and sending them out too early, which can lead to guests forgetting about the event or changing their plans.

The general consensus is that wedding invitations should be sent out six to eight weeks before the wedding. This gives guests enough time to clear their schedules, make travel arrangements if necessary, and RSVP in a timely manner. Sending out invitations within this timeframe also allows you, as the host, to request RSVPs sooner and get a final headcount for your vendors.

However, there are some circumstances in which it may be advisable to send out invitations earlier. If your wedding is around a major holiday, such as Christmas, sending invitations earlier than the typical six to eight-week window is recommended to accommodate your guests' holiday plans. Similarly, if you have a large number of international guests or are planning a destination wedding, it is advisable to send out invitations around 12 weeks in advance to give your guests ample time to make travel arrangements.

On the other hand, sending out invitations too early can have some drawbacks. People's plans may change between the time they receive the invitation and the wedding date, leading to an inaccurate guest count for your vendors. Additionally, guests may forget to RSVP if the invitation is sent out too far in advance.

To increase the likelihood of receiving RSVPs and reduce the chances of guests forgetting or changing their plans, it is recommended to send out Save the Dates four to six months before the wedding. This gives guests a heads-up about the date and allows them to block off their calendars. Combining Save the Dates with invitations sent within the recommended timeframe can help ensure a higher number of RSVPs without the drawbacks of sending invitations too early.

It is generally advised to send out invites 6-8 weeks before the wedding

Sending out wedding invitations at the right time is an important part of wedding planning. It is generally advised to send out invites six to eight weeks before the wedding. This is the sweet spot that gives your guests enough time to clear their schedules and make travel arrangements if needed. Sending invites within this timeframe also means that you can request RSVPs sooner, allowing you to get a final headcount and complete your seating chart before the wedding crunch.

While some sources suggest that sending invites three months in advance is acceptable, especially if meal choices need to be confirmed, it is important to note that sending invites too early can lead to an inaccurate guest count. People's plans can change, and they may end up having to change their responses closer to the wedding date. Additionally, sending invites too early might result in your wedding not being at the top of your guests' minds as the day approaches.

On the other hand, sending invites too late might not give your guests enough time to make the necessary arrangements. Therefore, sticking to the recommended timeline of six to eight weeks is generally the best course of action.

If you have already sent out "Save the Dates," your guests will have an idea of when the wedding is, and sending the invitations within the six-to-eight-week window will provide them with the additional details they need to plan their attendance.

Sending invites too early may result in an inaccurate guest count

Sending out wedding invitations too early can result in an inaccurate guest count for your big day. The ideal timeline for sending out wedding invitations is six to eight weeks before the wedding. This gives your guests enough time to clear their schedules and also allows you to request RSVPs sooner, staying in line with proper wedding invitation etiquette. Sending out your invites too early might mean that your wedding isn't at the top of your guests' minds as the day draws closer.

People's plans can change from the RSVP date up until your wedding. If you send your invites too early, more people may change their plans, resulting in a higher number of cancellations or no-shows. It is essential to find a balance between sending the invites too early and too late. Sending them out too late will not give your loved ones enough notice to take time off work, book accommodations, or make travel arrangements.

The sweet spot for sending out wedding invitations is typically two months before the wedding. However, if you have a large number of out-of-town guests or your wedding falls around a major holiday, you can consider sending them out a little earlier, up to three months in advance. This will give your guests enough time to plan their trips and make the necessary arrangements without increasing the risk of last-minute changes.

It's important to remember that the purpose of sending out wedding invitations is to gather RSVPs by a certain deadline. There is no point in sending them out too early if your RSVP deadline is only a few weeks away. People need time to plan and may not want to fully commit months in advance. Sending out save-the-dates is a great way to let your guests know about the wedding date and give them a heads-up to start planning.

Sending invites 3-6 months in advance is possible, but not recommended

Sending out wedding invitations 3-6 months in advance is possible, but it is not recommended. While it is important to give your guests enough notice, especially if they need to arrange travel, sending your invites too early can lead to a number of issues.

Firstly, your guests' plans may change between RSVP and your wedding date. Sending out invites too early may result in a higher number of guests changing their plans, leading to an inaccurate guest count for your venue and vendors. Secondly, people may forget to RSVP if the wedding is too far off in the future. Thirdly, your guests may forget the date, as it is so far away. Finally, sending out invites too early may cause offence to those on your 'B-list', who may feel hurt to know they were only invited because someone else declined the invitation.

Therefore, it is generally recommended that you send out your wedding invitations 6-8 weeks in advance. This is considered the 'sweet spot' that gives your guests enough time to respond, while minimising the chance of unexpected things coming up. If you are worried about giving your guests enough notice, especially if many of them are travelling, it is advisable to send out 'Save the Date' cards 4-6 months in advance. This will allow your guests to block off the date on their calendars and make any necessary travel arrangements, without the risk of them forgetting or changing their plans later on.

Save-the-dates should be sent 4-6 months before the wedding

Save-the-date cards are not mandatory, but they are a considerate way to ensure your guests can make travel arrangements, especially if your wedding is in a remote location or if many guests will be travelling. Sending save-the-date cards also gives your guests a timely heads-up, making it more likely that they will be able to attend and plan their trip without stress.

Save-the-date cards should be sent out 4-6 months before the wedding. This is especially important if your wedding is a destination wedding or during a holiday weekend. In these cases, it is highly advisable to send out your save-the-date cards even earlier (6-12 months before). This will allow your guests to block out the date in their calendars and make the necessary travel arrangements. Sending save-the-date cards early is also considerate for guests with children, who may need to arrange childcare, or those who need to take time off work.

If you are sending physical save-the-date cards, it is a good idea to give yourself a couple of weeks to conduct your research and decide on a design. If you are ordering custom-made, luxury save-the-date cards, you should start doing your research and reaching out to stationery designers 11-12 months before your wedding. This process can take a lot of time, with some people reporting that it can take anywhere from 4 to 6 weeks, depending on the type of design. If you are ordering ready-made save-the-date cards, you can order them 8-9 months before the wedding.

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