Invites

Most guests shouldn’t need more than a year notice. Most airlines and hotels don’t book more than a year in advance. You can verbally tell your VIPS what you’re thinking so they can begin saving and then send save the dates after you put a deposit down on the venue. Invitations go out 2-3 months before the wedding.

I wouldn’t send a thing out until you confirm the venue and date. A year out is plenty of time for people even with a DW.

View Quoted Comment Thank you so much!!!

View Quoted Comment Thank you Cyndy

Normally invitations are sent out 6-8 weeks prior to the wedding. I would recommend sending out save the dates.

Definitely don’t send a save the date until after you’ve booked the venue! If it ends up not working out the day you want, it would be SUCH a pain to tell everyone the change of plans! I think as soon as you book the venue (less than a year in advance) then you can send thrm

^oh shoot realized I probably should’ve been more clear! I meant you should send save the dates right away after booking your venue. Wait until at least 8-12 weeks before the wedding to send invitations!

View Quoted Comment Sorry I have one more question.. as far as having people RSVP.. should I have them do that with the “save the dates” so that I can get a head count for food and seating and such. (It’s going to be a fairly small wedding)

View Quoted Comment No you don't have people RSVP until you send out the invitations. Save the dates are only used to let guests know when the wedding is so they don't make other plans.

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Nope! People won't know what they're doing a year in advance anyways. You'll get lots of (1) people who say "yes" and then end up not being able to come and (2) people who just genuinely have no idea, and then will forget to RSVP because they were asked to do it so far in advance haha.

The save the date is just to let people know to mark their calendars, and make travel arrangements (if they want to).

The invitation then prompts people to actually RSVP. That's why you shouldnt send an invitation or request an RSVP more than 12 weeks in advance (and 12 weeks is the real VERY earliest you should) because most people will not be able to give a sound commitment more than 3 months in advance.

We had our wedding in Colorado (where we live) but more than half our guests lived out of state (a lot in CA & TX, a few in FL, VA, TN, OR, etc.). We sent our save the dates 10 months out with our main hotel block information. I wouldn't send them before your venue is booked. Our invites went out 3 months in advance.

View Quoted Comment Thank you for this!!! ❤️