WHEN TO MAIL YOUR WEDDING INVITATIONS
You’re all set to mail your wedding invitations. But …are you mailing them too early? …are you having a destination wedding? …did you send out Save-the-Dates? In this post, we will discuss the best time to mail your invitations depending on how you answer the above questions.
The date you mail your invitations depends on a few things...
How early is too early to mail invitations?
If you didn’t send out Save-the-Dates then I recommend mailing your invitations 8-10* weeks before your wedding date. Some suggest 6-8 weeks but I find 8-10 weeks to be a better time frame especially if you are having out-of-town guests and if you are adding any day-of items like place or escort cards. Why? Because your stationer will need to have a final guest list probably no later than 21 days before your wedding so they can order your day-of stationery, especially your place/escort cards which will have guests names printed on them. You’ll also need a final guest count for your venue and/or caterer.
*For international/overeas guests I recommend mailing your invitations at least 12 weeks ahead. Mail can take a while to cross an ocean and you want to make sure it does not arrive at the last minute. This applies even if you mailed a Save-the-Date to your guests.
We sent out Save-the-Dates, can we mail them later?
Yes, if your guests have received a Save-the-Date, this gives them a heads-up and a chance to plan ahead and make arrangements. Remember though, if you have “B” list and not everyone received a Save-the-Date, you will need to mail these earlier to give these guests ample time to make arrangements. For your “B” list, follow the 8-10 week rule.
We are having a destination wedding, when should we mail our invitations?
If you sent out Save-the-Dates, then 12-14 weeks is the recommended time frame for mailing your invitations. This gives all guests time to book flights and accommodations to your destination location. Make sure your wedding website has all of the information they will need to book said flights and accommodations too! If you did not send out Save-the-Dates then I recommend 16-18 weeks ahead of time. Yes, that’s correct! Guests will need time to save and plan for this trip.
Other points to remember:
If you sent a guest a Save-the-Date, don’t forget to send them an invitation. There is an unspoken rule, if they get a Save-the-Date, they get an invitation. If you are unsure if you will invite them (yes, sometimes guest lists need to be cut back!), then do not send them a Save-the-Date.
Your reply by date should be 4 weeks before your wedding date. This will give you enough time to collect all replies & submit final counts & lists to your stationer and venue. Remember, things that have to be ordered at the last minute, like place cards and seating charts, usually incur a rush fee which can increase the closer you get to your wedding date.
Enjoy the process! Your wedding is a wonderful event to celebrate for many many years to come. Don’t stress over when to mail. Just follow my advice above & you’ll be on top of things.
XO
~Lauren
