When Do You Send The Invitations If You Cant Afford Express Postage
Allow yourself an extra week if you are using a regular mail service rather than express postage, and consider the delays that may occur for international guests, particularly if youre sending any invitations to developing countries. Its extremely common to use standard mail to keep your costs low, so dont feel you have to spring for the express postage! Just make sure you know how long you need to allow for postage times when you make your plans.
When To Send Invitations
As a rule of thumb, the best time to send out wedding invitations is 6 to 8 weeks before the wedding. The RSVP cards are then returned approximately 2 weeks before the wedding. This allows for you to update your guest list with the number of confirmed guests, as well as reach out to any guests who have not yet responded.
Wedding Rsvp Deadline Etiquette
Set your RSVP due date for 3-4 weeks prior to the wedding day. This has a few key benefits:
- Setting your RSVP deadline 3-4 weeks from the big day gives you the chance to follow up with anyone who hasnt responded in time.
- You are able to finalize your seating chart when you set the RSVP deadline a few weeks before the wedding day, rather than waiting until the last minute.
- Securing all RSVPs at the deadline allows you to share that information with your caterers, so they can begin to prep for the wedding day.
You want to set your RSVP deadline to be at least a couple weeks in advance of when you actually need that information from your guests. There will inevitably be wedding guests who do not send their RSVPs back in time, and this gives you the time you need to follow up with them after sending the wedding invitations.
Green Wedding Shoes Pro Tip: Make it easy for your guests to complete and send back your RSVP card before the deadline dont forget a stamp and a response envelope when you send your wedding invitations!
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When Should I Send Thank
For gifts received during the engagement party and shower, send a thank you within two to three weeks of the festivities for gifts sent before the wedding date, send a card as soon as possible, but definitely before the wedding for gifts given on the wedding day itself, mail a thank-you note within three months and for gifts received after your wedding, send one within two to three weeks.
What To Include In A Save
Now that youre up to speed on the biggest differences between a save-the-date vs. an invitation, lets dive into the details of each and what they should include, starting with the save-the-date.
According to Kentris, the save-the-date card should include three pieces of information: who is getting married , what city the wedding will take place in, and the wedding date .
The city is very important to include for destination weddings especially. If you have a wedding website that you plan on updating with more details as the date draws closer, you can also include the link to that as well. This is a good way to keep out-of-town guests in the loop with travel information and accommodations.
Traditionally, save-the-dates are sent via mail but sending them via email is also an option. If you do go the mail route, Kentris says save-the-dates dont typically include inserts, but you can definitely add an additional card to include travel details for destination weddings.
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Send The Wedding Invitations
With wedding sizes trending toward intimate, you probably already know who will be able to make it and who won’t. Make sure to include whether the invite consists of a plus one and any other important details like your livestream link for out-of-town guests.
Send all the invites simultaneously and avoid doing batches based on your rsvp numbers. Some guests can guess when theyâre being added in at the last minute due to low RSVPs and even when they canât, itâs just bad etiquette.
Return Address On Wedding Invitations
Lets chat all about the return address to include on your wedding invitations when you send them. The address you choose plays a pretty important role in the planning process!
Is someone in your family helping you confirm the guest list and contact the caterer? You can have their address as the return address, if theyve offered to collect and make note of guest responses.
When sending your wedding invitations, if the mail is unsuccessfully delivered, itll go to this return address, so youll want to consider who will be collecting that returned mail or following up with those guests in another way.
Typically, the return address on the wedding invitations and the return address on the envelope for the RSVPs will be the same, but you can always mix that up if necessary!
Pssstwanna see the prettiest wedding invitations you can buy online?! Weve rounded up only the finest invites!
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When Do You Send Wedding Invitations If Youre Hosting A Destination Wedding
When it comes to when to send out wedding invitations for destination weddings, youll want to give your guests a bit more notice than if youre planning a hometown celebration. We recommend sending destination wedding invitations two to three months before the event. Youll want to give your guests more time just in case they havent yet booked their travel and accommodations . Set your RSVP deadline for about six weeks before your wedding, as youll likely need more time to plan your wedding weekend if youre hosting a destination affair.
When To Send Wedding Invitations With No Save
If you choose not to send save-the-dates, feel free to send your wedding invitations out a bit earlier than if you had. In the 8 to 16 week range, you may want to lean more towards 16 weeks before the wedding for invitations if you did not send guests a save- the-date. This way, guests have a little more warning and more time to plan.
