When To Send Out Wedding Invites

Wedding planning involves taking care of a lot of details, and one of the most important is knowing when to send out invitations. The latest you should send wedding invitations is six to eight weeks before the wedding. This gives guests enough time to clear their schedules and make travel arrangements if needed. It also means you can request RSVPs sooner and get a final headcount to finalise seating charts and share with your vendors. If you're hosting a destination wedding, it's recommended to give guests a bit more notice, with invitations sent out two to three months in advance.

Invites for destination weddings

Planning a destination wedding? It's important to give your guests a bit more notice than you would for a hometown celebration. Send your invitations two to three months before the event. This will give your guests more time to book any necessary travel and accommodations. It's also a good idea to set your RSVP deadline for about six weeks before your wedding, as you'll likely need more time to plan your wedding weekend and any group activities or events.

Keep it Simple and Special

Avoid confusing your guests or overwhelming them with too much information on one card. For destination weddings, consider sending multi-card invitation suites or a multi-page booklet-style invitation to break up all the details. In addition to the basic information, include a few words that will excite your guests about the location and inspire them to make the trip. For example, mention the ocean, sea, sun, sunsets, or travel, and emphasise why their presence is important to you.

Provide a Clear Call to Action

Don't forget to tell your guests what to do next! For example, instruct them to call your travel agent or RSVP via your destination wedding website.

Get Creative with Your RSVP Wording

RSVP cards for traditional weddings can be pretty standard, but you can get creative with your destination wedding invitation wording. For example:

• "We are looking forward to celebrating with you. The courtesy of a reply is requested by [date]."
• "Yes, I am packed and ready to celebrate in person!"
• "No, I will be there in spirit and will forever regret this decision."
• "Kindly RSVP by the [date]."
• "Yes! Save us ___ beach chairs."
• "Sorry! We will be toasting from a distance."

Direct Guests to Your Wedding Website for More Info

If you're planning pre- or post-destination wedding events and don't have enough room to include all the details in your invitation, direct guests to your wedding website URL for more information. Include critical information such as:

• The name of the resort where you've blocked rooms
• Instructions for booking their trip
• When and how to RSVP
• Invitations to pre-wedding events (e.g. rehearsal dinner, welcome reception)
• A link to your personal website for more details

Choose Stationery with Multiple Pages

Consider choosing stationery with multiple pages to provide ample space for all the details. Options such as pocket fold or multi-card boarding pass styles can be a great way to include all the necessary information.

Invites for hometown weddings

For hometown weddings, you can be a little more flexible with the timing of your invites. It's recommended to send out your invites six to eight weeks before the wedding. This gives your guests enough time to respond and make travel and accommodation arrangements if necessary.

If most of your guests are local, you can send out invites a month before the wedding. However, if you have a lot of out-of-town guests, it's better to stick to the six-to-eight-week timeframe. This will ensure they have enough time to plan their travel and accommodations.

The RSVP deadline for a hometown wedding should be set for about two to three weeks before the wedding day. This will give you enough time to finalise your seating chart, create escort cards, and provide your caterer and venue with a final headcount.

If you're having a reception-only wedding, either following a small ceremony or as a stand-alone event, it's still recommended to send out invitations six to eight weeks in advance. This will give your guests an equal amount of time to respond and make any necessary arrangements.

For a destination wedding, it's best to send out invitations two to three months before the event. This will give your guests more time to plan their travel and stay, especially if they haven't booked their accommodations yet. The RSVP deadline for a destination wedding should be set for about six weeks before the wedding.

RSVP deadline

The RSVP deadline is an important aspect of wedding planning, as it helps you finalise the guest list, seating arrangements, and catering requirements. Here are some instructive guidelines regarding RSVP deadlines:

Timing is Key

It is recommended that your RSVP deadline be set at least four weeks before the wedding, and no later than two weeks prior. This allows enough time to organise the final guest list and chase up any late responses. Aiming for a deadline of around three to four weeks before the wedding is a good strategy. This timing ensures you have a confirmed guest list early on and can focus on other last-minute wedding preparations.

