How Far in Advance to Send Wedding Invitations

For most UK weddings, send your invitations 8 to 12 weeks before the big day. This gives guests enough time to check their diaries, arrange travel and accommodation, and reply by your RSVP date. It also lets you finalise numbers with your venue and caterer without last-minute panic.

Sending earlier than 12 weeks is fine if you have many guests coming from abroad or if your wedding falls on a busy holiday weekend. But sending too early, like 6 months ahead, can be awkward because guests may not know their plans yet and might lose the invitation. A good compromise is to send a save-the-date card 6 to 9 months ahead, then follow up with the formal invitation at the 8 to 12 week mark.

The latest acceptable time to send invitations is 6 weeks before the wedding. This is the absolute minimum, and it only works if you have already told guests the date informally or sent save-the-dates. At 6 weeks, guests need to reply quickly, so set your RSVP deadline for 3 to 4 weeks before the wedding.

Sending invitations any later than 6 weeks risks guests having other plans or not having time to arrange time off work or childcare. If you are in this situation, contact guests by phone or email first to check their availability, then send a formal invitation as a courtesy.

Here is a practical timeline for a standard UK wedding:

• 12 weeks before: Send invitations if you have many guests travelling, or if your wedding is on a bank holiday weekend. This is also the time to send evening invitations to evening-only guests.
• 10 weeks before: This is the sweet spot for most weddings. It gives guests plenty of notice without being too early.
• 8 weeks before: Still fine, especially if your guest list is mostly local. Set your RSVP date for 4 weeks before the wedding.
• 6 weeks before: This is the latest you should send invitations. Only do this if guests already know the date informally.
• 4 weeks before: This is too late for invitations. Instead, phone guests directly to ask if they can come, and send a digital invitation as a reminder.

Remember, your RSVP date should be at least 2 to 3 weeks before the wedding so you can give final numbers to your venue and caterer. For a 12-week invitation, an RSVP date 4 weeks before the wedding is ideal.

Evening invitations can go out a little later than full-day invitations, but they should still arrive 6 to 8 weeks before the wedding. Evening guests need to know the time and location, and they may need to arrange transport or a babysitter.

If you are sending evening invites separately from your main invitations, aim for 8 weeks before. This gives evening guests enough time to reply and lets you plan numbers for the evening reception. If you are including evening guests in your main invitation mailing, send everything together at the 10 to 12 week mark.

If your wedding falls on a bank holiday weekend, send invitations 12 weeks ahead or even 4 months if you can. Guests will need to book accommodation early, and they may have competing events. For a holiday weekend, consider setting your RSVP date 5 weeks before the wedding to secure your numbers.

For guests travelling from abroad, send invitations 4 to 6 months in advance. They may need to apply for visas, book flights, and arrange time off work. You should also send a save-the-date card as soon as you set the date, ideally 9 to 12 months ahead. For international guests, include information about airports, transport, and accommodation on your wedding website or in a separate information card.

Yes, sending wedding invitations by email is acceptable in the UK, especially for casual or small weddings, or for guests who live abroad. Many couples use online invitations to save paper and postage, and they make RSVP tracking easier. However, for older guests or those less comfortable with technology, a paper invitation may be more appreciated.

If you choose email, send it at the same time you would post paper invitations, and make sure the design is clear and easy to read. Include a link to your wedding website for details and RSVP. For formal weddings, paper invitations are still the norm, but email is a practical and eco-friendly option for many couples.

No, you do not need special stamps for wedding invitations in the UK. Standard first or second class stamps are fine. However, if your invitations are heavy or oddly shaped, they may need extra postage. Take one completed invitation to the post office to have it weighed and checked.

If you are sending invitations abroad, you will need international stamps or a postage meter. The cost depends on the destination and weight, so check with the post office. To avoid any issues, hand-deliver invitations to local guests if you prefer, or use a postal service that tracks delivery.