When to send wedding invitations and save-the-dates

Send wedding invitations six to ten weeks before the wedding, save the dates six to eight months before, and ask for replies three to four weeks before. For a destination wedding, add time: invitations ten to sixteen weeks ahead and save the dates eight to twelve months ahead. Here is why each date works, and how to adjust it.

If you would rather not do the sums, the free invitation timeline tool turns your wedding date into every date below.

The short answer

Plan	Save-the-dates	Invitations	Replies due	Final headcount
Most weddings	6 to 8 months before	6 to 10 weeks before	3 to 4 weeks before	7 to 14 days before
Destination or a holiday weekend	8 to 12 months before	10 to 16 weeks before	5 to 8 weeks before	7 to 14 days before
Small or casual	3 to 5 months before	4 to 8 weeks before	2 to 3 weeks before	About a week before

These are common ranges, not rules. Advice differs from one etiquette guide to the next, so treat the ranges as a guide and choose the point inside them that suits your guests.

Save-the-dates: when, and to whom

A save-the-date does one job: it tells people to hold the day. Send it to everyone you plan to invite, so nobody is surprised later by being left off a list.

Send it as soon as your date and rough location are settled. Aim for six to eight months before the wedding, and earlier (eight to twelve months) if guests will travel or the weekend is a holiday.

You do not need every detail. A save-the-date needs your names, the date, the place (a city is enough) and a way to find more. If you have a wedding website, put its address on the save-the-date, and publish the site at the same time so that people who look it up find something.

You can skip save-the-dates for a small, local wedding. They matter most when many guests need to arrange travel or time off.

Invitations: when

The invitation is the formal request, with the full details and the reply deadline. For most weddings, six to ten weeks before the date works. Allow ten to sixteen weeks for a destination wedding, because people need time to book flights and rooms.

Send everything on the same day if you can, so no group feels like an afterthought. If you are sending in waves, send to the guests who must travel first.

Setting the reply deadline

Choose a reply deadline three to four weeks before the wedding for a typical celebration, and five to eight weeks before for a destination wedding. Then work backwards from the two dates you cannot move:

1. The date your caterer or venue needs a final headcount. Check your contracts, because some want it earlier than two weeks.
2. The date you want to finish the seating plan.

Put the deadline on the invitation in plain words: "Please reply by 15 May."

What changes for digital invitations

A digital invitation arrives the moment you press send, so you do not need to allow for the post. Guests still need time to plan, so the ranges above stay the same. What improves is everything after you send: if a time changes, you fix it once and everyone sees the new version, and replies arrive in one place.

Destination weddings and holiday weekends

Guests are booking flights and hotels, often on a budget. Send save-the-dates eight to twelve months ahead, invitations ten to sixteen weeks ahead, and put travel and accommodation details on your wedding website. The earlier notice is the single biggest help you can give them.

A short-notice wedding

If the wedding is less than three weeks away, skip the formalities. Send the invitation today by message or email. Ask for replies within a few days, and tell your caterer your best estimate now so that you can adjust it later.

Chasing replies without feeling awkward

Almost everyone who has not replied simply forgot. A short, friendly message a few days after the deadline works well:

Hi Sam, we are finalising numbers this week and have not heard from you yet. Could you let us know if you can join us on 12 June? A quick yes or no is all we need. Thank you!

If you collect replies on a page rather than on paper, you can see at a glance who is missing and send that message to exactly those people.

Collecting mailing addresses

If you send printed save-the-dates, you need addresses early. Rather than chasing a spreadsheet, send family and close friends a short message asking them to reply with a mailing address, and keep them in one list as they arrive.

Questions

Are save-the-dates really necessary?

No. They are most useful when guests travel, when the date falls on a holiday weekend, or when you are inviting many people. For a small local wedding you can send the invitation alone.

Can I send invitations too early?

You can. Much earlier than the ranges above, people tend to put the invitation aside and forget, and plans can change. Use a save-the-date for the early notice and keep the invitation for when you can give firm details.

What if someone replies after the deadline?

It happens. Decide in advance whether you can still add guests, and tell your caterer the real number as late as their contract allows.

Should the reply deadline come before the caterer's headcount date?

Yes. Leave at least a week between the two, so there is time to chase replies and settle the numbers.

Do I still need printed invitations?

That is your choice. Some couples send a digital invitation to everyone and a printed one to older relatives or as a keepsake. Whatever you choose, make sure the reply date and the website address match everywhere.

Ready to put all of this on one page? Start with a design and share one link with every guest. If you are still deciding what to write, read our guide to wedding invitation wording.