Invitations are one of the most important details when planning a wedding. Not only do they give guests information about your special day, but they also allow everyone to plan accordingly. Whether your wedding location is local, out of state or a destination, here’s a general timeline of when to send out wedding invitations.
Save The Dates
While Save The Dates are not required for every wedding, they can be a helpful reminder for your guests to block off the date in their calendars months in advance. A good rule of thumb is to send out your Save The Dates about 6 months before the wedding. If you’re having a destination wedding, you can send them even earlier to give guests enough time to make accommodations, find babysitters, etc.
Wedding Invitations
Once your Save The Dates have been sent, it’s time to start preparing your invites. These can be sent about six to eight weeks before your wedding date. This gives guests plenty of time to respond to your invites, book travel if needed and take a look at your registry. This allows you more time to create your invitations such as addressing envelopes, calligraphy, and other fun details. Invites can also be sent earlier around two or three months for destination weddings to give guests even more time to prepare.
What to Include
Whether you include additional details on the back of your invite or on a separate small card, there are a few things you must include. Your wedding location is one of the most important details so guests can know if travel is needed. You can also have a small section for dress code guidelines, but try to keep this short and simple. You can even choose to create your own wedding website with all this added info so you can simply direct guests to the web address. We recommend not putting anything about your gift registry on the invites, however, as this can be saved for your website as well.
RSVP Dates
Another important detail to include in your invitations is a way for guests to respond. If you have a wedding website, doing this online is quick and easy. You can also choose to include an RSVP card and pre-addressed envelope. We recommend asking for an RSVP date about three weeks before your wedding date so you can finalize other details such as your seating chart, catering and more. If a guest doesn’t respond in time, feel free to call and politely ask for a response.
Still need some help choosing a theme for your special day before sending out invites? Check out some of our favorite wedding themes for summer! We would also love to help you choose the dress of your dreams. Be sure to book an appointment today. Give our advice for when to send wedding invitations a try as well. Your guests will appreciate it!