Invitation: Timing & Tips
by Rising
Star Design
7 Months Before The Big Day
Sure, you`ve got 7 months till the big day. Why not take advantage
of the time and start planning the "perfect" invitations? You`ve got a
few things to consider: color scheme, tone (formal or informal), and style
(modern or traditional). Let your personality shine through, and remember
that your invitation will be an exciting sneak preview of what`s to come
at the wedding.
6 Months Before The Big Day
One month closer to your wedding … time to start planning the purchase
of your invitations. An important tip: Never order the exact number of
invitations and envelopes you think you`ll need – always order about 20
extra. Should the guest list suddenly grow or addresses change, this will
be a lot cheaper than ordering reprints.
4 Months Before The Big Day
If you’ve opted for "save-the-date" magnets or notices, four
months before the wedding is an ideal time to mail them out. This will
give your guests an early indication of your wedding date, and a chance
to anxiously await your invitation.
3 Months Before The Big Day
Have any overseas guests on your list? Planning a destination wedding?
If either of these applies to you, then get sending those invitations!
This will give people plenty of time to make travel arrangements and book
hotels. Tip: Lightly number the back of each reply card in pencil, and
keep a list with the corresponding names. This way you`ll know who sent
you the reply card in case you can’t decipher their writing.
6-8 Weeks Before The Big Day
This is when invitations are typically sent out. It gives people the time
they need to mark your special day in their busy calendars. Tip: At the
post office, have your final invitations weighed to ensure sufficient
postage. Also have the stamp on the envelopes hand cancelled to avoid
messy bar code lines.
1 Month Before The Big Day
By now, you should know which guests, and how many of them, will be attending
your wedding. That`s because you will have asked every person to respond
by now. This gives you ample time if you have to start phoning any late
respondents. It also gives you the chance to finalize your place cards/seating
chart and to confirm the number of meals.