When Should You Give Out Wedding Invitations?

Engagement parties are a common way couples announce their engagement, with some keeping the reason a secret and others sending invitations with the celebration’s purpose. For local weddings, it is customary to send wedding invitations around 6-8 months in advance, allowing guests ample time to mark their calendars. For destination weddings, it is recommended to send invitations around four months before the wedding, allowing guests ample time to make travel arrangements.

When designing wedding invitations and RSVP cards, use the term “invited guest” to add formality. RSVPs should be due two months before the wedding, and wedding invitations should be sent out approximately four months before the wedding.

A general guideline is to send invitations around 6-8 weeks before the wedding date for local weddings and 8-10 weeks for destination weddings. For destination weddings, it is suggested to send invitations further in advance, with twelve weeks for destination weddings.

Rehearsal dinner invitations should include the date, time, and location of the event, as well as any dress code or special instructions. Rehearsal dinner invitations should be sent out three to four weeks before the event to give guests ample time to make arrangements.

When sending wedding invitations, it is crucial to allow enough time for guests to respond. Typically, 75% of the guest list responds within a week or two, but some guests may need more time. In general, it is recommended to allow 4 to 5 weeks for guests to RSVP. Include an “RSVP by” date on your RSVP cards, giving guests three to four weeks to let you know if they will be attending. Sending the bridal shower invitations at least two months in advance allows out-of-town guests enough time to organize travel, accommodations, and purchase gifts. Save the date cards can be sent as early as a year from the wedding date, and invitations should be sent six to eight weeks in advance. For destination weddings, invitations should be sent three months in advance. It is customary to send wedding invitations around six to eight weeks before the wedding day, allowing guests enough time to decide if they want to attend and plan their travel.

Is 6 months too early for a wedding in RSVP?

When Should Wedding RSVPs Be Due? Ideally, the RSVP by date should fall three to four weeks before your wedding. Because your wedding invitations should be mailed six to eight weeks prior to the big day, guests should generally have a window of about one month to RSVP.

Once youve mailed your wedding invitations, the waiting game begins: Engaged couples everywhere know what its like to anxiously check the mailbox each day to see if any new wedding guest RSVPs have been delivered. While waiting for responses to arrive is something of a wedding-planning rite of passage, knowing that everyone goes through it doesnt make the process any easier. The one thing that will? Having a plan in place to get everyone to respond in a timely manner. That all starts with a clear RSVP deadline.

Here, we explain when your wedding guest RSVPs should be due, exactly how long to give potential attendees to get their responses in, and tips on how to get everyone to mail those cards back.

When Should Wedding RSVPs Be Due?. Ideally, the RSVP by date should fall three to four weeks before your wedding. Because your wedding invitations should be mailed six to eight weeks prior to the big day, guests should generally have a window of about one month to RSVP. This way, its close enough that your guests feel like they cant put it off, yet its not so close that theyve made other plans, explains Arizona-based wedding planner Chandra Keel, owner of Chandra Keel Events.

Is 2 months too late to send wedding invitations?

What Do I Do If I Miss the Deadline?. If you completely forgot to send wedding save the dates, and youve now realised that its too late, dont panic.The best thing to do is to just try and get your formal wedding invitations sent out earlier than you usually would, so that your guests have as much notice as possible.Normally, youd send save the dates 6 months in advance, and then the wedding invitations would go out around 6-8 weeks before the wedding.But if you havent sent save the date cards, simply send out your invitations as soon as possible – ideally at least 3-4 months before your wedding. You can include a link to your wedding website that you can update with extra bits of information if you havent got it all sorted out yet.

Now that you know when you should be sending them, lets go over a brief list of what you should include on the wedding save the date.Dont confuse your wedding save the date with your wedding invitation. Remember that the purpose of this card is to let your guests know of your wedding date and location so they can start planning their schedule around it. Leave the more intricate details for your wedding invitation.

On a wedding save the date card, you should include:1) The names of the couple getting married2) The words “save the date” and “invitation to follow”, so its clear what the card is for3) Your wedding date, including the year4) The name of your venue and which city its in5) A link to your wedding website, if you have one.

How early is too early for RSVP?

When Should Wedding RSVPs Be Due?. Ideally, the RSVP by date should fall three to four weeks before your wedding. Because your wedding invitations should be mailed six to eight weeks prior to the big day, guests should generally have a window of about one month to RSVP. This way, its close enough that your guests feel like they cant put it off, yet its not so close that theyve made other plans, explains Arizona-based wedding planner Chandra Keel, owner of Chandra Keel Events.

