Afraid nobody will show up.

Stop worrying. Send invitations and wait for rsvps before worrying about the unknown. I am sure people will show.

View Quoted Comment I hope so but ever since my grandparents passed away my other family hasn’t really spoken to me.

Kimberly,


Since you have family who is traveling, I would send the invites out 10 months to a year in advance. That’s ample time to prepare a trip for your wedding. Originally, we were planning on getting married in New Mexico, because we found a place that was all-inclusive and MUCH less expensive than anything here in TX. Because most of our family lives in South Texas (we also have family in Michigan, Washington State and Florida), we were planning on sending out save the dates a year in advance and the formal invitations 8 months in advance. We also included any Airbnb’s, spa/hotels, bed and breakfasts, etc. nearby on our wedding website, so that they wouldn’t have to search for their own accommodations. Another thing that might entice people who wouldn’t want to make the trip are any sights or activities nearby that they might want to check out. We’ve recently decided to have the wedding at my fiancées parent’s home to cut down slightly on cost and to be on the coast (also because the South Coast is much warmer than the New Mexican desert in January).
But yeah I wouldn’t worry as long as you send out your invites well in advance. Offering a variety of hotel and Airbnb options on your website, along with activities in that are would be a good idea to me as well. In addition, having a feed where they can stay updated, talk to each other and ask you questions would keep them interested and engaged during your engagement!
Anyway, thanks for taking the time to read my response and I wish you the best of luck! ❤️
Aubrianna Abbema

View Quoted Comment I really appreciate you taking the time to give me great advice. I will definitely be looking into this.

View Quoted Comment Kimberly,


We rarely speak to our family in Michigan. (Dad, stepmom, aunt), Washington State (cousins on FH’s side), Florida (my grandparent’s on father’s side) but those who can come, and don’t see it as a major hassle, will. We haven’t sent out RSVPs yet and I’m anxious to see what we’ll get back, if anything. However, I know if I send them in advance and provide them with all the help I can (accommodation-wise, and possibly plane ticket-wise with my dad) through our wedding website, that they’ll recognize my consented efforts as proof of how important they are to me, and will come. This isn’t always the case but I can hope now and make excuses for them- so my feelings aren’t hurt, later😉!
Again, thank you for your time and I look forward to hearing the general consensus!
Aubrianna Abbema

View Quoted Comment I will definitely be doing this. Our wedding is January 30, 2020. So hopefully I have enough time

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I know you want to let people know early about your wedding, but that is what the Save the Date and wedding website is for. If you send your actual invitations 8 months early, people will lose them and won't remember at all. I have a "destination" wedding of sorts in May. I sent the STDs out in December (only got engaged in October) and I'll send invitations out by the end of this month. And even then, I'm still sending them unusually early.

Just remember, even though you're excited, your wedding isn't on the top of everyone else's mind. They are extremely likely to forget and you'll have to wait until only a month before the wedding to have RSVPs due. I would hate for you to have to call everyone on your list to get verbal RSVPs!
Oh and last thing, I think it's super cool that you've done so much research for your guests on housing and things to do. Nice work!

Please do not send invites out 10 months to a year in advance, send save the dates.

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When should I send them out? My wedding is January 30th, 2021

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I would send out save the dates 10 months in advance and then the invites perhaps 2- 2 1/2 months in advance. You could put together a wedding website & put that info on your save the dates, the website could give your guests some idea of places, time, and events surrounding the wedding. My guests went to my website quite frequently after they received the save the dates and in the weeks leading up to the wedding.

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Okay that sounds great. I have been going back and forth with having my wedding here in Dallas,Tx or in Atlanta, GA

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I love destination weddings and always go because then I get to explore someplace new, but I understand that they are not everyone's cup of tea. I would feel out your families & weigh what is important to you. I know with destination weddings there is usually a smaller turnout but it sounds like you have to have one no matter what. I think if you send out the save the dates you will definately get some feed back well in advance.

People will travel to weddings more than ya think

View Quoted Comment Well I would suggest maybe consider having an intimate wedding or if you really feel that way then why not just elope and go to a place that you would love to visit and spend the money that way. I can really understand your concern and if you really feel that no one in your family would show for your big day then just do something very small and you can still have a ceremony with a lovely dress or something and just have even a few people there. Or I would say just take the money go somewhere cool like Italy or Greece or some place you've always wanted to go to and have a beautiful elopement ceremony there.