Wedding Guestlist: Sending Invites Based On Location

Sending out wedding invitations at the right time is an important part of wedding planning. The general consensus is that invitations should be sent out six to eight weeks before the wedding. This gives guests enough time to clear their schedules and respond with RSVPs, while also allowing the host to request RSVPs sooner and get a final headcount. Sending invitations within this time frame is also in line with proper wedding invitation etiquette.

However, there are some circumstances where it may be appropriate to send invitations earlier or later. For example, if many guests are travelling from out of town or the wedding falls on a major holiday, it is recommended to send invitations eight to twelve weeks in advance. On the other hand, if you are sending digital invitations, it is still wise to stick to the traditional six-to-eight-week timeline.

Save-the-dates are also an important consideration, and these are usually sent out four to six months before the wedding.

Save-the-date cards: 4-6 months before the wedding

Save-the-date cards are a great way to give your guests a heads-up about your upcoming wedding and ensure they mark their calendars. They are usually sent 4-6 months before the wedding, with some sources recommending sending them no earlier than 8 months and no later than 4 months in advance. If your wedding is a destination wedding, it is recommended to send save-the-date cards up to 12 months in advance to allow your guests to make travel arrangements.

Save-the-date cards are simple and fun. They should include the names of the couple, the wedding date, and the city and state where the ceremony will take place. You can also include an engagement photo, a fun message, or a design that matches your wedding theme. Some couples choose to include their wedding website on their save-the-date cards so that guests can find more information about the wedding.

When creating your save-the-date cards, you can choose from various designs, papers, and add-ons to match your wedding style and personality. You can also customize them with your photo, font, or template. After designing your cards, you can add envelopes, or even turn them into magnets so that your guests can stick them on their fridges!

Remember, save-the-date cards are not the same as wedding invitations. Wedding invitations are sent after save-the-dates and contain more detailed information about the wedding, including the time, date, and address of the ceremony and reception. They also include RSVP cards or a QR code to RSVP.

Invites for international guests: 9-10 weeks before

When it comes to wedding invitations, timing is everything. Send them too early, and your guests might forget about the big day. Send them too late, and your loved ones might not have enough time to take time off work, book accommodations, or make travel arrangements.

If you're inviting international guests to your wedding, it's a good idea to give them a little extra time to plan their trip. While wedding invitations are typically sent out six to eight weeks before the wedding, it's recommended to send invites to international guests about nine to ten weeks in advance. This gives them more time to make travel arrangements and ensures that their invitations aren't lost or delayed in transit.

However, it's important to note that sending invitations too far in advance can also cause issues. According to one source, sending invitations more than ten weeks ahead of time may cause people to put them aside and then forget about them. Additionally, many people don't know their plans more than a couple of months in advance, and requesting time off work too early may be difficult. Therefore, it's best not to send invitations to international guests more than a year in advance.

To ensure that your international guests have all the information they need to plan their trip, consider giving them a quick call, text, or email before sending out the formal invitations. This way, they will have a heads-up about the wedding details and can start making travel arrangements.

When sending invitations to international guests, it's also a good idea to give them the option to RSVP digitally. This way, you won't have to wait for their responses to arrive by mail, and you can get a more accurate headcount for your venue and vendors.

Invites for domestic guests: 6-8 weeks before

Sending your wedding invitations at the right time is an important part of wedding planning. The invitations are a formal request for your guests to attend, so it's crucial to give them enough time to respond and make any necessary arrangements.

The general rule of thumb is to send your wedding invitations six to eight weeks before the wedding. This timeframe is considered proper wedding invitation etiquette and gives your guests plenty of time to clear their schedules and make travel plans if necessary. Sending your invitations within this timeframe also means you can request RSVPs sooner, allowing you to finalise your headcount, seating charts, and other details before the wedding crunch.

If you're concerned that six to eight weeks might not be enough time, you can lengthen it to up to twelve weeks in advance, especially if you have a lot of out-of-town guests or your wedding falls near a major holiday. Sending Save-the-Dates in advance will also help your guests plan ahead.

However, it's important not to send your invitations too early. While it's great to give your guests a heads-up, sending invitations more than four months in advance may cause them to forget or change their plans, leading to an inaccurate guest count.

So, for domestic guests, the sweet spot is six to eight weeks before the wedding. This timeframe strikes a balance between giving your guests enough notice and ensuring that the wedding remains at the top of their minds as the day approaches.

RSVPs: 1 month before

It's important to get the timing right when sending out your wedding invitations. Send them too early and your wedding might slip your guests' minds as the day draws closer. Send them too late and you risk not giving your loved ones enough time to take time off work, book accommodations, or make travel arrangements.

The general consensus is that wedding invitations should be sent out six to eight weeks before the wedding. This gives your guests plenty of time to clear their schedules and respond with their RSVPs. It also means you can get a final headcount, invite guests on your B list, and complete your seating chart before the week of the wedding.

If you're sending out paper RSVPs, it's a good idea to request responses around one month before the big day. This will give you enough time to chase down any late responses and finalize your wedding planning details, such as the seating chart, final menu selections, and cake size.

• Include clear instructions on how and when to RSVP in your invitations.
• Provide pre-addressed and stamped envelopes for guests to send back their RSVPs, if applicable.
• Set up a wedding website where guests can easily RSVP online and track their responses.
• Give international guests the option to RSVP digitally to avoid delays in mail delivery.
• Expect some guests to forget to RSVP, so be prepared to gently remind them as the deadline approaches.
• Allow some flexibility for last-minute changes, as unexpected things can always come up.

B-list invites: if needed, after RSVPs

B-list invites are for guests who are not as important as A-list guests but who you would still like to invite if you have the capacity. They are typically extended to extended family members, estranged relatives, colleagues, or friends of your parents.

If you are planning on having B-list invites, it's important to make that decision early on so that you can organise your guest list and figure out arrangements for invitations and RSVP deadlines. You should also organise your B-list by priority, with those who are important to you but didn't make the A-list at the top, and those who are more optional towards the bottom.

When it comes to sending out B-list invites, it's best to do this all at once by choosing a deadline date and mailing all the invitations on the same day. This will help you keep track of who you've added and ensure that invitations are sent out in a timely manner. It's also a good idea to use digital RSVPs via your wedding website to speed up the process and make it easier for guests to respond.

In terms of timing, it's recommended that A-list invitations are sent out around 12 weeks in advance, with an RSVP deadline of eight weeks before the wedding. B-list invitations can then be sent out at the eight-week mark, with an RSVP deadline of around three to four weeks before the wedding. This will give you plenty of time to see who can't make it from your A-list before sending out your B-list invites.

Frequently asked questions