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How Early To Send Wedding Invites
Hey,
Is there a such thing as sending invitations too early? We have the venue booked and the times set. We dont really see the benefit of sending save the dates, but we have out of town guests wed like to invite asap so they can make travel plans. Our wedding is 2/2/2020. How early can we send the invitations?
on February 14, 2019 at 11:39 AM
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Wedding Invitationsand The Best Time To Send Them
In addition to the traditional wedding invitation, there are other invites that are sent out in conjunction with the wedding. Save-the-date cards and RSVPs are also essential in assisting the newlyweds and their guests in planning for the big day. The process of sending out invites should begin immediately after you have created a guest list. Save the date cards are the first to be sent out to your guests in order to inform them of your wedding date. These are followed by the actualwedding invitation, which contains all of the wedding day information.
Finally, you can take a deep breath and begin counting down the days before your nuptials, with all of your guests confirmed.
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When Do You Send Out Wedding Invitations If Youre Hosting A Hometown Wedding
With hometown weddings, you can be a bit more flexible when it comes to when to send wedding invitations. Usually about six to eight weeks before the event is a sufficient amount of time, if a majority of your guests arent traveling a long distance to your event. Youll want to set your RSVP deadline for about two to three before your big day, to ensure you have enough time to plan your seating chart, create escort cards, and to give your caterer and venue a final headcount.
Send Out Wedding Invitations Early Enough
Be sure to give your guests enough time to plan around the wedding day. Some will need to make travel arrangements, while others may need to find a babysitter or a date. In order to make sure your guests can make the proper accommodations, plan on sending out your wedding invitations anywhere from 6-8 weeks prior to the wedding date. If, however, you are having a destination wedding, it is proper etiquette to send your wedding invitations out 12 weeks prior.
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Your Wedding Stationery Timeline
Using this free wedding stationery timetable will help you choose when to send out your wedding invitations and save the dates for your big day.
- Start creating your free wedding website 10-12 months before the big day. Prepare the guest list and send out save the dates eight to ten months prior to the event date. Order your wedding invitations 4-6 months before the big day. About two to three months before the wedding, send out your wedding invites and get your wedding day stationary . Order your order of service, place cards, and rehearsal dinner invitations around 6-7 weeks before the wedding. Order and mail your thank you cards within 1-2 months of the event.
How To Send Wedding Invitations: Major Mailing Mistakes To Avoid
Signed, Sealed, Delivered! Everything you need to know about mailing your wedding invitations.
Sending formal wedding invitations may seem like a daunting task, but it shouldnt be a burden, which is why weve simplified the process for you. With Zola, sending out your wedding invites couldnt be more straightforward. When you purchase your wedding invitations through Zola, youll get free samples delivered to your door, so you can see them in person and hold the stationery in your hands, ensuring you get precisely what you want.
Truthfully, the hardest part about sending your invitations with Zola is making up your mind about exactly what you want. Lucky for you, we have lots of templates and suggestions to help you decide if youre ever stuck.
As far as physically sending out your wedding invitations, we have lots of tips and tricks on how to stuff wedding invitations that wed be happy to share! For now, here is our advice on how to get those finished invites into the mailboxes, and hands, of your wedding guests!
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The Best Time To Send Your Wedding Invites
Formal wedding invitations are usually sent out at least 6 to 8 weeks before the ceremony, or ideally 12 weeks in advance. Save-the-date cards are ideally sent out 6 to 12 months before the wedding.
But with lots of weddings being planned around busy times of the year, and with many wedding venues set in far-off destinations, the more time you can give your guests the better! If youre thinking of getting foil-printed wedding invitations created for the big day, then wed absolutely recommend that you do and not just because were a foil printing company! Every happy couple weve printed for have absolutely fallen in love with their foil-printed wedding invites.
Foil printing creates spectacular finished effects that you just cant achieve with ordinary ink and toner just take a look:
What Time Should We Put On Our Wedding Invitations
A good rule of thumb is to call the wedding for at least half an hour to 45 minutes before you want the ceremony to begin, and state that time on your invitation. Its also important to be very intentional with what you plan to have guests do for that window of time before your ceremony starts. Its important to make this very purposeful. You dont want your guests sitting in their seats waiting or thinking that youre running late, says etiquette expert Elaine Swann. Have something ready for your guests to do. It doesnt take much, but you want to create a moment that allows your guests to arrive at that time and be involved.
