The Perfect Timing For Wedding Invites

Sending out wedding invitations at the right time is crucial to ensure your guests have all the information they need to plan for and attend your big day. The general rule of thumb is to send out wedding invitations six to eight weeks before the wedding. This gives guests enough time to clear their schedules and make travel arrangements if needed. However, for destination weddings, it is recommended to send out invitations three to six months in advance to allow guests ample time for travel preparations. Sending out invitations too early or too late can cause inconvenience to your guests, so it is important to time it just right.

Timing for destination weddings

Destination weddings require a little more planning and communication than a traditional wedding. It's important to give your guests plenty of notice, so they can book time off work and organise travel and accommodation.

The first thing to send out is a save-the-date, which should be sent between six and twelve months before the wedding. This gives your guests the opportunity to get the date in their diary and start thinking about travel plans. It's also a good idea to include travel details at this stage, so guests can start to book flights and accommodation.

The next step is to send out the formal invitations. For a destination wedding, it's best to send these out three to four months in advance. This gives your guests the information they need to finalise their travel plans and prepare for the trip.

If you're having an at-home reception, it's a good idea to send separate save-the-dates and invitations for this, to avoid any confusion. These can be sent at the same time as the destination wedding save-the-dates and invitations.

It's also worth setting up a personal wedding website, which can be a great way to communicate all the details of your wedding. This can be set up as soon as you have confirmed your venue and date, and updated regularly as more details are confirmed.

Finally, it's important to give your guests enough time to RSVP. A good guideline is to request RSVPs at least two to three weeks before the wedding, to allow enough time to get a final headcount for the caterers and finalise the seating plan.

Timing for local weddings

The timing of sending out wedding invitations is a critical step in wedding planning. As a general rule of thumb, invitations should be sent out 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 that you can request RSVPs sooner and get a final headcount to provide to your caterer.

However, if you are planning a local wedding with local guests, you can send out invitations four to six months in advance. This is especially true if you are skipping the save-the-date cards, which are typically sent out six to eight months before the wedding. Sending your invitations within this timeframe will allow your guests to block off the wedding date and make any necessary arrangements, such as finding childcare or purchasing an outfit for the event.

It is important to note that the timing of your wedding invitations should also consider the time of year. For example, if you are mailing your invitations during the summer months, it is recommended to add an extra two weeks, as some guests may be on vacation.

Additionally, the proper timeline for sending out wedding invitations can be flexible and should ultimately take into account the convenience of your guests. For instance, if your wedding falls around a major holiday, such as Christmas, it is suggested to send out invitations earlier than the typical six to eight-week window to allow guests to plan in advance.

In summary, while the standard timeline for local weddings is four to six months in advance, you may need to adjust this timeframe depending on various factors, such as the time of year, the need for save-the-date cards, and the convenience of your guests.

Save-the-date cards

In addition to the date and location of the wedding, save-the-date cards can include the names of the couple, a wedding website or social media page, the city and state of the venue, an indication that a formal invitation will follow, travel and accommodation information, and your wedding hashtag. Keep the design simple and straightforward while still providing enough information to help your guests plan their attendance.

While save-the-date cards are not required, they are a helpful way to give your guests a timely heads-up, making it more likely that they will be able to attend. They are also a great opportunity to get your guests excited about your upcoming nuptials and give them a sneak peek of your wedding style or theme.

RSVP cards

You should set an RSVP deadline that is around four weeks before your wedding date. This will allow you and your vendors enough time to coordinate those last-minute details. Your RSVP deadline should be featured prominently on the card so that your guests can't miss it.

• A blank line for guests to write their names. On a formal RSVP card, you should write an "M" at the start of the line to indicate that guests should include their proper honorific (Mr., Mrs., Ms., or Miss) before their name.
• An attendance line for guests to accept or decline your invite. This could be formatted as checkboxes, circling or fill-in-the-blank lines.
• If you'll be serving dinner at your wedding reception, you'll want to collect your guests' food preferences and if they have any dietary requirements or food allergies.
• A special request line. This could be song requests, their drink of choice, or a favourite memory of the couple.

It is also important to send back your RSVP card as soon as possible. Finalise your plans and send back the reply card as soon as you can. If you miss the RSVP date, call the hosts as soon as you realise and send the RSVP note anyway.

Rehearsal dinner invitations

The rehearsal dinner invitation should include:

• The host of the rehearsal dinner
• The names of the couple
• The event date, time, and location
• The RSVP deadline and method (email is often the easiest option)
• Any additional information, such as the wedding website, dress code, etc.

The rehearsal dinner guest list typically includes close family members and anyone participating in the wedding ceremony, such as the wedding party, officiant, and ushers, along with their partners or dates. Some couples also invite out-of-town guests, extended family members, and even the entire wedding guest list, turning the rehearsal dinner into a larger welcome reception.

When deciding how to send your rehearsal dinner invitations, consider the formality of the event. Formal invitations are usually sent by post, while more casual gatherings might use a phone call or email invitation.

Frequently asked questions