There are all kinds of different invitations and announcements you’ll be sending for your big day, from save-the-dates to the actual invites themselves—and even your thank-you cards afterward. Anthology Print has all the best timeline tips for when to send what. Take it from Kim Clawson, the expert wedding invitation designer, “The sooner, the better!”
“We ask the right questions upfront—when’s the wedding, what’s your RSVP deadline, do you need extras like wax seals? Then, we build a plan that works with your timeline so there’s no last-minute stress.”
What is the Ideal Timeline to Send Wedding Invitations?
There are many different factors to consider when you’re looking at when to send your wedding invitations. Not only do you need to account for when you actually put them in the mail, but there’s the design process and actual printing time to consider as well!
“We recommend mailing wedding invitations about 4-10 weeks before the big day, depending on a variety of factors. This gives guests plenty of time to RSVP and make travel arrangements if needed. If you have a lot of out-of-town guests or a destination wedding, aim for the earlier side of that range!”
But keep in mind that save-the-dates are different from your invites—they need to be sent even sooner.
“Save-the-dates should go out 6-12 months before the wedding, depending on how much travel is involved. If your wedding is during peak wedding season, a holiday weekend, or requires significant travel—the earlier, the better!”
But what if you’re having a destination wedding—or a micro-wedding? Kim says different kinds of weddings like those can factor into when you send wedding invitations.
“For destination weddings, send save-the-dates at least 6-12 months in advance and invitations 4-8 weeks before the wedding. Your guests will need extra time to book travel, accommodations, and time off work.”
Again, the sooner, the better! Even if you’re having a small wedding. “For intimate weddings—especially if most guests are local—you can mail invitations 4-8 weeks before the wedding. If it’s a very small gathering, sending digital save-the-dates or even word-of-mouth invites in advance can also work well.”
Make Time to Design Your Wedding Invitations
So you’ve counted out the number of weeks on your calendar you need to send your invitations before your wedding day—now here’s some more. Designing your invitations, whether you’re going with custom-made invitations or choosing a design you already love, also takes time (like all good things)!
“The sweet spot for starting your wedding invitations is 6-10 weeks before the wedding. This allows time for designing, proofing, printing, and assembling without any last-minute stress. If you’re opting for custom designs or specialty printing (hello, letterpress and foil!), give yourself extra wiggle room.”
If you’re looking at your calendar and realizing you don’t have as much time as Kim recommends, don’t stress! Anthology Print has rush options for both printing and shipping, so if you’re behind schedule, they can still make magic happen.
And design choices matter—your first save-the-date will set the tone for your whole wedding. “Save-the-dates are your guests’ first glimpse into your wedding style, so use them as a fun way to build excitement and hint at what’s to come!”
They aren’t just a formality—they’re a sneak peek into your wedding experience. Whether you go classic and timeless or modern and creative, they help set the mood and get guests excited to celebrate with you!
RSVP Deadlines and Tricks
One of the most difficult things about planning a wedding is figuring out how many guests will be there—and that comes down to getting your guests to respond to your invite. From setting a deadline to following up, Kim has more than a few helpful tips for using your wedding invitations to do the work.
“A solid rule of thumb is to set your RSVP deadline 3-4 weeks before the wedding. This gives you enough time to finalize your guest count, seating chart, and catering numbers.”
You can make it easy for them—use your invite or save the date to remind guests to RSVP on time. “Include RSVP details on your wedding website, send a friendly reminder via text or social media, or have a parent or close friend help track down missing responses. If you’re worried about stragglers, adding “Kindly RSVP by [date]” on the invite itself can help.”
But what if you set the deadline and still don’t hear back in time?
“It’s totally okay (and necessary!) to follow up. A polite text, call, or email about a week after the RSVP deadline works well—something like, ‘Hey! Just checking in to see if you’ll be able to make it to our wedding. We’d love to have you there!’”
For destination weddings, you’ll want RSVPs 6-10 weeks in advance so guests have time to finalize travel details.
And it all starts with collecting addresses. “Start collecting addresses as soon as you get engaged! Seriously, the sooner, the better. A shared Google Sheet or wedding website with an address collection form can make this process so much smoother.”
Tips for Staying on Schedule and DIY
“Procrastination is the biggest culprit! Waiting too long to start the design process, not ordering extra invitations, or underestimating assembly time can all create stress. Plan ahead, triple-check your guest list early, and don’t forget to budget time for printing and mailing.”
For the DIY girlies and couples, keep in mind that doing it yourself can also add time to your design and printing process. “DIY can be fun, but it’s also time-consuming! Start even earlier than you think you need to, order extra supplies, and do a test print before committing. Also, be honest about your bandwidth—sometimes, outsourcing to a pro (like us!) saves more time than it costs.”
Kim advises that you should factor in at least two weeks of buffer time in case of reprints, shipping delays, or assembly hiccups. If your invitations require custom printing (like letterpress or foil), add an extra 2-4 weeks.
And we all know how busy it gets during peak wedding season—so feel free to factor in a few more weeks during spring and summer.
Here’s another helpful tip: “Always weigh a fully assembled invitation before buying postage, especially if it includes wax seals, vellum wraps, or extra inserts. Hand-canceling at the post office can help prevent damage, and if you’re worried about mail getting lost, tracking is a great option.”
And if you’re in a time crunch, Kim says to choose an in-stock design option instead of a custom wedding invite! Anthology Print has so many amazing designs you can quickly customize on your own.
Anthology Print Makes It Easy
As you can see, it turns out you need a lot of time to design, print, and send wedding invitations—so feel free to make it easy for yourself.
“We take the guesswork out of the process! From helping you choose a design to making sure your timeline is realistic, we guide you every step of the way. Plus, our curated designs make finding the perfect invite easy and stress-free.”
Kim has all kinds of incredible timeline tips—so many it’s impossible to fit it all in one article. Take this as your sign to reach out to Anthology Print, and they’ll take care of all the logistics for you, so you can focus on the fun parts of wedding planning!
Thank You Cards
If you thought it was over, sorry to let you down! Thank you cards are a great way to reach out to your guests one last time to thank them for attending your wedding and for the lovely gifts they sent you. When do you send them?
“Send them within 1-3 months post-wedding. The sooner, the better (of course), but don’t stress if you need a little extra time!”
Say it with us, “The sooner, the better!”
Take it from Kim, you’ll want to hire a professional who knows the best times to send wedding invitations, save the dates, and whatever else you need—and who can help you stay on top of your wedding timeline. Anthology Print knows how to make it happen—and not only that, but their designs are simply gorgeous.
