When to send wedding invitations

Published 6 June 2026

Sending invitations at the right time matters as much as the content. Too early and they're forgotten, too late and guests already have plans. Here's the timing that works.

Save the date: 6-12 months before

If you want to "lock" the date, send a save the date 6 to 12 months ahead. It's a short announcement (names, date, city) that precedes the invitation itself.

Especially useful in peak season or if many guests travel from afar.

Invitation: 2-3 months before

The full invitation, with times, venues and RSVP, goes out about 2-3 months before the wedding. That's when guests arrange travel and details.

RSVP deadline: 3-4 weeks before

Set the reply deadline about 3-4 weeks before the date. It gives you time to finalise numbers with the venue and caterer and to organize the wedding tables. To learn how to collect replies without stress, read how to manage your wedding RSVP.

Special cases

Destination wedding: bring everything forward by a few months so guests can book flights and time off.
Dates on long weekends or holidays: move earlier, there's more competition for free time.
Guests from abroad: give them more margin to organise.

The timing advantage of going digital

With a digital invitation you don't depend on printing and postage times: you send in an instant and, if needed, update a detail even later. More flexibility on every deadline.