Theres a good reason behind this timing: You and your partner need to know who is coming to the wedding before you can make your seating chart. A number of vendors—like your wedding planner, caterer, and transportation company—will require a final guest count to be in ahead of the big day; this helps them plan for meals, order the correct number of tables and chairs, and ensure there are enough shuttles for everyone. A late RSVP can put everyone behind.

6 Ways to Ensure Everyone RSVPs on Time. No one wants to spend the last few weeks before their wedding tracking down RSVPs. While its very likely that youll have to follow up with at least one or two delinquent guests no matter what you do, there are steps you can take to ensure most everyone RSVPs on time.

Is 2 years too early to send save the date?

General wedding etiquette dictates that save the dates should be sent out six to nine months before the wedding date. That said, in recent years, wedding planning timelines have stretched and couples are choosing to send save the dates earlier — between nine and twelve months in advance — to ensure as many guests as possible can attend their big day.

To know if youre ready to send out your save the dates, youll want to have the following details ironed out (or at least mostly finalized).

• Wedding date. This is the most important, and most obvious detail youll need to know before you send your save the dates.
• Venue. Your venue will be the number one determining factor when it comes to choosing your wedding date. Because of this, most couples make sure to have their venue booked before they send out save the dates. That said, we dont recommend putting your venue on your save the date card — and well get into why later on in this article.
• Vibe. Your save the date cards are the first impression of your big day. They set the tone for the celebration to come! So, youll want to have a good understanding of the vibe of your wedding as you pick them out. This theme, be it formal, playful, or non-traditional, will also help you narrow down the best save the date design for you.
• Engagement Photos. Most couples opt to send photo save the dates, so youll want to have a beautiful, high-quality shot of you and your spouse-to-be to use on the card. When youre booking and taking your engagement photos, keep the overall vibe of your wedding in mind to ensure the photo you use on your save the date card helps communicate the spirit of your wedding.
• Guest list. You dont need to know if youll be extending your second cousin a plus one at this stage of wedding planning, but youll need your guest list to be nearly finalized before you send out your save the date cards. This ensures you order enough cards — and that you dont send a save the date to anyone who may eventually get cut from your guest list.

What is the timing etiquette for wedding invitations?

1. Send out wedding invitations early enough. Be sure to give your guests enough time to plan around the wedding day. Some will need to make travel arrangements, while others may need to find a babysitter or a date. In order to make sure your guests can make the proper accommodations, plan on sending out your wedding invitations anywhere from 6-8 weeks prior to the wedding date. If, however, you are having a destination wedding, it is proper etiquette to send your wedding invitations out 12 weeks prior.

2. Include all of the necessary information. You will also want to state the necessary information clearly and succinctly for your guests in the invitation. You might have a beautiful invitation design but ultimately that would be overlooked if your invitation is riddled with misinformation. With that said, simplicity is key. Be sure to include the following:

If you have additional information to share, such as directions and parking or accommodations, you should include as much as you can at the invitation stage to avoid back and forth questions with your guests as your big day approaches. There are several ways you can do this. If you choose a digital invitation with Paperless Post, you can use the blocks feature to add details, a registry, or travel and hotel accommodations. If youre using print invitations, like the ones we offer through our exclusive print partner Paper Source, you can include this information on an additional card insert, or you can opt for a wedding website. the invitation is clear and concise, the details of your wedding are less likely to be overlooked. Further, the simplicity keeps your wedding invitation from looking cramped and cluttered with excessive information.

How far in advance do you hand out wedding invitations?

PC: There are lots of options for wording, depending on who is doing the inviting, how traditional you want to be, or what sort of vibe youre going for. Try to keep the invitation itself fairly light on information, and consider including an illustrated particulars card with taxi numbers, postcodes, phone contacts, gift list instructions and parking. And if the directions are complicated, consider a map. Traditionally invitations are sent six weeks before a wedding but anything up to six months ahead can work.

WW: The most important details to include are obviously your names, the date, time, venue and when/how to RSVP. Many caterers need to know dinner choices and dietary requirements so a menu could be included, as well as travel arrangements, directions and accommodation. I design additional information pages to slip into your invitation, which can include hand-painted maps. I recommend on sending out the invitations around two to three months in advance and set the RSVP deadline around four weeks before the wedding.

