I know that etiquette states 6-8 weeks before the event to send wedding invitations. However, most of the groom’s family halfway cross country…and some of my family is on the other side of the globe in Asia. Immediate family already knows of our wedding date, but the not-so-close family and close friends that are invited need much advance warning for this event.
If our wedding is in August 2008, when should we send save-the-dates and then when do we send invitations? I think 6-8 weeks for the long distance and international travelers may be too short notice since they need to book their airline tix and hotel accomodations.
Thanks for your help!
send them beginning of May. I sent mine out early too….but that was just prefrence on my part. Now I have the seating chart all done and the guests all confirmed.
Send save the date’s as soon as you know the date. Don’t worry about sending those too soon. Send the invitations 10-12 weeks before, to add in time for shipping overseas.
For out of town guests, sending invitations three months in advance is the norm. The 6-8 week timeframe is for those people who live in-town. It’s best to send them out early, so that they can make travel arrangements.
Save the date cards are typically sent out at least six months in advance.
I would separate the invitations into two categories, near and far. Then I would allow for an extra week or two at the most for the once that fall into the far category.
I would call the family that lives far away adn tell them personally about the wedding plans. if they are close enough that they would fly out to the wedding then I think they should be close enough for you to call them too. its way way way too early for invites to go out and as for save the date…I’ve never known anyone who ever used those so I have no idea when you would send those out. but I still think a phone call should go out to those flying in for the wedding.
Save the date cards are the answer to your dilemma. Send them now, and the invitations later
Good luck
You’re right 6 – 8 weeks is not long enough of notice to people who are out of town! I’m sending out my save the date cards today and my wedding isn’t till December. My fiance’s family except his Mom, Dad and Sister all live all over the place. Some are in Hawaii, Utah, California, Arkansas, and Kentucky. My actual invites are going in the mail after Labor Day (September). I would send your save the date cards right after the first of next year and then the invites 3 months before the wedding. Don’t forget to add in oversea shipping time for the people in Asia!
Good luck and congrats!!
♥ Ashley
definately send out save the dates.. cute informal and can be done with reasonable price, so guests can plan accordingly. then send out invites around june.
No it is not too early, in fact what you are doing is courteous. Also could you get time off work with only 6 weeks notice?
For sure send them off ASAP.
I sent my save the dates for my June 2007 wedding August 2006 and I sent out my invitations out in April, so I sent them about 9 weeks before because it is a destination wedding for everyone. If your getting married this August, skip the save the dates and send out the invites.
My sister got an invitation 6 months in advance. She lives on the East coast and the wedding is on the West coast. This is giving her plenty of time to make all her travel arrangements. Also it gives her time for finding the right kind of wedding attire since the weather will be cooler there.
Send your save the dates out 6-9 months before the wedding. That way, your traveling guests will have plenty of time to book flights/hotels. Just make sure the city/state where the wedding is being held is on the save the date. Then, it shouldn’t be a problem for you to send the invite out the standard 6-8 weeks. Since they have to go so far, you might want to send them out more like 9 weeks before. The save the dates give everyone a chance to make their arrangements. They’re the perfect item for couples like you two who have people coming from all over. After you send the save-the-date, the invitation simply serves as a reminder and lets guests know details such as the address of the ceremony/reception locations and the times when everything is supposed to start. You can even set up a wedding website and put the address on the save the dates so that guests can stay updated on the details of the wedding even from long distances. theknot.com has them for free and its easy to set up.
I would send them out 6 months in advance. They need to make travel arrangements, save money, schedule time off from work…
I have to agree with you. I’d send the save-the-dates as early as March then the invitations no later than mid-May. The reason the rule of thumb is to wait is because of the fear that people will forget, but your circumstances are special.
You don’t want family & friends complaining, or worse still, missing out, because they didn’t have time to book accommodations.
Congrats & good luck. I’m sure your big day will be breathtaking.
Good thinking. Give it 10 weeks for the overseas people.
They typically say for weddings out of state, and I assume this would be applicable to families out of state as well to send invitations 4 months in advance, so if they are planning on coming out they can make proper accomodations in advance. I’d send the save-the-dates 8-10 months prior so those who need to can start arranging. It’s never to early!! To make it easier, I’d send the invitations and save-the-dates for those in state along with those your mailing out of town/country, so you know you mailed all of them and didn’t loss or forget anyone.
Congratulations! Definitely send out the invitations in the 6-8 week before the event, for booking, planning etc. Send out your Save-the-Dates well enough in advance for your relatives to book their flights, if you are expecting a lot of out of towners, it would be nice of you to go to a nearby hotel, and make arrangements so that your family will find a place to stay with ease. A lot of times, if you are expecting over 10 rooms hotels will offer a discount for the event.