Wedding Invitations: Timing, Booking, And Guest Experience

Wedding planning involves taking care of a lot of details, and one of the most important is the wedding invitation. It not only announces the upcoming nuptials but also sets the tone for the entire event. So, when is the best time to send out wedding invitations?

The general rule of thumb is to send out invitations six to eight weeks before the wedding date. This gives guests enough time to clear their schedules and make travel arrangements if needed. It's also a good idea to send out save-the-date cards earlier, especially for destination weddings, to give guests a heads-up and allow them to plan accordingly.

For local weddings, sending invitations six to eight weeks in advance is usually sufficient, but for destination weddings or when inviting international guests, it's best to send them out earlier, around three months in advance. This will give your guests plenty of time to make travel and accommodation arrangements.

Send save-the-date cards 4-6 months before the wedding

Sending save-the-date cards is an exciting step in the wedding planning process. It's a fun way to let your guests know about your wedding date and location in advance so they can plan their attendance. Here are some tips and guidelines for sending save-the-date cards 4-6 months before your wedding:

Timing is Key

As a general rule, it is recommended to send save-the-date cards 4-6 months before your wedding, especially if you're planning a local wedding. This gives your guests ample time to make necessary arrangements such as travel plans, accommodations, and time off work. Sending your save-the-dates within this timeframe will help ensure a smooth guest experience and generate excitement for your big day.

Destination Weddings

If you're planning a destination wedding or getting married during a holiday weekend, it's a good idea to send your save-the-dates even earlier, typically 6-12 months in advance. This extended timeline allows your guests, especially those travelling from afar, to plan their travel and accommodations accordingly. It also gives them a chance to save up for the trip, ensuring they can join you on your special day.

What to Include

The key information to include on your save-the-date cards is the wedding date (or dates, if it's a weekend-long celebration), the city and state of the event, and the names of the couple. You may also want to include a note about a formal invitation to follow, your wedding website, and hotel information for out-of-town guests. It's important to be clear about who is invited, including any plus ones, to avoid confusion.

Design and Ordering

When it comes to design, choose save-the-date cards that match the style and theme of your wedding. You can include engagement photos for a personal touch. It's recommended to order your save-the-dates 6-12 months before the wedding to ensure you have enough time for design and shipping. If you miss this window, don't worry – just send them out as soon as possible.

Follow-up with Invitations

Save-the-date cards are just the first step. Be sure to follow up with formal wedding invitations closer to the date, typically 6-8 weeks before the wedding. This will provide your guests with more detailed information about the ceremony and reception, allowing them to plan their attendance accordingly.

Send invites 6-8 weeks before the wedding

Sending your wedding invitations at the right time is crucial. It's important to give your guests enough notice, so they can plan their time off work, book any necessary accommodation, and make travel arrangements. On the other hand, sending your invites too early may mean that your wedding isn't at the forefront of your guests' minds as the day approaches.

So, when is the best time to send your wedding invitations?

The sweet spot for sending out wedding invitations is widely considered to be around six to eight weeks before the wedding. This gives your guests plenty of time to clear their schedules and make any necessary travel arrangements, without being so far in advance that they forget about your upcoming nuptials. Sending your invites out at this time also means that you can request RSVPs sooner, allowing you to get a final headcount, invite any guests on your B-list, and complete your seating plan before the week of the wedding.

If you are inviting guests from overseas, it's a good idea to give them a heads-up by email or phone call, so they can start to arrange their travel plans. You should also send their formal invitations earlier—aim for 12 weeks in advance.

Save-the-Dates

If you are sending save-the-dates, these should go out four to six months before the wedding, or even earlier if you are planning a destination wedding. This gives your guests plenty of time to block out the date in their calendars and allows those who need to book travel or accommodation to make arrangements.

