Include Themes Attire Location Map Accommodations
The concept of the invitation itself would be truly up to you to select. At the same time, try to think how far in advance to send wedding invitations to your guests. Experienced wedding planners frequently suggest that you connect it in some way by colors or design adornments into your wedding theme.
Wedding protocol specifies that only the above main event information be included in the invitation. The invitation suite will, however, include other significant details:
- the appropriate attire for the event
- a map to the event location
- accommodation details
- any wedding-related activities
You may also include an RSVP card that is approximately four weeks before your big day, with a please respond by date note. Dont forget a signed, self-addressed envelope. Wedding etiquette often requires that you leave your invitation suite with gift or registry information. Family members will help distribute this knowledge if you have planned a wedding registry for your guests convenience. Also, you can provide registry details, with easy references to follow, on your wedding registry.
How To Address Save The Date Cards
A save the date card should go to every guest invited to your wedding, including members of your wedding party and family members. Using the same etiquette rules for how to address wedding invitations, weve provided the following guidelines for how to address your save the date cards with your guests in mind:
To a single guest, use the appropriate titles, Mr., Mrs. or Ms.
Mrs. Jones
San Francisco, CA 14002
Save the Date with a plus one, use the title Mr. or Ms. with the last name of the primary guest and write and guest.
Mr. Jones and Guest
San Francisco, CA 14002
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.
Meet the Expert
Elaine Swann is a lifestyle and wedding etiquette expert. She is the founder of The Swann School of Protocol and the author of Let Crazy Be Crazy.
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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Don’t Be Afraid To Set Rules About Plus
Your wedding should be the party of your dreams, and you shouldn’t feel obligated to cater the event to others.
That means you don’t have to let people bring their kids. More and more couples are opting for child-free weddings, as it creates more of a party environment.
You can list your no-kid rule on your wedding website or leave out guests’ children’s names on invitations. However, that might not stop some guests from trying to bring their children anyway. In that case, Chertoff recommends being as clear as possible on the no-children rule.
“If someone RSVPs with their children, call them and explain that while you love their kids, you have decided not to invite anyone’s children to the wedding,” Chertoff said. “If you’re offering to have a sitter on-site at the venue, let them know. If you decide to invite some children, nieces, and nephews of the couple, for example, let it be known that you’re only inviting those children and why.”
You can also create parameters to limit the amount of plus-ones who are the wedding, Chertoff said. It’s best to make a concrete rule about who gets to bring a date to the event so no one questions your choices.
For example, you could only allow guests to bring a plus-one if they’re engaged or living together, Chertoff suggested.
Do Save The Dates Have To Match Invitations
The most important part of save the dates is sending them on time. Matching save the date cards to the rest of your wedding stationery or wedding invitations is important, but not worth delaying your save the date timeline. If you havenât finalized your wedding invitations, donât worry. As long as your save the date cards give off the same general vibe of your wedding theme, the two cards donât need to match exactly.
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Save The Date And Invitation Designs
Not only does the save the date let guests know when and where to show up for your wedding, but you can also use it to set the mood: formal, casual, destination, or retro. Let the design help you tell the story of your wedding with a tropical or rustic design. Your save the date and invitation should feel like they are part of the same world, but they dont need to match. Dont wait on choosing the wedding invitation to get started on the save the date.
âEvelina Goldâ by Paperless Post
When To Send A Save
There is no hard rule of when exactly you should send out save-the-dates to your family members and wedding guests. Ideally, the sooner the better once you’ve pinned down a wedding date. Kentris recommends following date etiquette by sending out save-the-dates at least six to 12 months out.
The idea, Kentris says, is that you give your guests enough time to book travel arrangements, budget accordingly, request time off work if needed, or make any other necessary arrangements to ensure they can attend the wedding.
Remember that at this point you likely won’t have all the details of your wedding finalized and that’s perfectly fine. You just want your guests to know they’re invited and when the wedding date is taking place.
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Is It Ever Too Early To Send Wedding Invitations
One question I see a lot is can I send wedding invitations early? So, how early can wedding invitations go out? I say this a lot, but its true there are NO wedding police.
Yes, there is generally accepted etiquette around when to mail wedding invitations, but nobody is going to arrest you if you go against this! So, go on, send out those wedding invitations whenever you feel like it.
When Is The Correct Time To Send Wedding Invitations During Covid
Another question Im getting more these days is when is the best time to send wedding invitations during Covid?. My best advice is to get your wedding invitations out sooner rather than later Id say 3-6 months in advance, where possible.
My reasoning for this is, because of changing Covid restrictions, you may not be clear how many people you can have in attendance on the day. For that reason, start with the core people that you know you want to share your day with and send the invitations to them.
Once they reply , you can expand the in-person invitations to the next round of guests.
The fact is when planning a Covid wedding you need to be aware that until the very day of your wedding, restrictions can change on a whim. Your guests will understand this, so theyll be very understanding no matter how many weeks before wedding invitations are received.
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When To Send The Save The Date
COVID-19 has not gone yet but now people dont want to wait more. Adding the last year pending weddings and those planning this year there will be packed dates and hence it is advisable to circulate your card soon.
This will not just let your guests finalize and send their confirmation, but you can plan the venue and food accordingly. The guests can also book tickets and manage time and office work accordingly. Save the Date will also help other couples and families to not keep it on the same date if they are also one of the invitees and the guest list would be sort of the same.
When When Should You Send Wedding Invitations
Wedding invitations should be sent six to eight weeks before the wedding date. Ideally, you would have also sent out Save the Dates 4-6 Months before the Date as well. The proper time to request RSVPs is 1 month from the Wedding Date.
There are, of course, caveats to each of these timeline recommendations. In this article, well break down everything you need to consider for your wedding invitation timeline.
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Do We Have To Invite Every Guest With A Date Or A Plus
No, you don’t have to. If a guest isn’t married or in a serious relationship, it’s perfectly acceptable to invite them solo. Most guests will understand that without “and Guest” or another name on the invitation,they aren’t invited with a plus-one. While it’s always nice to invite everyone with a guest, that can add up quickly . If a guest RSVPs for two, call them and explain you’re trying to be diligent about your guest list, unfortunately, you were not able to invite everyone with a guest. If you realize that nearly everyone will be coupled up, you might want to extend a plus-one invitation to your few single friends and family members.
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 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 For Out
You may be wondering when to send out wedding invitations for out-of-town guests.
If you have out-of-town guests, this 6 to 8-week timeline still works perfectly. What youll want to do, though, is make sure you send save the date cards well ahead of time. This is really the best way to let guests know youre planning a destination wedding.
This brings us to our last question:
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Classic Save The Dates
Nothing sets the tone for a stunning, classic wedding more than lush greenery. This simple yet sophisticated palette allows you to send out your save the dates quickly, even if you havenât made concrete decisions around your other wedding colors.
Show off your engagement photos with a photo save the date card. Let your love take center stage with a sweet image you can add easily to any save the date photo card.
Simple, right? Equally simple: finding a save the date and coordinating wedding invitation that matches your ceremonyâs style. Read more to find out when to host every wedding-related event, from the engagement party to the bachelorette. For inspiration on how to choose a wedding venue check out our interview with the planners behind Mavinhouse Events.
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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What To Include In A Save
Now that you’re up to speed on the biggest differences between a save-the-date vs. an invitation, let’s 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 don’t typically include inserts, but you can definitely add an additional card to include travel details for destination weddings.
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.
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