The First Glimpse of Your Day: When to Send Wedding Invitations (and What to Include)
There’s something truly special about the moment your wedding invitations go out. It’s the first official glimpse your guests will have into your day, the start of your celebrations becoming real for the people you love most. But with so many opinions and timelines out there, it can be hard to know exactly when to send them or how to make sure they arrive in the right hands at the right time.
If you’re planning your wedding and getting ready to send out those all-important invites, this guide is here to help. Whether you're planning a UK celebration, a destination wedding, or something beautifully in between, here’s everything you need to know.
When Should You Send Your Wedding Invitations?
There’s no one-size-fits-all answer, but a good rule of thumb is to post your wedding invitations around three to six months before the day.
If you’ve already sent Save the Dates, you can afford to send your invitations a little closer to the wedding. But if you haven’t, aim for the longer end of that window - especially if your wedding falls during school holidays, includes guests travelling long-distance, or spans an entire weekend.
A few things to consider:
· Peak seasons (summer holidays, bank holidays, December) often mean people’s diaries fill up faster.
· Destination weddings need more notice. Think six to eight months minimum, to allow guests to book flights, accommodation and arrange time off work.
· If you’re inviting guests who work shifts or serve in the military, more notice is always better.
What About Save the Dates?
Save the Dates are especially helpful if:
· You’re marrying during a busy time of year
· Your wedding falls on a weekday
· You have lots of guests who’ll be travelling
· You want to make sure key people don’t book holidays or work trips that clash
You don’t need to send them to everyone. If you already speak to close friends and family regularly, you may have told them your date already. But for wider guest lists, Save the Dates give a gentle nudge to “save the slot” before life gets busy.
A good time to send them is as soon as your date and venue are confirmed, often 9–12 months ahead, or longer for destination weddings.
Choosing and Ordering Your Invitations
The process of choosing your wedding stationery can take longer than expected—especially if you’re ordering from an independent designer.
Start browsing designs around five to six months before you want to send them. This gives you time to:
· Explore different styles (Pinterest is a great place to start)
· Enquire with designers
· Confirm your guest list and wording
· Proofread everything (and then proofread it again)
· Allow time for design, production and delivery
If you’re ordering printed invites, a general turnaround time might be 3–6 weeks, depending on the supplier. For bespoke or handmade invitations, allow more time. If you're in a rush, there are excellent quality template-based options from places like Papier, Zazzle or Printed.com that can be turned around quickly.
Postage Tips
Royal Mail prices and delivery times can change, so it’s worth checking the current costs before you buy your stamps. A small detail like a wax seal, ribbon or extra inserts can take your invitation over the 5mm thickness or 100g weight limit, which can double the postage cost.
Helpful tips:
· Weigh and measure one full invitation (including envelope and inserts) at the Post Office before posting the lot.
· If you’re using wax seals, place invites inside an outer envelope for protection.
· Second class is usually fine, but allow a full week for delivery.
· For international guests, send invitations two weeks earlier to allow for delays.
· You can also buy stamps in advance if you want to beat a price increase—just check expiry dates and make sure they’ll cover your required weight.
Digital Invitations: A Modern (and Eco-Friendly) Option
Digital invites are growing in popularity—not just because they’re convenient and sustainable, but because they can look just as beautiful. If you’re short on time or planning a smaller, more casual celebration, they can be a great choice.
You might also choose a hybrid approach. For example:
· Send digital Save the Dates, then follow up with printed invitations
· Use printed invitations for close friends and family, and digital versions for evening guests or international attendees
· Share a digital version of the invite alongside your wedding website for easy access to maps, accommodation info or RSVP links
Just make sure you give guests the same amount of notice with digital invitations as you would with printed ones.
Helping Your Guests Prepare
Wedding invitations aren’t just a formality—they’re a source of important info for your guests. Use your invitation suite or website to share:
· Date and time of the ceremony
· Venue name and full address
· Accommodation suggestions or booking links
· Dress code (if any)
· RSVP instructions and deadline
· Gift list or charity registry info (optional)
A wedding website is a great way to keep everyone up to date, especially if you’re planning multiple events over a weekend. You can include FAQs, transport details and even collect dietary requirements—all in one place.
Final Checklist: Are You Ready to Post?
Before you seal and send, run through this quick checklist:
· Have you finalised your guest list and addresses?
· Have you proofread your invitation wording (twice)?
· Have you allowed enough time for guests to RSVP?
· Have you accounted for bank holidays or potential postal delays?
· Have you weighed your sample invite at the Post Office?
· Have you created or linked to a wedding website if needed?
And most importantly, do you feel good about it? Sending invitations is a meaningful milestone—it deserves to feel exciting, not rushed.
No two weddings are the same, which means there’s no one perfect timeline for sending your invitations. Whether you’re sending Save the Dates over a year or more in advance or getting everything out in the post with just a few months to go, the best thing you can do is stay thoughtful and clear.