When you’re planning a wedding, time is an important consideration. it’s hard to know when to book vendors, when to host engagement parties and bridal showers, and how early to send out wedding invitations.
Once you’ve reserved your venue and set a date for your wedding, you may be wondering, “how soon is too soon to send invitations?” You don’t want to wait too long and have guests who can’t attend due to previous commitments, but is there a rule about how early you can send invitations?
We’ll break down wedding invitation etiquette and common practices for scheduling your wedding invitations.
when to send date reminders
A save the date invitation is different from a proper wedding invitation. they are usually placed as a placeholder for the actual invitation to ensure guests know to clear their schedules that day or avoid committing to other events.
Save the date invitations are sent before wedding invitations, and the general rule of thumb is to send them 6-12 months before the wedding. if your engagement is longer, it is common to send the date reservation 12 months later.
In light of covid-19, couples around the world have had to reschedule their weddings. Right now, many brides and grooms are dealing with rescheduling venues, vendors, and alerting their guests.
If you’re scheduling your wedding after the global pandemic, it may make sense to send your save dates a little earlier. With so many couples rescheduling at once, dates are picking up fast, and it may be necessary to let your loved ones know your date ahead of time so they can save it and avoid missing out on your special day.
when to send wedding invitations
Finding the right time to send out wedding invitations can be a difficult balancing act. the general rule of thumb is to send invitations 8 to 12 weeks before the date (2 to 3 months before). You can set a date on the card for guests to RSVP so you can get a head count, but be prepared that some guests will miss that deadline. If you’re concerned you’ll need more time, send your invitations at least 16 weeks (4 months) before the wedding.
Wedding invitations, and RSVPs, are important for several reasons. not only do you want your closest guests to arrive at the wedding, but you also need a guest count to inform the venue of tables, chairs, and seating arrangements, and to inform caterers and other vendors so you have the correct amount of food, drinks, etc.
how early is too early for wedding invitations?
Many brides want to send their invitations out early so they can confirm their numbers with vendors, but sending wedding invitations too early can be a mistake. Oftentimes, guests end up leaving the invitation in a pile of mail and forget to respond, or they can’t commit to a date that far in advance. in other cases, they may answer “yes” and then forget because too much time has passed between their answer and the actual event.
Like we said before, 8-16 weeks before the wedding is an acceptable time to send invitations. Sending invitations earlier may seem like a good idea to do the planning earlier, but it can ultimately make it harder to finalize your guest list numbers.
when to send wedding invitations without saving the dates
If you choose not to send your reservation dates, feel free to send your wedding invitations a little earlier than if you had. In the 8-16 week range, you may want to lean more towards 16 weeks before the wedding for invitations if you didn’t send guests a reservation for the date. this way, guests have a little more notice and more time to plan.
when to send destination wedding invitations
If you’re planning a destination wedding, you may want to give guests a little more advance notice so they can decide on travel arrangements. Consider sending your invitations 12-16 weeks before the wedding, keeping in mind that you may want to reserve a block of hotel rooms for guests or recommend other accommodations in your destination.
schedule your wedding invitations
Our recommendation is to send your invitations 8-12 weeks before your wedding, but if you need more time, 16 weeks before is acceptable.
Ultimately, you can send your invitations whenever you want, but be aware that invitees may forget that they responded or simply forget to respond if you invite them too soon. If you’re worried about guests being double-booked, use a save-the-date program to encourage them to mark their calendars. A wedding website, perhaps even with email updates, is another great way to remind guests of your upcoming celebration.