The Ultimate Guide To Wedding Invitations: Sending Timeline Tips

Wedding invitations should be sent out six to eight weeks before the wedding date. This allows guests enough time to RSVP and make arrangements, but it's close enough to the date that they won't forget. For destination weddings, it's recommended to send invitations three months or 10 to 12 weeks in advance. If you have international guests, consider sending invitations 3 to 4 months before the event to give them more time to make arrangements.

6-8 weeks before the wedding

Wedding invitations should be sent six to eight weeks before the wedding date. This is the ideal time to send them out, as it gives guests sufficient time to respond without feeling overwhelmed. It also allows plenty of time for more yays, nays, and more purchases from your Zola Registry.

If you have destination weddings or international guests, you should send invitations 10 to 12 weeks before the event. It is also a good idea to send Save the Dates 4-6 months before the date.

Invitations sent more than five months in advance may lead to guests forgetting the details or losing the invite. It is also inconsiderate to send out your invites too late.

For local weddings, it is ideal to mail invitations six to eight weeks in advance. If you're inviting out-of-town or out-of-state guests, it is customary to send out wedding invitations around eight weeks before the big day.

It is important to ask for RSVPs no later than one month from your wedding date so that you and your vendors can have ample time to make the necessary preparations for your big day.

3 months for destination weddings

If you are planning a destination wedding, it is recommended to send out invitations three months in advance. This gives your guests plenty of time to make arrangements and RSVP.

If you have international guests, it is generally a good idea to send invitations to them at least three to four months in advance. Guests travelling from abroad will need to plan for visas, transportation, and accommodations, and they'll appreciate the extra time to sort out the details.

For a destination wedding, it is recommended to book your venue space 9+ months in advance due to the potential for these properties to sell out.

Planning a destination wedding 6-12 months in advance can still be sufficient, especially if your destination wedding location is less popular. A 6-12 month timeframe may require some flexibility regarding vendor availability but will still allow you to fine-tune all the details without getting too overwhelmed.

10-12 weeks for destination or international weddings

For destination or international weddings, it is recommended to send out invitations 10 to 12 weeks before the event. This is because guests will need more time to plan their travel, accommodation, and any necessary visas.

It is also important to consider that sending out invitations too early can result in guests forgetting the details or losing the invite. Therefore, it is best to stick to the 6 to 8-week timeline for local weddings, as this gives guests sufficient time to respond without feeling overwhelmed.

When sending out invitations, it is also a good idea to include RSVP details so that you and your vendors can have ample time to make the necessary preparations for your big day.

Additionally, if you are inviting out-of-town or out-of-state guests, it is customary to send out wedding invitations around 8 weeks before the event. However, if you are inviting guests from outside the US, it is recommended to send out invitations 9 to 10 weeks in advance.

It is important to remember that sending out invitations too late can also be inconsiderate and may hurt your guest attendance. Therefore, it is best to follow the recommended timeline to ensure that you are communicating with your guests in the right way, at the right time.

5 months is too early

Sending out wedding invitations early can be a good idea but it can also backfire. Invitations sent more than five months in advance may lead to guests forgetting the details or losing the invite. Stick to the six to eight-week timeline to keep it fresh in guests' minds.

For local weddings, mailing invitations six to eight weeks in advance is ideal, because it gives guests sufficient time to respond without feeling overwhelmed. For destination weddings or those with international guests, send invitations 10 to 12 weeks before the event.

If you're inviting out-of-town or out-of-state guests, it's customary to send out wedding invitations around eight weeks before the big day. We advise sending all of your invites at the same time, regardless of how many guests live out of town.

Eight weeks before the wedding is still typical timing when it comes to how early to send wedding invites, so it makes sense to keep things simple and send them all at once.

1 month for RSVPs

Wedding invitations should be sent six to eight weeks before the wedding date. For local weddings, this is ideal, as it gives guests sufficient time to respond without feeling overwhelmed. For destination weddings, or those with international guests, it's recommended to send invitations 10 to 12 weeks before the event.

If you're inviting out-of-town or out-of-state guests, it's customary to send out wedding invitations around eight weeks before the big day. It's generally a good idea to send invitations to international guests at least 3 to 4 months in advance.

One piece of important etiquette to follow is when to send wedding invitations. It can be inconsiderate, not to mention hurt your guest attendance, to send out your invites too late (or too early, for that matter). To play it safe, follow the Wedding Invitation Etiquette Timeline to make sure you're communicating with your guests in the right way, at the right time.

Ask for RSVPs no later than 1 month from your wedding date so you and your vendors can have ample time to make the necessary preparations for your big day. This gives your guests plenty of time to RSVP and make arrangements, but it’s close enough to the date they won’t forget.

Frequently asked questions