When To Mail Out Wedding Invitations

A Note On Destination Wedding Invitations

If youre planning a destination wedding, give guests more time to clear their schedules and send your invitations out three months before the wedding. With everyone traveling for the big day, its a good idea to stick to the notion of the sooner the better. For more help, visit our resource on how to plan a destination wedding.

When Should We Make The Deadline For Rsvps

Make your RSVP date two to three weeks before your wedding date to allow enough time for you to get a final head count to the caterer and to finalize your seating chart. If some guests still haven’t responded by your deadline, give them a quick call and ask for their RSVPs so you have all their information.

But How Early Is Too Early And How Late Is Too Late

Many brides get so excited and anxious to send their wedding invites out that theyre tempted to push them out early thinking theyre ahead of the game, but this mentality can unfortunately cause a headache in the long run. Sending your invites out too early can result in it getting buried and forgotten on the fridge or in a stack of mail. Guests may also see how far-out your wedding date is and intend on RSVP’ing to it “soon,” then it’s mistakenly forgotten.

On the contrary, you risk peoples schedule already being booked if you send your invites out too lateand you certainly dont want to go through the entire wedding planning process to only have a large portion of your guest list unable to attend!

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How To Add And Guest

Since its awkward and impersonal to address the outer envelope as Mr. James Smith and Guest, the two envelope system works well. Address the outer envelope to Mr. James Smith and the inner envelope to Mr. James Smith and Guest. If youre only using one envelope, include a short note with your invitation: Dear James, Youre welcome to bring a guest to the wedding. Please let me know. Best, Laura. If theres time and James supplies the information, you can send his guest an invitation, too.

How To Address The Outer Envelope Of A Wedding Invitation

The outer envelope is addressed conventionally using titles, first, , and last names.

• An invitation to an unmarried couple residing at the same address is addressed with both names connected by and. Use one or two lines, depending on length.
• No abbreviations or middle initials are used when addressing formal invitations.

While titles are abbreviated all other words such as Street, or Boulevard are spelled out. State names may be written in full or use the two-letter postal code abbreviation. Middle initials arent used, so either write out the middle name or omit it. Generally, an invitation to parents and children is addressed to the parents:

Mr. and Mrs. James Arthur Darling

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Where To Buy Wedding Postage Stamps

There are several places you can shop for wedding stamps, including the USPS website, your local post office, Etsy and . The USPS website provides an estimated shipping time of five to seven days for in-stock items, so you should plan to leave a little extra time for your stamps to arrive after ordering. Amazon is a good place to buy wedding postage stamps in bulk, while Etsy boasts lots of cool collectibles and vintage forever stamps that’ll help set the tone of your invitations. Shipping varies on both of these sites, so make sure you read the fine print. When buying wedding postage stamps online, we recommend leaving a little extra wiggle room than the estimate provided to allow for any unforeseen delays.

If you’re short on time or don’t want to risk any unexpected shipping problems, the best place to buy wedding stamps is in person at the post office. It’s a good idea to call ahead and ask a member of staff if they have the kind of stamps you’re looking for .

Rachel Havel Photography,Sweet Zion Paperie

When To Order The Invitations

We recommend ordering your wedding invitations and other stationery 4-6 months before your special day. Many couples choose to order it all at the same time so they can move on to the next aspect of their wedding planning. Whatever you decide, make sure you allow enough time for printing, address gathering, postage to you, and also mailing out to your guests .

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How Soon To Send Wedding Invitations

Ideally, youll want to mail out your wedding invitations 6 to 8 weeks before the big day. For international travelers, send wedding invites out 12 weeks ahead of your wedding date.

Heres a breakdown of the months and when to mail out the wedding invitations.

Your specific date will vary, depending on the DATE of your wedding, so just look to a calendar and count back 6 to 8 weeks and theres your perfect window for how soon to send out wedding invites.

For instance, we got married on December 5th , so we mailed ours out the week of October 13th.

Heres a general chart:

GETTING MARRIED IN. // HOW SOON TO SEND OUT WEDDING INVITES

May // Get em stamped + out the door in March

Where Do We Include Information About Our Wedding Website

Your wedding website should be included on your save-the-date. A simple “TaylorandPayton.com,” is all you really need. Many designs on The Knot Invitations give you space to list your registry info so your guests can purchase you a gift easily. If you’d like , you can include the web address in the formal invitations with an insert .

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Things You Must Do Before You Send Out Wedding Invitations

From proofreading to postal stamps, heres everything youll need to do before you send out your wedding invitations.

Once youve planned out your wedding invitation wording and figured out all the enclosures that go inside, youre good to send them off in the mail, right? Wrong. Youll want to do a quality check to make sure everything is perfect before you send out your wedding invitations. Everything from proofreading to the number of stamps you use matters, so make sure you give these areas a once-over before signing, sealing and delivering them to Canada Post.

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.

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Our Favorite Usps Wedding Stamps

Want some more inspiration? We’ve got you covered. While custom wedding stamps might be a thing of the past, the United States Postal Service still has some really cool stamps for wedding invitations. Check out our favorite picks below.

Anyone on the hunt for heart-themed stamps for wedding invitations can stop their search right here. This adorable postage stamp features a red heart made up of even smallerâyou guessed itâred hearts!

