When to Send Wedding Invitations: Expert Advice for 2023

Wondering when to send wedding invitations and RSVPs for your special day? Timing plays a crucial role in ensuring a smooth and successful event. That’s why establishing a wedding invitation schedule is essential to the wedding planning process. It determines the flow of communication with your guests and enables them to make necessary arrangements to secure their attendance.

Ready to embark on a nice and organized wedding invite journey? Read on to learn more about when to send out wedding invitations.

The wedding invitation timeline starts with mailing your save-the-date announcements. These cards serve as a preliminary notice to guests. They inform them of the upcoming wedding and allow them to mark their calendars well in advance. Additionally, letting your guests know the exact date of the event and all it will entail gives them plenty of time to make the necessary arrangements and secure accommodations if needed.

Once the wedding date approaches, you should send formal wedding invites and RSVP requests. Getting attendance confirmation from your guests will let you make all venue and catering-related decisions based on exact numbers. Additionally, it will help you finalize seating arrangements, meal preferences, and the event’s nitty-gritty right on time.

When to Send Out Wedding Save The Dates

A wedding save the date serves as an early notification to guests. It lets them know that a wedding is in the works and requests that they mark the day on their calendars. In other words, it acts as a preliminary announcement before sending out formal wedding invitations.

Given that most people have busy schedules, it is good to alert them of the wedding beforehand so that they can set aside time to be there for you. This way, you’ll maximize the likelihood of having your loved ones and acquaintances join you on your special day.

A good rule of thumb for in-town weddings is to send your save-the-date card at least six months in advance. On the other hand, sending destination wedding invitations and save-the-date reminders much earlier is advisable. Consider anything between eight to twelve months before the event. This way, you’ll give guests ample time to secure travel accommodations, book flights, and plan their schedules. Keep in mind that early bookings help your guests save on travel and accommodation costs, which is a factor that may determine the number of guests that come to your wedding. Therefore, picking a timeframe of when to send save the dates and invitations will get as many guests as possible to your event.

If your wedding is less than four months away, consider skipping save-the-date cards or just sending a digital save-the-date notification. If you choose to ditch physical cards altogether, however, make sure to send out formal wedding invitations right away. In this case, the timeline becomes more condensed and direct. That’s why providing guests with ample notice through the invitations is still crucial.

When choosing what to put on save the dates, consider key information for the wedding, such as the couple’s names, the wedding date, and a brief note indicating that a formal invitation will follow. Additionally, it can be helpful to include the city and state where the wedding will take place. If it is a destination wedding, don’t forget to mention the country where you’ll be having it.

Clarifying all pertinent details allows guests to consider their travel plans and accommodation options from the get-go. Once you’ve sent out your save-the-date notifications, you can move on to sending your wedding invitations.

When to Send Out Wedding Invitations

Wedding invitations are a crucial part of the wedding planning process. They provide guests with all the necessary details and officially invite them to the event. These cards are a follow-up to the save the dates you previously sent and confirm that the wedding is still on. A typical wedding invitation suite includes the main wedding invitation card, an RSVP card, wedding reception invitations, and a return envelope. You may also include additional inserts, such as a dinner menu, wedding reception invites, or accommodation information.

Nowadays, it’s more and more common for couples to send out digital invites. Doing so allows them to save time and money they could allocate for other aspects of the event. However, mailing physical wedding invitations is still a nice touch, and some guests, especially family members, will appreciate having a keepsake of your special day.

Now, you may be wondering how far in advance do you send wedding invitations. Is 3 months too early to send out wedding invitations? The short answer: It depends. A good rule of thumb is to send out wedding invitations six to eight weeks before the wedding date for a local wedding. This timeframe allows guests enough time to receive the invitations, review the details, and RSVP.

For destination weddings or if you have international guests, send out the invitations around 12 weeks in advance. This extended period gives them room to make travel arrangements, visa applications, and any other logistical considerations.

The timing of sending out wedding invitations is crucial if you want people actually to be able to make it. If you send the invitation too early, guests may forget or misplace it. On the other hand, sending your invite too late can cause inconvenience for guests who need to make travel plans or arrange accommodations. Either case may cause guests who would have otherwise attended to be unavailable for your big day.

Wedding invitation etiquette also emphasizes the importance of clear and concise information. The wedding invitation should include basic details, like:

The couple’s names
The date
The time
The location of the ceremony and reception

Additionally, you may also include the dress code, any specific requests you may have, and details about accommodation options, if applicable. If you want to add a menu insert, make it as detailed as possible. You may also allow guests to request any special meals based on dietary restrictions, allergies, etc.

Before printing and mailing your invites, make sure to proofread and cross-check all details. Doing so helps avoid canceling, manually correcting the information, or reprinting the cards.

When to Ask for RSVPs

RSVP is an acronym for “répondez s’il vous plait. This French phrase is a request for guests to confirm their attendance or regrets at an event. In the context of a wedding, RSVPs are essential for couples to finalize the guest count and provide accurate numbers to the venue and caterer. A proper wedding RSVP timeline will help you get all the final plans for the event in order.

Setting an RSVP date for your wedding is crucial as it enables you to plan and make necessary arrangements accordingly. Additionally, it spares you the inconvenience of preparing for more or fewer guests than you actually have. It’s important to note that the majority of those who confirm their attendance will likely attend the event. Therefore, collecting RSVPs will provide you with accurate numbers based on the confirmed guests.

You may be asking, “When should wedding RSVPs be due?” Typically, the RSVP deadline for a wedding is set four weeks before the wedding date. This timeframe gives guests enough time to respond and allows you enough time to collect and organize the RSVPs.

To ensure your guests don’t miss the deadline and keep you waiting, make it clear on the wedding invitation or the accompanying response card. Avoid using fine print or writing it at the bottom of your RSVP card. This way, your guests will be less likely to miss the prompt. If the wedding RSVP deadline passes and you haven’t received responses from certain guests, it is acceptable to follow up with them. You can reach out to those who haven’t let you know if they’re coming for a friendly reminder via phone call or email.

In recent years, digital RSVPs have become increasingly popular. Instead of including physical response cards in their wedding invitation, couples can opt for an online RSVP system. Handling RSVPs online allows guests to respond conveniently and eliminates the need to return physical cards. Online RSVPs, just like save-the-date digital, can be managed through wedding websites or online platforms dedicated to event planning.

Whichever system and timeline you choose for your save-the-dates, wedding invites, and RSVPs, it should help you have a seamlessly organized wedding planning process. Sticking to your timeline and effectively communicating with your guests will ultimately contribute to a successful and unforgettable wedding celebration.

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