RSVPs

It's important to give your guests enough time to RSVP, so you know how many people to expect on the day. A good rule of thumb is to set the RSVP date for at least two to three weeks before the wedding, although some sources suggest that one month is preferable. This gives you enough time to finalise the headcount for your caterers and finalise your seating plan.

Send invites 3 months before for destination weddings

For destination weddings, it is recommended to send out invitations earlier than you would for a regular wedding. This is because guests will need to book travel and accommodation, and possibly take time off work, so they will need more notice.

Sending out your invitations three months in advance of your wedding is a good idea for a destination wedding. This gives your guests plenty of time to plan their trip without being too early, which could cause them to forget to respond. Sending your invites out with a three-month lead time will also allow you to chase up any late responses without panicking.

If you are very organised, you could send out your invitations even earlier. Some couples choose to send out invites four or five months in advance, especially if a lot of their guests are travelling. This gives guests plenty of time to book flights and will also allow you to give your final numbers to vendors.

However, you shouldn't send out your invites more than a year in advance. This is because people's plans can change, and you could end up with an inaccurate guest count. Sending your invites three months before your wedding will give your guests enough time to respond, without being too early.

If you are worried about giving your guests enough notice, you can send out save-the-date cards in advance of your invitations. These can be sent out six to eight months before your wedding, or even earlier if you are planning a destination wedding. This will allow your guests to mark the date in their calendars and start making travel arrangements.

Request RSVPs no later than 3-4 weeks before the wedding

It is important to get your wedding invitations out at the right time. This will ensure that your guests have enough time to plan and make travel arrangements if needed. It is also crucial to give yourself enough time to receive RSVPs and finalise details such as seating charts and catering numbers.

Most couples send out their wedding invitations six to eight weeks before the wedding. This is considered the "sweet spot" as it gives guests plenty of time to clear their schedules without being too early. Sending invitations too early may mean that your wedding isn't at the top of your guests' minds as the day approaches.

The RSVP deadline should be set at least two to three weeks before the wedding date, and preferably around one month before. This will allow enough time to get a final headcount for the caterer and to finalise the seating plan. It is also a good idea to give yourself a buffer period of about a week after the RSVP deadline to account for any late responses.

If you are dealing with late RSVPs, it is appropriate and even necessary to track down those who haven't responded by the designated date. You can do this by reaching out to individual guests or asking a member of the wedding party to remind them.

• Include a clear respond by date on the invitation.
• Make it easy for guests to respond by providing a pre-addressed envelope or an option to RSVP digitally.
• If you haven't heard back from guests by the deadline, send a friendly reminder via text, email, or phone call.
• Consider setting an earlier RSVP deadline than you actually need to account for stragglers.

Send invites 3-4 months before the wedding if no save-the-date cards were sent

Sending your wedding invitations at the right time is crucial to ensure your guests can join you on your big day. If you haven't sent out save-the-date cards, it's recommended to send your wedding invitations 3-4 months in advance. This gives your guests ample time to plan and make any necessary travel arrangements, especially if your wedding is during a busy time of year or a peak season when venues and vendors book up quickly.

Sending your invitations 3-4 months ahead is also helpful if you have a lot of out-of-town guests or if your wedding is around a major holiday. It allows your guests to request time off work and book their accommodations early. It's also beneficial if you're inviting international guests, as it accounts for the extended shipping and delivery time needed to get the invites to them.

While sending your invitations 3-4 months in advance gives your guests more time to plan and RSVP, you should be mindful of not sending them out too early. If you send them too early, your wedding might not be at the top of your guests' minds as the day approaches, and they may forget to respond.

To avoid this, some couples choose to send save-the-date notices first, which are more informal and simply notify guests of the wedding date and location. These are typically sent out 4-6 months or even a year before the wedding. Then, the actual invitations are sent out around 2 months in advance, allowing guests about a month to respond.

However, if you choose not to send save-the-date cards, sending your wedding invitations 3-4 months before the wedding is a good option, giving your guests enough time to plan and RSVP.

Frequently asked questions