Wedding Planning 101: When to Order Your Wedding Invitations

Planning a wedding involves a myriad of details, from selecting the perfect venue to choosing the right flowers and menu. One crucial aspect of wedding planning is ordering and sending your invitations, as they set the tone for your special day and provide guests with essential information. To ensure everything goes smoothly, it's important to know when to order your wedding invitations. Here's a comprehensive guide to help you plan this crucial aspect of your wedding:

Nine Months Before the Wedding: Start Planning and Researching

Once you've set your wedding date, considered your wedding guest list and booked your venue, it's time to start thinking about your invitations. Begin by creating a guest list to determine the rough number of invitations you'll need to order.
Tip: Your invitation quantity should reflect one invitation per household, not one invitation per guest.

Four to Six Months Before the Wedding: Choose Your Design

Now that you have a rough idea of how many invitations you'll need, it's time to choose a design. Consider the theme and style of your wedding when selecting your invitations. Whether you prefer classic elegance or modern minimalism, there are countless options to suit your taste. If you are working with a designer on custom invitations, make sure to ask when their deadline is to order.

Three Months Before the Wedding: Finalize Your Guest List and Place Your Order

By this point, you should have a finalized guest list. Make sure to double-check addresses and spellings to avoid any errors on your invitations. Be sure to order a few extra invitations to account for any last-minute additions or misplaced invitations. 
Tip: When proofreading your invitations, ensure that your RSVP deadline is at least 2-3 weeks prior to your wedding day. Your final guest count plays an important role in items like your floor plan and seating chart and is critical for vendors such as your caterer and venue.

Six to Ten Weeks Before the Wedding: Send Out Invitations

Traditionally, wedding invitations are sent out six to eight weeks before the wedding. If you're planning a destination wedding, have many out-of-state guests or are hosting your wedding during the busy holiday season, consider sending invitations out earlier to allow for travel arrangements.

Two to Three Weeks Before the Wedding: Follow Up

If you haven't received RSVPs from all of your guests, it's a good idea to follow up with them to ensure they received their invitations and to get an accurate headcount for your wedding.

One Week Before the Wedding: Finalize Seating Arrangements

Once you have received all of your RSVPs, finalize your seating arrangements and create your seating chart. This will help ensure a smooth and organized reception.

On Your Wedding Day: Enjoy Your Celebration

With your invitations sent and all the details in place, it's time to relax and enjoy your special day. Your beautifully designed invitations have set the tone for the celebration, and now it's time to make memories that will last a lifetime.

Ordering your wedding invitations is an important step in the wedding planning process. By following this timeline and staying organized, you can ensure that your invitations are beautiful, accurate and delivered to your guests in a timely manner.