Wedding season is just around the corner (and has actually already started for some!)  What does that mean for you?

For some, that means digging through wedding registries and attending celebration after celebration this summer.  It might mean work is going to get super busy and spending time at the beach will be a distant dream.  Or maybe it means you’ve got to kick your tail into gear, you’re getting married this summer!

For me, it means I have a stack of save-the-dates and wedding invites clipped to my refrigerator.  I started receiving these “notices” in January, some in February and then a save-the-date and actual invitations in March.

So when should you send these invites out?  How much of a notice do you need to provide for your guests?  While there are hundreds of opinions posted all over the internet – every major wedding blog, The Knot, etc, this is still probably one of the most common questions I get asked.

Let’s just clear this up, there are no hard rules of when to send out invitations or save-the-dates.  But here are some guidelines and points to consider.

Save-the-Dates:

There’s no rule stating you MUST send them out.  If you’re having an out of town celebration, or your wedding is during a holiday, then I would suggest giving your guests this optional notice.  This allows your guests to plan ahead, requesting time off work or saving for extra travel expenses.  Plan on sending these out at least 6 months prior to your wedding date, if not sooner.

Invitations:

General rule of thumb states that wedding invites should be sent out somewhere around 6 weeks to 2 months prior to the wedding.  However, if you did not send save-the-dates, consider sending them out a touch sooner.  Also bear in mind when your vendors need their final head counts and when you need those RSVPs by.  Be considerate of your guests and how many are coming from out of town and what travel arrangements they might have to make upon receiving that invite.

A couple other thoughts:

• Try not to send out the invite too early, people tend to misplace them and put off RSVPing. If it is misplaced, that means that they have lost important information, such as locations and times… having a wedding website might come in handy at this point!
• If you’re using a calligrapher, give them plenty of time to address the invites so they’re not scrambling to have them ready to be sent out on time.
• Cutting it close on time?  The invites still need to be mailed; please do not resort of faxing, emailing or calling your guests to invite them.  By mailing all invites, you ensure that all guests receive the same information and no details are forgotten.  Plus, isn’t it great to get something pretty in the mail, an envelope that you actually want to open!

The above photo is from my vintage tea party shoot last fall with Bradley James Photography.  Invitation by Creative Montage.

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