Choose And Order Wedding Invitations

The second step of your wedding invitation timeline is choosing the actual invitations, which will set the tone for the whole wedding by giving guests a glimpse of your theme and color palette. Start researching wedding stationers and browsing invitation styles at least six months before your wedding. Leave plenty of time for yourself to choose a design and place your order, especially if you’re creating a custom designyou’ll want to avoid rush fees and allow time to look over invitation samples and proofs. In addition to the invitation itself, your stationery suite should include:

• Where to find travel or hotel room block information

Love the look of calligraphy? This is also the time to contact wedding calligraphers to help you with addressing envelopes if your wedding invitation designer doesn’t offer that service. Since most wedding calligraphers work solo, their schedules can book up quickly, so we recommend reaching out to potential vendors sooner rather than later.

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Putting An Incorrect Start Time

While it might be tempting to indicate a ceremony start time that’s earlier than the one you’ve planned, you may want to reconsider that thought. If there is one thing wedding guests know, its to show up early to a wedding ceremony. If you plan to begin your ceremony at 5 p.m., expect guests to arrive between 4:30 and 4:45and to head down the aisle no later than 5:15. If you tell guests the ceremony will begin at 4:45, theyll arrive closer to 4:00 and wait an hour to see your grand entrance.

What To Include On A Save The Date Card

Surprisingly, a save the date card may have more information on it than your actual wedding invitations. Include a link to your wedding website or wedding registry, and provide suggestions for hotel accommodations. Yes, this means youll have to get a jump start on getting hotel rooms blocked off, fine tuning the guest list, and other details, but your guests will appreciate it in the long run.

Now, if youre reading this thinking, I dont have that much time! I wont even be engaged a full year before my wedding!, dont worry. First, these timeframes are only suggestions. Second, with Greenvelope, you can design, address, and send out all your save the dates in as little as 30 minutes. Skipping the snail mail route is one strategy to give your guests plenty of time to make arrangements.

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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.

Creating The Wedding Invites

At Peppermint Press, its all about you. Whether you pick a style from one of our 8 collections, or decide to create a bespoke design, what you see on our website is inspiration for almost anything you want to create.

After we receive your order, we will personally be in touch with you for your design consultation. Unlike other websites where your order ends at checkout and you get what you get, we will work with you to personalise your wedding stationery exactly how you like. Depending on how your invites are printed, the process can take 10 to 15 days. Allow a few extra days to ship to you depending on where youre located in Australia and more if located internationally we can provide a shipping estimate at any time before purchase or during your design consultation.

Whether you work with us, design your own wedding stationery or go to another source, make sure to account for enough time to design, print and receive all your stationery. Proofreading is also essential as some companies dont allow for revisions or re-prints.

Soleil White on Black RSVP paired with White Envelope

We also offer envelope and return addressing to save you time on hand printing or writing each envelope or return card yourself. Be sure to check if this detail is included in your order elsewhere, or if you are doing it yourself, give yourself extra time and extra stationery as backup for any errors.

Do you have any wedding invitation or save the date questions? Let us know in the comments.

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When To Send Out Invitations Calculator

As an estimate, if youre getting married during the month indicated below, youll need to send invitations in the mail around the date indicated next to it. I recommend the 8-week amount of time, but 6 weeks is also an acceptable amount of time before the wedding.

Heres a sample calculator to figure out when youll be sending out wedding invitations based on the month in which youre getting married.

Don’t Forget Your Return Address

While you’ll of course have each guest address on the wedding-invitation envelope, you’ll also want to ensure that you don’t forget to put your return address on the invitation! You’ve likely only ordered so many wedding invitations just like your save the dates and the last thing you want is to not only have a guest not receive their invitation but also not have the invitations returned to you, so you can send them out with the proper wedding postage or guest address.

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Set Your Rsvp Deadline

When you send out the RSVP cards with your invitation suite, be sure to provide a specific reply by date for your guests. The RSVP date should be two or three weeks before your wedding day. This will leave enough time for you to give your wedding vendors a final headcount , follow up with guests who didnt respond, and create your wedding reception seating chart once you know who will be attending.

Pay Attention To Sealing Make Sure Everything Is Good & Stuck

Before sending your invitations on their way, be sure everything is properly sealed and were not just talking stamps to envelopes, but the envelope itself too.

The more enclosures you have inside your envelopes the closer attention you have to pay to sealing. Make sure the gum seal is secure all the way around, or your envelope may open in route.

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Should Stamps Be Included With Rsvp Cards

If you’re wondering whether or not you should pre-stamp your RSVP cards, the short answer is yes. It’s considered proper etiquette to include a stamped and addressed envelope along with your RSVP cards. This won’t just make things a whole lot easier for your loved ones, it also guarantees a faster response time for you and your future spouse.

Of course, there are a few clever ways to cut costs when it comes to RSVP postage. Instead of requesting traditional written responses, try asking guests to RSVP on your wedding website instead. You can still send response cards to any less tech-savvy loved ones, like your grandparents. Or, if you really want to collect written responses, replace the traditional card and envelope with RSVP postcards. As we mentioned earlier, the cost of a standard postcard stamp is just $0.40.