When To Send Out Wedding Invitations

Sending out wedding invitations is a crucial part of wedding planning, and timing is everything. Send them too early, and your guests might forget; send them too late, and your guests might not be able to make it. So, how late is too late?

Invites for destination weddings

Planning a destination wedding is exciting, but it's important to get the invitations out early to allow your guests plenty of time to plan their attendance. Here are some tips and suggestions for sending out invites for a destination wedding:

Timing is Key:

It is recommended to send out "Save the Date" cards for a destination wedding early, usually around 4-6 months before the wedding date. This gives your guests enough time to make travel arrangements and accommodations. If your wedding is during a holiday season or at a particularly busy time of year, consider sending out "Save the Dates" even earlier, up to 12 months in advance.

The official wedding invitations should be sent out 6-8 weeks before the wedding date. This is the standard timeline for any wedding invitation, allowing guests enough time to reply and make travel plans if they haven't already.

However, if a large percentage of your guest list is international or if your wedding is at a far-off destination, it is best to add a few weeks to this timeline. Aim to send out invitations about 12 weeks in advance to give your guests ample time to prepare.

What to Include:

Destination wedding invitations should be comprehensive yet concise. Here are the essential components to include:

• Names: Naturally, the names of the couple getting married should be front and centre.
• Destination: Make it clear that your wedding is taking place abroad and specify the location.
• Date, Time, and Location: These are the core details that your guests need to plan their attendance and RSVP.
• Accommodation and Travel Information: Provide options for where guests can stay, especially if there are limited accommodations near the wedding venue. Also, let them know the nearest airport and how far it is from the venue.
• Itinerary and Activities: If you're planning a multi-day celebration with activities like a pool party, boat trip, or sightseeing, let your guests know so they can plan accordingly.
• RSVP Deadline: Set a deadline for guests to respond, which will help you finalise numbers and plans.
• Attire: Depending on your wedding location and theme, include a dress code or attire advice so guests can pack appropriately.
• Packing Essentials: If there are specific items your guests will need, like swimwear for a pool party or hiking boots for a trek, let them know so they can be prepared.

Setting the Tone:

Your destination wedding invitations should capture the essence of your chosen location and wedding style. Here are some ideas to make them special:

• Incorporate Illustrations: Use images or illustrations that showcase the beauty of your destination, whether it's palm trees for a beach wedding or snow-capped mountains for a winter wonderland theme.
• Play with Font: The font you choose can express the formality of your event. For example, a flowing script might suit a beach wedding, while a classic serif font could align with a historic castle setting.
• Add a Personal Touch: Include a hand-painted watercolour illustration of your venue, a blind-embossed map of the area, or focus on one colour from your destination, like an emerald green for a mountain wedding or bold teal for a beach wedding.
• Excite and Inspire: Your destination wedding is an adventure, so use language that conveys excitement and anticipation. A simple and fun message like, "Pack your suitcases and join us in Italy!" can be very effective.

Other Considerations:

• Multi-Card Invitations: Consider sending multi-card invitation suites or a multi-page booklet-style invitation to break up all the details. This way, you can include practical information without intruding on the beauty of the main invite.
• Website Details: If there is too much information to include on your invites, set up a wedding website with more detailed information, links to hotels, the full itinerary, and other wedding details.
• No Gifts, Please: If you don't want your guests to bring gifts, especially considering they are already spending money to attend your destination wedding, carefully word your invitation with a gracious sentence like, "Your presence is the only gift we wish to receive."
• Kids or No Kids: If your destination wedding is at an adults-only resort, make this clear on the invitation. Addressing the invitation envelope to "Mr & Mrs Johnson" should imply that children are not invited, but you can also add a hint with the resort description, such as "We've secured a discounted group rate at the all-inclusive adults-only resort, Sandals."
• Post-Wedding Reception: If you're planning a reception back home after the destination wedding, you may want to include this information in your invitation. Make it clear that the reception is separate from the wedding itself to avoid confusion.

Now you have some ideas to get started on creating your own unique and informative destination wedding invitations!

Save-the-date cards

As a general rule, save-the-date cards should be sent out four to six months before the wedding. This gives your guests enough time to block off the date on their calendars and make any necessary travel or accommodation arrangements. However, if your wedding is a destination wedding or falls on a major holiday, it is highly advisable to send out your save-the-dates even earlier, anywhere from six to 12 months in advance. This will allow your guests to plan their travels and accommodations with plenty of time to spare.

It's important to only send save-the-date cards to those whom you definitely plan to invite to your wedding. Once you send a save-the-date card, you are essentially issuing a wedding invitation, so make sure your guest list is finalised before sending them out. Save-the-date cards can include the names of the couple, the wedding website, the city and state of the venue, travel and accommodation information, and an indication that a formal invitation will follow.

