How far in advance send invites?

Short answer

Send wedding invitations about six to eight weeks before the wedding. For a destination wedding or a wedding over a holiday period, send them earlier, around three to four months ahead.

The standard timing for wedding invitations in the UK is six to eight weeks before the wedding. This gives guests enough time to arrange travel, book time off work and reply, without so much time that they forget. If you are having a small wedding or a tight guest list, you can send them a little later, around four weeks, but only if you are confident everyone can come.

If you have guests travelling from abroad, or if your wedding is on a bank holiday or during school holidays, send invitations earlier, around three to four months. The same applies if your venue is remote or accommodation is limited. For a destination wedding, six months is not unusual.

You should also send a save-the-date before the invitation, usually six to nine months ahead, especially if guests need to book travel or accommodation. The save-the-date can be a simple card or an email, and it does not need to include full details, just the date and location.

Remember that your RSVP date must be before your final numbers are due to the venue or caterer. Work backwards from that date and give guests at least two to three weeks to reply after receiving the invitation.