Wedding Invitation Timeline - Part 1 (1 year to 6 months before wedding)

Wedding invitation planning…you may not realize just how many steps there really are to organizing and preparing your invitations. From creating your guest list to finalizing all your ceremony and reception details, many things affect your wedding invitation preparations.

Many of the steps in the wedding invitation process really have no definite deadlines. Although there are some general timeframes that you may find helpful to avoid last-minute rushing.

Here is a basic timeline to simply use as a guideline for your invitation planning:

9 months – 1 year

• Begin working on your guest list so you will know how many wedding invites (and maybe save the dates) to eventually order (one per single adult, couple or family invited).
  
• Start your wedding invitation shopping so you can narrow your choices down to only your favorites. Ordering samples, which are usually blank, will give you a chance to see the paper and design up close.
  
• If you are planning to mail out save the date cards to guests, begin searching for your preferred design of them as well.

7 to 8 months

• If you will be sending save the dates, place your order based on the number of guests to whom you will be mailing them as they are optional.
  
• Give some thought to how your wedding invitation wording will read by browsing through sample verses.

6 months

• If sending save the dates, prepare and mail them.
  
• Choose your wedding invitation design and record all the details for imprinting such as date, times, name and address of location(s), etc.
  
• Determine if you will also be ordering any wedding invitation enclosures or accessories - response cards, reception cards, direction/map cards, pre-printed return address on envelopes, decorative envelope seals, colored lining for inner envelopes, matching thank you or informal cards. Depending on your chosen style, not all of these options may be available. The option of ordering matching menu, place and table cards may be available for your design. You will save on separate shipping costs by purchasing as many items as you can all in the same order.
  
• If you are including response cards, check with your dinner location to see how far in advance they need your final guest count so you can select the RSPV date that will be printed on them (typically 2-3 weeks before wedding). You also need to decide whose address will be printed on the response envelope or postcard meaning they will receive the replies.

Stay tuned for Part 2 of the wedding invitation timeline leading right up to your wedding day.