When to Send Your Save the Dates and Wedding Invitations

Planning a wedding comes with a lot of to-dos, but one of the most important steps is making sure your guests know when and where the celebration is happening! Save the dates and wedding invitations are your guests’ first glimpse into your big day—and the timing of when you send them matters.

So, when should you send your save the dates?

Generally, save the dates should go out 6 to 8 months before your wedding. For destination weddings or multi-day events, aim for 8 to 12 months in advance to give guests time to plan, book travel, and request time off work.

Pro tip: Make sure you’ve locked in your venue, date, and guest list before sending save the dates!

When to send wedding invitations

Formal wedding invitations are typically sent 6-8 weeks before your wedding date. This will allow plenty of time for mainling delays and gives guests enough time to RSVP (and gives you time to finalize your seating chart, catering count, and other key logistics your venue may need).

For destination weddings, you’ll want to send invitations a bit earlier—about 3 months in advance—to allow extra time for travel arrangements.

Don’t forget your RSVP deadline

Set your RSVP deadline about 3 to 4 weeks before the wedding. That gives you time to follow up with anyone who hasn’t responded and finalize your numbers with your vendors.

Save this quick wedding invitation timeline:

• Save the Dates: 6–8 months before (or 8–12 for destination weddings)

• Invitations: 6–8 weeks before the big day (or 10–12 for destination)

• RSVP Deadline: 3–4 weeks before the wedding

Need help with what to include in your wedding invitation suite? Check out my blog on What to Include in Your Wedding Invitation Suite.

Knowing all of these deadlines and components can be hard, contact me if you are ready to work with a professional stationer! I will handle all of these details, so all you have to worry about is what color the envelopes will be!