When and What To Send With Your Wedding Invitations

Sending out our invites may be one of the most important parts of planning your wedding because unless you are eloping, we are assuming you want some guests to witness your wedding. However, we realize that all the different beautiful papers you will be sending out, the timeline, and the purpose of each piece of mail can sometimes get a bit confusing. In order to give your guests proper notice and allow enough time to get all of your invitations made in time, we have put together a timeline for you that runs through all the paper goodies a bride could dream of!

Save the Dates

Save the dates are your first piece of mail to get sent to your wedding guests. While one could argue that save the dates are becoming less popular, we still recommend them for most weddings, especially formal weddings, destination weddings, and weddings during busy times of the year. They are used to give your guests a heads up on your wedding date before invitations are officially sent out. With how busy and scheduled everyone seems to be, save the dates will help make sure that you minimize the number of guests with scheduling conflicts for your wedding. We recommend sending your save the dates approximately 6-8 months before your wedding. This means that as soon as you decide on your date, it’s not a bad idea to go ahead and choose and contact your stationer.

Invitations

Your invitations are important because they provide your guests with all the information you will need to attend your wedding. While they most likely already have the date down on their calendar from your save the dates, your invitations will provide your guests with the time and venue for your big day. Invitations are absolutely essential and can be one of your favorite pieces to save from your wedding. Invitations are typically sent out around 6-8 weeks prior to your wedding.

RSVP

Your RSVP cards will go in with your invitations. The cards are used for you to get an accurate headcount to give to your vendors. They also allow for your guests to request their entree for dinner if applicable to your dining style. We have also seen our couples include something fun on their RSVP cards like a space to put down a song to be played at the reception. It’s important to have a return date for the RSVP cards so you can give your final counts to your vendors. While this date often depends on your vendor’s policies, it is typically around 2 to 3 weeks before the big day.

Thank You Cards

The good news about your thank you cards is that you can get an early start on them since many of your guests will likely send gifts before your actual wedding. With the options now to have gifts delivered directly to your house instead of guests bringing them to your wedding, gifts will tend to arrive early. However, we advise getting those thank you cards sent out as soon as possible after your wedding to show your appreciation for your guests.

Photos by Rustic White Photograghy