According to Swann, something as simple as serving spa water, setting up a photo area, or the signing of the guest book is a great way to fill this time intentionally and to be sure guests aren’t sitting down and waiting for too long. Listing this activity on a handheld program or large sign is another great way to make it clear that the start time was intentional.
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Where Do You Put Information About Your Wedding Website
There are a few places you can include your wedding website without breaking any etiquette rules. A simple “TaylorandPayton.com” on your save-the-dates is a great way to let guests know from the beginning that you have a wedding website. You can also include your wedding URL on an insert card in your invitation suite . If you got your stationery from The Knot Invitations, you can set up a wedding website on The Knot to match. That way, your loved ones will get a cohesive design experience ahead of your big day.
How It Worked Irl
For her 2018 wedding in Blaine, Washington, Lilia, 28, went the online route and used Greenvelope. Not only were digital invites more sustainable, but Lilia was able to make changes to her list on the fly, giving friends plus-ones at the last minute. Lilia loved how she could add links to the digital invitation, directing guests to other important information, like the couples wedding website, the venue, and their registry. Because the invitation was in an email, she felt it allowed guests to ask questions immediately and encouraged easy and open communication. A lot of time and money and effort goes into the paper invites, and I totally understand it’s a beautiful touchpoint, but I think it’s not the most valuable area that I wanted to place effort, Lilia says. For us, we wanted to be more sustainable and didnt see the value as much and digital seemed way easier.
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What Goes Into A Wedding Invitation
So what exactly goes into a wedding invitation? A little more than you might expect, and you dont want to miss any details when you send those wedding invitations out to your guests! Lets break it down.
Heres what youll need to include in your wedding invitation envelope, at a minimum:
- the wedding invitation card itself, which will include the date, time, venue address, dress code, and your wedding website
- an RSVP card and return envelope, with postage included
Those elements cover the minimum needed to give your guests the information they need to RSVP.
When sending your wedding invitations, there are also some additional elements that make for really nice additions to your invite suite. These include:
- a dinner menu, so your guests can see what theyll be served and choose accordingly
- a dedicated accommodations and things to do card, so your guests can make travel arrangements with confidence
- a keepsake postcard for your wedding destination, especially if your guests are traveling somewhere fun
Save The Date Etiquette
Depending on your wedding plans, there are different etiquette suggestions for save the dates. You want to give your loved ones as much advance notice as possible, allowing them to request time off work , make travel and accommodation arrangements, and address any other factors.
If your guests are within driving distance or have easy access to public transit, the suggested time frame is 4-6 months before the wedding. If, on the other hand, youre planning a destination wedding, the suggested timeframe doubles. For destination weddings, particularly those that require international travel , try to send out save the dates six months to one year before your big day.
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Where Do You Put The Return Address On Your Wedding Invitations
It might be tempting to skip this step, but including a return address on your wedding invitations is actually really important. If for any reason an invite doesn’t get delivered, you won’t end up losing it completely and you can reach out to the guest directly to update them on the issue and ask for another address. That way, you won’t risk any hurt feelings when they hear of others receiving their invitations and wonder why they didn’t get one.
The return address usually goes on the back flap of the envelope. Also, the return address used should be that of the person whom you’ve designated to receive response cards, be it yourselves or your parents . It’s also proper wedding RSVP etiquette to include the host’s address and postage on the envelopes for your response cards. Guests should not be expected to fill out this information or pay for postage themselves.
Formal Or Casual: What To Include
First, decide what will be written on your invitation and how it should be worded. You and your fiancé may feel that since committing to one another is a very significant event, you would prefer to use formal phrasing on your wedding invitations.
This formal phrasing can work for any style of wedding. Its particularly appropriate if you will be having a more traditional wedding with a religious ceremony, followed by formal reception. It can give your guests a heads up to the fact that your event will be classy and elegant.
However, if you and your fiancé are hosting a more casual event, the phrasing on your wedding invitations can likewise be more casual.
Regardless of how formal or casual the phrasing on your wedding invitation is, there are some basics that always must be included: who, when, and where. This means the invitation should give the full names of the couple, and the full names of the hosts if youre using formal phrasing. It should clearly list the time, date, month and year of the wedding. Dont forget the full address of where it is being held! If you are requesting an RSVP, this should be written on the lower left corner of the invitation.
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