How Far in Advance to Send Wedding Invitations

The engagement is official and it's time to plan the wedding. Once the date and location are determined, invitations may be ordered. One of the many details to consider is when to send out the wedding invitations.

History

Prior to the 17th century, the bride's family hired a town crier to announce the upcoming wedding (see link in Resources). This created a problem because anyone who heard the announcement could come to the wedding. This led to people sending out invitations.

Save the Date

If the wedding is near a holiday, during the summer or out of town, MyExpressions.com suggests sending a "Save the Date" card to guests (see link in Resources). These may be mailed 4 months before the date.

Mailing the Invitation

Wedding invitations should be mailed 6 to 8 weeks ahead of the date. This allows the invitation to arrive and lets the guests put it on their calendar. If the bride has deadlines for caterers, mail the invitations 8 weeks in advance to give guests time to RSVP in time.

Correct Postage

Put one complete wedding invitation together and take it to the post office to be weighed. This will prevent invitations from being returned for insufficient postage.

Hand Cancelled

If the wedding invitations are taken to the post office window, the bride can request that the envelopes be hand cancelled. This will look prettier than the ugly black ink used by the machines.

References

• Wedding Paper Divas

Resources

• Wedding Needs
• My Expression.com