After sending out your save-the-date cards, the next step is to send out your official wedding invitations. These should typically be sent six to eight weeks before your wedding date, giving your guests plenty of time to reply and make any necessary arrangements.

RSVP deadline

Setting an RSVP deadline is an important part of wedding planning. It helps your to-do list move along in the final weeks of planning. There are a few vendors, like your wedding planner, caterer, and transportation company, that will require a final guest count before the big day. This helps them plan for meals, order the correct number of tables and chairs, and ensure there is enough transportation for everyone.

The "RSVP by" date should fall three to four weeks before your wedding. Because your wedding invitations should be mailed six to eight weeks prior to the big day, guests should generally have a window of about one month to RSVP. This gives your guests enough time to officially make up their minds and arrange travel accommodations if necessary.

If you leave too much time between when the invitations are sent and the RSVP date, you run the risk of your guests putting it off and forgetting. On the other hand, sending out invites too late might mean your guests already have plans.

For destination weddings, there's a different RSVP timeline. RSVPs should be due two months before the wedding, and the wedding invitations should be sent out approximately four months before the wedding. This will give guests ample time to make travel plans.

Invites for international guests

Planning a wedding is a tricky task, especially when you have international guests to consider. Here are some tips to ensure your overseas guests receive their invitations on time:

Timing

It is generally recommended that wedding invitations be sent out six to eight weeks before the wedding date. However, if you have international guests, it is advisable to send out their invitations a little earlier, around nine to twelve weeks in advance. This will allow for extended shipping and delivery times and give your guests more time to make travel arrangements. If you are sending Save-the-Dates, these should go out four to six months before the wedding, or even earlier if it is a destination wedding.

Mailing Options

When it comes to mailing the invitations, you can opt for paper invitations or electronic invites. Paper invitations are more traditional and formal, but they may be more expensive to send internationally and there is a risk of them getting lost in the mail. If you choose to send paper invitations, it is recommended to take them to an actual post office to ensure correct postage, especially for international mail. You can also pay extra for tracking, although some consider this unnecessary as international mail is generally reliable. Alternatively, you can send electronic invitations via email, which will save on postage costs, but may be less personal.

RSVP Options

For RSVPs, it is best to avoid asking international guests to mail back their responses, as this will require additional postage costs and time for delivery. Instead, provide multiple RSVP options, such as a wedding website, email, or phone call. This will make it easier for your international guests to respond promptly without incurring additional costs.

Additional Considerations

When sending invitations to international guests, it is important to give them a heads-up in advance, especially if they need to make travel arrangements. You can do this by giving them a call, sending an email, or even just sending a Save-the-Date. It is also a good idea to include information about booking accommodations and travel tips in your invitations or on your wedding website.

By following these guidelines, you can ensure that your international guests receive their wedding invitations on time and have a smooth process for responding.

Sending invites too early

Lack of Flexibility

Sending out your wedding invitations too early can take away some of your flexibility when it comes to planning. Wedding planning is fluid, and things can change constantly. It's likely that you'll encounter changes to the details of your wedding or your guest list after sending out your invites. Waiting until closer to your wedding date to send out invitations gives you more control if changes are needed. For example, you may need to adjust the ceremony time, or you might have to move your hotel room block due to unforeseen circumstances. Sending invitations too early can make it difficult to accommodate these changes.

Guest Response

Guest responses can also be an issue when invitations are sent out too early. Guests may end up forgetting to respond or be unable to commit to the date with too much advance notice. In some cases, they may RSVP "yes" and then forget about the event as time passes. A narrow window of time is best for getting responses from your guests. Ideally, you should aim for a reply date of about four weeks before the wedding. This allows your guests to have a better idea of their availability and makes it more likely that they will respond promptly.

Save-the-Dates

If you're concerned about giving your guests enough notice, consider sending save-the-dates instead of formal invitations too early. Save-the-dates are a great way to give your guests a heads-up and mark their calendars without committing to the full invitation. They are typically sent out between six and twelve months before the wedding. This gives your guests enough time to plan without overwhelming them with too much information too far in advance.

Planning Challenges

Sending out invitations too early may seem like a good idea to get a head start on your planning, but it can actually make finalizing your guest list more difficult. It's important to remember that you don't want to rush the planning process and that there is a sweet spot for sending out invitations. By sending them out too early, you may encounter challenges such as guests forgetting to respond or changes to your wedding details that are difficult to accommodate. It's best to follow the recommended timeline of sending invitations about two months before your wedding date to avoid these potential issues.

Frequently asked questions