When should you send your wedding invitations? And all your other wedding stationery? This is a question clients ask me all the time. This is one of the most exciting times in your wedding planning because it is the big announcement that you are going to get married.
You will look back on your wedding invitations as precious keepsakes. I’m sure many of your guests will too. When I receive an invitation it stays on the fridge for months so I can see a regular reminder of the exciting event coming up! As well as being treasured, they are a very important element of your wedding. Your invitations contain all the necessary information your guests need to know about your event. Read on to find out all about when you should send your wedding invitations and other stationery.
When should you send your engagement party invitations?
You should send your invitations 1-2 months before your engagement party. That will give you enough time to get replies back in time to confirm catering numbers. For your engagement invitations you can choose to set the theme of all your wedding stationery or have a stand alone design.
When should you send your Save the Date card?
Save the Date cards have become very popular in recent years, especially for destination weddings or if guests are coming from overseas. They are usually sent 8-9 months before the wedding so guests have enough time to organise flights and accommodation. A Save the Date sent with love by snail mail is very thoughtful and in times of uncertainty with travelling around the world, it’s also clever planning. I recommend sending your full wedding invitation suite later, much closer to your wedding date, so you can be more certain with guest numbers.
When should you send your wedding invitations?
The wedding invitation is the centrepiece of your stationery so this is when you wow your guests. You can add an RSVP, details card or map. Traditionally, you should send out your main wedding invitations 6-8 weeks before your wedding. But if you’re like me and like to be super organised, sending out your invitations 3-4 months beforehand is totally fine too! Make sure you send them earlier if you are inviting overseas guests. This is particularly important if you choose not to send a Save the Date card.
When should you order your wedding invitations?
Work back from the date you want to have them ready to send. Leave at least 6 weeks for your stationer to design and print them. Your stationery designer can also help you with your timeline, so ask them to explain their design process to you. If you are choosing a specialty printing method such as foil or letterpress (or super luxe foil letterpress!) you need to factor in an additional 8 weeks for production. Also, give yourself enough time to collect all your guests addresses and factor in postage times (especially to overseas guests).
What date should the RSVP be?
The RSVP date should be 3-4 weeks before the wedding date. It’s important to get your RSVPs back as early as possible and start finalising your guest list. It’s super helpful for ordering your on-the-day stationery, such as place cards, menus and a seating chart. If any guests don’t RSVP you may have to give them a call or message to confirm!
When should you send your Thank You cards?
Thank you cards should be sent up to 3 months after the wedding. Many people order Thank you cards to tie in with their wedding invitations. Another lovely idea is to use a wedding photo on your Thank you card. Don’t forget this step to show gratitude to your guests.
Choosing and sending out your wedding stationery is one of the most exciting parts of your wedding planning. Every wedding is unique with guests coming from near or far so decide on the best timeline to send out your invitations and build the anticipation of your day. And don’t hesitate to get in touch if you have any questions about your wedding stationery. I’m always happy to have a free, no obligation stationery consultation either by Zoom or at my Auckland studio.
