When Should I Send My Wedding Invitations?
A Guide To The Wedding Stationary Timeline
One wedding planning item that often isn’t given the attention it deserves is the stationary. When it comes to your wedding stationary suite, timeless and timely win the day. Your guest experience starts on paper. From the very first Save the Date to your reception signage, your wedding stationery is more than just the pretty paper. It’s the first glimpse your guests will have of your celebration, setting the tone for the day and giving them a hint of the style, formality, and experience to come.
At Heirloom Weddings & Events, we understand that stationery is a core design feature of the wedding day. Beautifully curated suites not only serve a practical purpose but also tie together your overall aesthetic. Just as importantly, following a thoughtful stationery timeline keeps everything organized and stress-free.
Here’s our tried-and-true stationery timeline to guide you:
6-12 Months Before The Wedding: Send Save the Dates
Save the Dates are your guests’ first impression of your wedding. They introduce your color palette, style, and even a bit of personality. Just as importantly, they allow your loved ones to block off their calendars early. Be sure to include the following important information on your Save The Date cards:
The first and last names of the couple to be married
The date of the wedding
The location where the wedding will take place. The city, state, and the country for international destinations.
One important item that is easy to overlook: Be sure to include a statement telling the guests that a formal invitation will follow.
Don’t forget to include the direction to your wedding website. The URL can be printed on the invitation itself, or on an enclosure card if you prefer.
We recommend mailing Save the Dates 9–12 months prior to the wedding if you’re planning a destination wedding, or have a large number of guests traveling from out of town. The more notice, the better. It ensures your guests have time to book travel and accommodations with ease.
If you’re getting married in the city where you live and most of your guests are local to your area, we suggest sending them 6-8 months before your wedding date.
3-6 Months Before: Send The Formal Invitations
Your invitations are the official announcement of your wedding. They include all the essential details: date, time, location, dress code, and continue the design story that began with your Save the Dates.
Sending invitations 4-6 months before your destination wedding gives guests ample time to RSVP and finalize travel arrangements, while keeping the event fresh on their minds.
For local weddings we recommend 3 months. This will bring your wedding date front of mind for your guests and allow them time to RSVP as well as make any necessary arrangements with their personal schedule.
Postage Tip:
We recommend you take a complete wedding invitation to your local post office and have the clerk weigh it before you stamp and drop them all in the mail. They’ll be able to tell you exactly how much postage is required, and if your invitations will require hand cancelling. We recommend you request hand canceling if your invitation includes design details like wax seals, wood or acrylic elements, ribbons or other specialty items. Many US Postal offices will charge a fee for hand cancelling.
Timing Tip:
If the timelines above have your Save The Dates or Invitations arriving to your guests between Thanksgiving and New Years we recommend that you adjust and send Save the Dates earlier, to arrive just before the holidays. With invitations, make the adjustment by moving it up for destination weddings, and consult with your wedding planner on the appropriate timeline based on your wedding date for local weddings. The reason for this is to prevent your invitations from being lost in the shuffle of holiday cards people will be receiving during those weeks.
Set RSVP Deadline At: 6 Weeks Before The Wedding
One of the most crucial dates in your stationery timeline is your RSVP deadline. We like to set it six weeks before the wedding. This works well with the stationary timeline outlined above, and is part of the standard process we use with our own clients.
Why earlier than the traditional four-week deadline? This is because items such as floral arrangements, and rentals often need to be finalized at the 4 week mark. The 6 week RSVP deadline allows you time to track down outstanding RSVP's, update the number of centerpieces or rental items accordingly, and helps you dial in your day-of stationary needs in plenty of time. Having RSVPs in hand well before those deadlines means smoother communication with your vendors, fewer last minute surprises, and less stress.
4 Weeks Before: Finalize Day-Of Stationary
Don’t forget the finishing touches! Programs, menus, signage, and other day-of details should be finalized and ready to print 4 weeks before the wedding. These pieces tie together your event design and ensure a polished, cohesive guest experience. We like to have the design completed for these items 4 months before the wedding and make any last minute adjustments in the final weeks.