Planning a wedding involves plenty of decisions, and your wedding stationery is one detail you won’t want to leave until the last minute. Knowing when to order wedding invitations gives you enough time to choose a design you love, finalise the details and make sure your guests receive their invitations well before the big day.
The right timeline will depend on your wedding, particularly if you’re choosing bespoke or traditionally printed invitations. Here’s a simple guide to when you should start designing, ordering and sending your wedding invitations.
When Should You Start Looking at Wedding Invitations?
It’s a good idea to start thinking about your wedding invitations around nine to twelve months before your wedding.
You don’t necessarily need to place your order at this stage. Instead, use this time to explore different designs, printing techniques, colours, paper stocks and styles. This can help you decide what suits the overall look and feel of your wedding.
If you’re considering bespoke wedding invitations, starting early is particularly worthwhile. A bespoke design takes time to develop and gives you the opportunity to create stationery that feels personal to you as a couple.
When Should You Order Wedding Invitations?
As a general guide, consider ordering your wedding invitations around six to nine months before your wedding.
This provides time for the design process, proofs, amendments, printing and delivery. It also gives you some breathing room if you change your mind about a detail or want to make adjustments before everything goes to print.
If you’ve chosen specialist printing techniques or completely bespoke stationery, you may want to begin even earlier. The important thing is not to rush. Your wedding invitations are often the first physical glimpse guests receive of your wedding, so allowing enough time to get the details right can make a real difference.
When Should Wedding Invitations Be Sent?
Wedding invitations are commonly sent around three to four months before the wedding.
By this point, your guests should have enough information to confirm whether they can attend and make any necessary travel or accommodation arrangements.
If you’ve already sent save the date cards, your guests will hopefully have kept the date free. The formal invitation can then provide all the additional information they need.
Remember to give guests enough time to RSVP before your venue or suppliers require final numbers.
What About Save the Dates?
If you’re sending save the date cards, these should normally be sent well before your formal invitations.
Many couples send them approximately six to twelve months before their wedding. They can be particularly useful if you’re getting married during a busy time of year or have guests travelling a significant distance.
At this stage, you don’t need to provide every detail. Your names, wedding date and general location may be enough, with further information following in the formal invitation.
When Should You Send Invitations for a Destination Wedding?
Destination weddings usually require more notice. Guests may need to arrange flights, accommodation, annual leave and potentially childcare, so giving them additional time to plan can be helpful.
For a destination wedding, consider sending save-the-dates nine to twelve months in advance, or earlier where appropriate. Formal invitations can also be sent earlier than they would be for a wedding closer to home.
The exact timing will depend on your destination and the arrangements guests need to make.
Allow Extra Time for Bespoke Wedding Invitations
If you’re choosing bespoke wedding stationery, build additional time into your plans.
Unlike an off-the-shelf design, bespoke invitations can involve discussions about your ideas, typography, colours, paper, wording and printing techniques before the final design is approved.
Traditional processes such as engraving, letterpress and foil printing can create beautiful results, but quality craftsmanship shouldn’t be rushed.
Starting the process early means you can enjoy choosing your stationery rather than making decisions under pressure as your wedding approaches.
What Information Should You Have Before Ordering?
Before your invitations are finalised, make sure the essential details of your wedding are confirmed.
These will normally include your names, wedding date, ceremony location and time, reception details and RSVP information. You may also want to include accommodation details, dress codes, transport information or directions.
Some couples include everything within their invitation suite, while others direct guests to a wedding website for additional information.
Proofread everything carefully before approving your stationery for print. Pay particular attention to names, dates, addresses and times.
When Should You Set Your RSVP Deadline?
Your RSVP deadline needs to give you enough time to provide final numbers to your venue, caterer and other suppliers.
Check when your suppliers require this information and work backwards from that date. Giving yourself some additional time can also help if you need to follow up with guests who haven’t replied.
Try not to set the RSVP date too close to the wedding. There will already be plenty to organise during those final few weeks.
What If You’re Planning Your Wedding at Short Notice?
Not every wedding is planned a year or more in advance, so don’t panic if your timeline is shorter.
If your wedding is only a few months away, prioritise confirming the essential information and speak to your stationery provider as soon as possible. They can advise you on what can realistically be designed and produced within your timeframe.
You may need to make decisions more quickly, but a shorter engagement doesn’t mean you can’t have beautiful wedding stationery.
Create Wedding Invitations That Feel Personal to You
Knowing when to order wedding invitations can make the whole process much more enjoyable. Starting early gives you time to explore your options, perfect the design and make sure every detail is correct before your invitations reach your guests.
At Leeming Brothers, wedding stationery can be created to reflect the individual style and character of your celebration. From beautifully designed invitations to traditional printing techniques and accompanying stationery, careful craftsmanship can turn your wedding invitations into something your guests will want to keep.
By planning ahead, you can create stationery that sets the tone for your wedding from the moment it arrives through the letterbox.
