We are often asked what the protocol is for sending out your invites. With such a wealth of knowledge and experience, hopefully we can offer you some sound advice, and all the things to consider before sending out those all important invitations to your guests.
The Basics
Before you’re able to get your invitations printed and sent out, there are a few basics that need to be arranged and agreed. Firstly, the date and venue are an absolute must. Your guests need to know when and where in order to be able to tell you if they can attend or not.
Save the Dates
Many couples choose to send out Save the Date cards, sometimes up to 12 months in advance. This is a great way of letting your guests know the date of your wedding, and making sure they save the date! If you are having a destination wedding, or getting married during a busy time of the year (summer holidays, bank holiday weekends etc) this has the advantage of giving your guests a preliminary invitation – something which could help both you and them. The earlier they know, the more time there is to budget, plan time off work, arrange flights, hotels etc. Meaning it is much more likely they will be able to join you on your special day. And if for any reason they need to decline the invitation, you have plenty of notice too!
TOP TIP – only send Save the Date cards to guests that are invited for the whole day (or more!).
When should I send out invitations?
As a guide, we would recommend sending out your invitations between 3 – 6 months before your wedding day. This allows your guests time to arrange time off, travel and accommodation if necessary. Our most important tip would be to make sure you include an RSVP reply date, so that your guests know when you expect a response by. Set the reply date for when you feel comfortable. If you need final numbers/menu choices by a certain date, we would recommend setting the reply date for a week before – this allows for any stragglers and time taken to receive the replies in the post.
TOP TIP – You will need your final numbers to be able to have place cards and table plans printed, so take this into consideration when setting your RSVP date.
What do I need to include on my invitations?
Not only is your invitation the first glimpse of your wedding day, it is also the main way to communicate with your guests everything you need them to know. Aside from the date, venue and time, you may need to give information about a multitude of things! Directions, hotels nearby, discount rates, gift requests, menu choices, adults only event, venue restrictions, cash only bars… the list can seem endless! An additional information card is a great way to capture everything you need to let them know – and we offer a double sided option if you need more space.
TOP TIP – Make sure you specify the names of the people invited, either on the invitation itself, or when writing the address. This avoids any last minute surprises or confusion!
On the Day Stationery
Once your invitations have been sent it’s time to start thinking about any stationery you may need for your wedding day. There are so many choices available – menus, place cards, table names, table plans, signs etc! These items won’t be needed until shortly before your day, but you should look to think about ordering anything you need from 3 months onwards.
Items such as menus, welcome signs, order of the day do not need any guest details in order to be made, so could be ordered sooner. For place cards and table plans you will need to know which guests are attending (another reason why your RSVP date is so important!) before these items can be printed. Arranging these items 6-8 weeks before your wedding should give you plenty of time.
Thank you Cards
It’s always important to remember to thank your guests for attending your special occasion and for any gifts you have received, but with such a busy time, it can be easily forgotten. There is no rule book for when to send thank you cards, but 1-2months after the wedding is more than acceptable.
Many couples decide to match their on the day stationery and thank you cards to the invitations, allowing the colour theme/style to run through the whole day and beyond. At Pure Invitation we offer matching stationery for all our designs, and we also offer a photo thank you card option – you could include an image from your wedding day, or your honeymoon!
Don’t panic!
These timescales are only a guideline and are designed to give you flexibility – we don’t want you to be panicking about last minute stationery if it can be avoided. As a minimum we would recommend 3 weeks for ordering any on the day stationery items, to allow for proofing, printing and delivery. Our standard delivery service quotes 10-15 working days for dispatch, and our express service offers a 4 working days dispatch option (at an additional cost). Alternatively, you can always choose to place your stationery order in advance, and we can keep your order on hold until you have finalised numbers / wording before going to print.
Get in touch
We are here to help you, by phone and email, for any questions you may have about your wedding stationery. Whether you need advice, have a query, or just need to talk through everything because it’s all getting a bit too much – don’t be afraid to reach out. Our friendly customer service team are here to try to help as much as possible. Here’s how to contact us – click here.