Caterer and Venue Considerations

Your caterer and venue will typically require a final headcount one to two weeks before the wedding, so be sure to ask them for their preferred deadline. Working backwards from this date, you can set your RSVP deadline about two weeks earlier. This gives you a buffer to contact late responders and finalise numbers for the caterer.

Destination Weddings

If you're planning a destination wedding, it is advisable to set an earlier RSVP deadline. Aim for about six weeks before the wedding. This longer lead time is beneficial as destination weddings often involve more complex travel and accommodation arrangements for your guests, and you may need more time to plan group activities.

Hometown Weddings

For a hometown wedding, you can afford to be more flexible with the RSVP deadline. A deadline of about two to three weeks before the wedding should suffice. This timing still allows you to create your seating chart, prepare escort cards, and provide the final headcount to your caterer and venue.

Sending Reminders

To ensure a timely response from your guests, consider sending a friendly reminder about one week before the RSVP deadline. You can also add a note to your wedding website or use digital tools to collect RSVPs, maximising your chances of receiving responses on time.

Following Up

If you haven't heard from some guests after the RSVP deadline, it is recommended to follow up with them within a week. A quick phone call or text message will politely prompt them to respond. It's important to be proactive in chasing up late responses to finalise your wedding plans effectively.

Save-the-date cards

When should you send save-the-date cards? It is recommended to send them out six to eight months before your wedding day. This gives your guests plenty of time to plan their schedules and make travel arrangements. If you're planning a destination wedding or a wedding during peak season, it's best to send them out even earlier (8 to 12 months before the wedding date) to allow your guests ample time to make travel and accommodation arrangements. It's also a good idea to make sure your guest list is finalized before sending out save-the-date cards to avoid any confusion or miscommunication.

Who should you send save-the-date cards to? You should send them to everyone on your guest list, especially if you're planning a destination wedding or if your wedding falls on a holiday weekend or during peak travel season. Sending a save-the-date card to everyone on your guest list ensures that your guests have ample time to make travel arrangements and mark their calendars, increasing the likelihood of their attendance on your wedding day. However, if you're still finalizing your guest list and don't want to commit to sending a save-the-date card to everyone, you can send them to close family members and friends first, or to out-of-town guests who will need to make travel arrangements. Remember, once you send a save-the-date card to someone, you are essentially inviting them to your wedding, so make sure you're comfortable with your guest list before sending them out.

What should you include in your save-the-date cards? In addition to the date and location of the wedding, you can include other relevant information to help your guests plan their attendance. Here are some details you may want to consider including:

• Names of the engaged couple
• Wedding website or social media page
• The city and state of the wedding venue
• An indication that a formal invitation will follow
• Travel and accommodation information, including hotel room block details and transportation options
• Your wedding hashtag, if you have one

Remember to keep the save-the-date card simple and straightforward while still providing enough information to help your guests plan accordingly.

Paperless invites

Paperless wedding invitations are a contemporary and eco-friendly alternative to traditional printed invites. They are highly customisable, allowing you to add personal touches such as photos, monograms, and colour schemes to complement your wedding theme. You can also include important details such as the schedule, venue directions, accommodation options, dress code, and plus-one policy.

There are various online platforms that offer digital wedding invitation services, such as Paperless Post, Studio Creative Things, and Paper Source. These platforms provide customisable templates, design tools, and guest management features. You can send your invitations via email, text message, or a shareable link, making it convenient and efficient to reach your guests.

The timing for sending paperless wedding invitations is similar to that of traditional invitations. It is recommended to send them out six to eight weeks before the wedding, giving your guests ample time to plan and RSVP. However, if your wedding requires significant travel or is a destination wedding, you may want to send the invitations four to six months in advance to allow guests enough time to make the necessary arrangements.

Paperless invitations offer a seamless and modern approach to wedding planning, providing a convenient way to manage guest information and RSVPs while also reducing costs and your carbon footprint.

Frequently asked questions