When it comes to wedding preparation, timing cannot be overstated. When booking vendors, bridal shower parties, and throwing engagement parties, it isn’t easy to know when to send wedding invitations to family members and close friends.
“How soon is too soon when it comes to sending out the invitations?” This may be a question you are battling with since you have booked your wedding venue and wedding date. Nobody wants to mess up their wedding by waiting long and risk having visitors cancel due to prior commitments. Could there be a limit on when to send wedding invitations?
When it comes to wedding timelines, the most important thing to remember is when to send wedding invitations! Therefore, unless you’re eloping, you’ll like to notify your family members and other guests about your big day so they can make preparations to attend.
Adhering to a wedding invitations’ timetable is critical not just because it allows wedding guests to mark their schedules. Still, it also offers YOU a hard deadline for making other crucial wedding decisions.
You’ll be prepared to start looking for wedding providers and apparel and perhaps even book the honeymoon once you’ve decided on a date and location. But first, you must send out those invitations!
Wedding Invitation Timeline
Although the location and timing of your wedding will impact the timeframe for mailing your wedding invites, traditional wedding invitation etiquette makes the formula rather simple to follow.
Save the Dates
Save the date is not the same as a formal wedding invitation. They usually serve as a placeholder for the actual invitation, letting attendees know that they should free their calendars for that day.
They usually serve as a placeholder for the actual invitation, letting attendees know that they should free their calendars for that day and give them ample time for travel arrangements if the guests are out towners.
Couples send Save-the-dates prior to their wedding invitations, and the general rule of thumb is that they send them out 6 to 12 months prior to the wedding. It’s normal to send the save-the-date 12 months in advance if your engagement is longer.
Couples worldwide have had to reschedule their marriages due to COVID-19. Many brides and grooms are scrambling to reschedule venues and vendors and notify their guests.
If you’re planning a wedding ceremony after the global epidemic, sending out those save-the-dates a little sooner is a good idea. Because so many couples are postponing around the same time, dates are filling up fast. It may be vital to inform loved ones about your date ahead of time so that they can save it and prevent missing your special day.
What Should You Include in a Save Date?
You’ll always include the following information on your Save the Dates in addition to the date:
Place of residence (city/state)
If you’re utilizing a wedding website, include the URL and password.
Wedding websites have become a very important tool to couples since websites give you the opportunity to keep guests informed about event specifics and wedding updates, and travel plans and accommodations. This is also where you’ll keep track of your wedding registry.
You can also let guests know who you invited by how you address the envelopes. If you don’t plan to invite children, address the envelopes to the parents. However, if you intend to invite children, address the envelopes to “The Smith Family.”
If you’re planning a wedding ceremony after the epidemic, it’s a good idea to send out those save-the-dates a little sooner. Because so many couples are postponing around the same time, dates are filling up fast. It may be vital to inform loved ones about your date ahead of time so that they can save it and prevent missing your special day.
When Should You Send the Wedding Invites?
The best time to send your wedding invitation should be between 6 to 8 weeks before the wedding date. You should have sent out Save the Dates at least 4-6 months before you send invitations. One month before the wedding day is the best time to send out the guests’ RSVP date.
What Is the Best Time to Send Wedding Save the Date Invitations
You should issue Save the dates to your international guests’ list four to six months before the wedding date. This will give them ample time to make other plans and mark off the date on their own schedules. Give a few months’ notices should to your out-of-town guests who will need to plan their travel arrangements or hotels bookings. If your wedding is on a holiday weekend or at a far-flung destination wedding venue, we recommend you issue your save the dates even earlier, say 6 to 12 months before your wedding day.
When Should You Send Out Your Wedding Invitations?
If you’ve really chosen your wedding invites while choosing your save the dates, there’s no need to send wedding invitations months in advance. Your wedding planner will assist you in choosing one cohesive design for your whole wedding invitation suite. According to standard wedding invitation etiquette, mail your wedding invitations six to eight weeks before your wedding date. When linked with your save the date, this will give your guests plenty of time to say yes or no to the invitation. Besides, the wedding guest will have ample time to make any necessary travel arrangements and buy you a present from your Wedding Registry.
It’s ideal to add a few weeks to this schedule if a bigger percentage of your guest list lives abroad. This also applies if you are planning to send destination wedding invitations. Send your destination wedding invitations about 12 weeks prior to your wedding day.
You can send formal invitations around the same time as the rest of the wedding guests for destination wedding guests. However, you need to inform them about the engagement party details ahead of time. You can do this through mail, text, or even a quick call.
What Is the Best Time to Ask For Rsvps?
Guests must be ready to respond to your wedding invitation. Whether you ask guests to RSVP on your wedding website or include an RSVP card with a pre-addressed envelope in your invitation suite, include an RSVP deadline. This enables your visitors to know when they should notify you of their wedding invitation decision. According to wedding invitation etiquette, one month before your wedding date is the ideal length of time to send out invitations: it gives guests enough time to examine their options. Besides, it also gives your wedding planners enough time to purchase and prepare materials. You’ll be able to conclude your wedding planning arrangements faster if you can receive an accurate guest count on time. Your final menu, selection, seating charts, cake size etc., will all be made in time.
A one-month advance deadline also provides some buffer time for those stragglers who don’t get their RSVP cards in on time…and you know there will be some!
We recommend sending your invitations 6 to 12 weeks before your wedding day. However, if you need more time, 16 weeks is OK.
Finally, you can send your wedding invitations anytime you choose. However, remember that if you invite people too soon, they may forget to RSVP or just not respond. Use a save-the-date to encourage guests to note their schedules if you’re concerned about double bookings. Another fantastic approach to inform visitors of the upcoming wedding celebration is to create a wedding website, possibly with email updates.
Aside from when to send your wedding invitations, you’re probably also thinking about other wedding details like bridal showers and bridal shower gifts. We have you covered with info on many aspects of wedding preparation on our blog. Start here with bridal shower gifts and etiquette.
