What is the rule of thumb for wedding invitations?

Short answer

Send your invitations six to eight weeks before the wedding. This gives guests time to reply, book travel and arrange accommodation. For a wedding with many guests from far away, send them earlier, around twelve weeks ahead.

The usual rule of thumb is to send invitations six to eight weeks before the wedding. That gives guests enough time to check their diaries, reply, and sort out travel and accommodation. If many guests are coming from abroad or from different parts of the UK, send invitations earlier, around twelve weeks ahead, so they can plan properly.

Before you send the main invitations, send save the dates about six to nine months ahead if you want to. This is especially helpful for a wedding near a holiday or in a popular area where rooms book quickly. It is not essential, but it is kind.

Your invitation should include the date, time and venue clearly. It should also say when you need the reply by, usually two to four weeks before the wedding, so you can give final numbers to your caterer and venue. Include a reply card or a way to reply online.

Remember to write the full address on the envelope and check the postage, especially if the invitation is heavy or an unusual shape. You can ask a friend to check the wording before you print. It is easy to miss a typo when you have read it many times.