Invitations, save-the-dates, and announcements. Let's talk about em’!
First off, if you don't know when to send all these out in the mail, you're not alone. When my wife and I got married, we upset a few family members because we never sent out save-the-dates, which we had no idea was even a thing people do. Oops!
Hopefully, by reading this little informal guide on when to send out all your announcements, save the dates, and invites so you can avoid making the same mistake we did.
But first, let’s start with a PRO TIP to save you SO MUCH TIME!
Create a spreadsheet of invited guests to track who was sent what, and when. This will help you stay organized and allow you to print out all the addresses, saveing you hours of time, and lots of hand cramps!
Save-the-dates.
Save-the-dates are typically sent out as soon as you have locked down your wedding day. Usually, this happens about 8~12 months before the wedding to let your friends and family know when your wedding is so that they can start making travel arrangements, and put it on their calendar.
Sending invitations is the next thing you should do. Sending them out is best done four to six months prior to the wedding. Invitations are a little fancier and often feature photos from your engagement session. Incorporating your preferred color palette is another terrific approach. I also recommend including an RSVP, with a return-by date. Or, the RSVP can be sent out in a third set of mailers.
If you do choose to mail out the RSVPs in a separate round, be sure to get them out 6~10 weeks before your wedding — 10 weeks if you have lots of guests from out of town or if the caterer needs a more accurate headcount for dinner.
This part can be a little confusing at first. After the event, it’s time to send wedding announcements to anyone who wasn't invited but might be excited to hear about your marriage.
This list is typically made of distant relatives, people who were unable to travel, and coworkers.
Then it’s time to send “thank you” notes to all the wonderful people who came to celebrate with you.
As always, I recommend using tradition as a guideline, but don’t shy away from doing what you feel fits you and your fiance’s style as a couple. If you are true to the two of you, you can’t go wrong, and you’re going to love the results!
Oh, I almost forgot! Be sure to include your photographer on the mailing list. We love seeing our images in print and using them for flat-lay photos.
Hey I’m Zak,
I’ve been capturing wedding stories for over a decade. Telling my couple’s stories and capturing their raw emotions through photographed images is my absolute passion. I’ve loved getting to know all of my couples and look forward to getting to know many more in the future! Feel free to say ‘hey’ or to shoot me any questions you have.
I’d love to hear from you!
