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Invitations timeline
When to order Save the Dates, invitations and the rest of your stationery?
Save the dates should be sent 6-8 months in advance, once you have confirmed your wedding details (date, venue, city, etc.). You would only send a save the date to someone who you are definitely inviting to your wedding.
Do you really need Save the Dates?
For most weddings, yes. The only time you wouldn't need them is if you are having a small, intimate ceremony.
You will have your names, wedding location, and wedding date on the card, as well as "formal invitation to follow" so they know to expect further details. It is perfectly acceptable (and recommended) for you to include your wedding website on the card, so your guests can follow along as your big day approaches.
When should my RSVP deadline be?
Your RSVP deadline should be a minimum of 30 days from your wedding date. This gives you the chance to track down anyone you didn't hear from, as well as prepare your escort and/or place cards.
The timeline
Make a detailed list of who to invite
This will come especially useful when addressing invitations – try to be as specific as possible to make it clear to the addressee who’s invited (this is especially relevant if the couple has children – don’t write ‘no children’, rather make it clear who is invited and by ommission who is not). The are plenty of poems which will let you to communicate in nice and polite way, that this is only adult's kind of a day!
Try to find out full names and titles for all guests; be certain that spellings are correct. It is most flattering when the details are addressed correctly. Make note of relationships as you assemble your list; these details can be helpful when you greet guests whom you don’t know personally, arrange table seating for the reception, and write you thank-you notes.
Order extra invitations
Mistakes happen, guests declines, so order at least a dozen extra invitations. It's expensive to go back and print more invitations after the fact. You can also keep them as a keepsake for you and your family.
Ask for envelopes to be delivered as soon as possible
Ask your supplier to deliver invitation envelopes to you as early as possible so you can get a head start addressing them – it might take a while and it’s best to divide the work into manageable chunks.
We highly recommend hiring a pro - a calligrapher! It looks beautiful and makes an elegant first impression. Traditionally, addresses are handwritten, so unless you have impeccable handwriting, it's best to leave the envelopes to a pro.
While using printed labels is an easy (and affordable) option, handwriting each address is not only more formal, it's also more personal. It shows your guests that you want them to be at your wedding so much that you took the time to handwrite (or have a calligrapher hand-letter) their name and address on the envelope. But if your penmanship is more like chicken scratch and you don't have the budget for a calligrapher, you can print the addresses from your computer using digital calligraphy software.
Tracking RSVPs
Establish a system for recording all replies and gifts. Since replies and gifts are normally sent to the return address on the envelope or with the RSVP, be sure that the person or people at that address – the bride, parents, the couple – can keep track of responses and gift deliveries. The new way of tracking all your RSVP is creating the RSVP website. You can try: https://www.theknot.com/gs/wedding-websites
Mix typefaces BUT...
Once you have selected a typeface for your invitation, stick with it for all related printed insertions and other printed material.