How do you word any tricky parts (such as if children are not invited to the wedding)?

ADS: Just be honest. Guests will always understand, its your day and they just want to celebrate with you. We work with each couple to ensure the wording works for their approach, and can advise on what may suit.

How early should I send out wedding invites?

Put simply, you want to give your guests as much notice as possible, especially if it takes them a while to RSVP. As such, its customary to send out your save the date around 6-12 months before the wedding and your invites at least three to four months before.

I understand that with so much to organise, time is of the essence. So to help you out, this guide will cover when you need to order your invites, when to send them out and if its possible to send them too early.

Stationery by Crimson Letters Photography Charlotte Wise. Save the dates are the first to consider. Before you send out your invites, its traditional to send out a save the date card. But again, it can be tricky to know the best time to send out your save the dates. Ideally, this should be as soon as youve secured the date with your venue, but at least 9-12 months before the date is advised.

What is the rule for wedding invitations?

Wedding invitations should include the full names of the couple getting married, those of the hosts (if theyre different), and the place and time of the ceremony—thats it. These invites, by Epoch Designs, do just that. Phrases like no children or adults only should not be included on the invitation card; who is invited will be implied by the names on the envelope. You should also leave off registry information—family and members of the wedding party can spread the word when asked about it, or you can provide it on your website.

Street, Post Office Box, and Apartment should all be written in full, as seen in these gorgeous invites byIsidore Augustine. The same is true for city and state names and house numbers smaller than 20. Mr. and Mrs. generally are abbreviated.

Your guests entire names should be written on the outer envelopes, as seen on these beautiful invitations by Brown Fox Creative. Address married couples as Mr. and Mrs., followed by the husbands first and last name. Its also fine to list both full names. When a woman keeps her maiden name, the names are written in alphabetical order: Ms. Susan Jones and Mr. John Smith. For an unmarried couple who live together, write the names on two lines.

How early is too early to send an invite?

When it comes to planning an event, one of the most important considerations is when to send out the invitations. The general rule of thumb is to send them approximately 8 weeks in advance. This gives guests enough time to clear their schedules and make travel arrangements if necessary.

Its important to strike a balance between sending invitations too early and too late. Sending them too early may result in people not responding or making plans so far ahead of time. Sending them too late may result in people not being able to attend due to prior commitments. Its best to aim for a sweet spot in the middle, where guests have enough time to plan but not so far out that they forget about the event.

Another factor to consider is the type of guests youre inviting. If youre inviting people who live far away and require travel, then sending invitations earlier than 8 weeks is a good idea. However, for local guests, 8 weeks is usually sufficient.

The timing can vary depending on the type of event and the expected attendance, but here are some general guidelines for sending invitations.

Is 3 months too early to send out wedding invitations?

As little as 3 months before and as early as 12 is also perfectly acceptable. Remember, every wedding is different and you should do what feels right for you.

If you want to send something more than a year in advance Id advise a save the date card and follow up with the invitations 4 to 6 months later.

What about evening invitations?Read my blog here for my top tips. I do hope this blog has been useful. If you are in the throes of planning your wedding invitations and stationery be sure to get your copy of my ultimate checklist and timeline. Its an essential tool for working out exactly what stationery you do and dont need, how many of each and when you should be ordering.

Get your FREE wedding stationery planner & checklist here. Dont forget to follow me on Instagram for daily tips and inspo too! Click here to find me. Want to save this blog for later? Pin this image to your Pinterest wedding planning board.

Is it rude to send wedding invitations late?

Look at your wedding date and count back eight weeks (for a non-destination wedding). This is the latest you should mail your invitations to give your guests enough time to RSVP and make any travel plans. Having a destination wedding? Count back 12 weeks so your guests dont feel rushed and can shop around for the best travel prices.

Dont forget an “RSVP by” date on your RSVP cards—this one is a biggie. Give your guests three to four weeks to let you know if theyll be attending. The RSVP date should be at least two weeks before your wedding so you can give your caterer a more accurate headcount. And, of course, let guests know how to RSVP. Include a pre-addressed envelope that they can use to send back their reply, or direct them specifically to the email, phone number, or URL they should use to RSVP.

If you want your guests to mail back an RSVP card, make sure the envelope is pre-addressed and includes a stamp. Does this mean youll have to buy a whole bunch of extra stamps? Yes, but asking your guests to pay to reply (even if its just a single stamp) is an etiquette no-no.