When to send out Wedding Invitations??

Question

We are getting married in april 09'. On a carnival cruise line in our home town port. We are going to invite our immediate family and our closest friends a total of about 25 guest. Then when we return we plan to have a reception inviting all our family and friends. I am looking for opinions on when i should sent out invitations to the wedding ceremony and when i should sent out reception style invites. or should i sent them out at the same time? Since its not going to be for the actual ceremony, i don't want to be too early or too late!!! any opinions and or ideas will be more than helpful and greatly appreciated. Thanks!!!

Answer 1

A general rule of thumb is to mail your reception information approximately 6-8 weeks prior to your reception date.  This is especially true if you are having a catered meal, buffet or plated dinner so you can inform the reception hall/caterer.

For instance, I am getting married on September 27th of this year.  We sent out our invitations on July 31st and asked that persons RSVP by September 4th because we have to give our # to the chef as we are having a plated dinner at our reception.

For your own sanity, I would send them out at the same time since the two events are only a week apart.  

Answer 2

6-8 wks before the rsvp date.

Answer 3

Are you having a destination wedding?

If not, do not send out save-the-date cards. Ask any wedding planner or watch any wedding shows and they will explain why. Better yet? Let me. Save-the-date cards were originally mailed out 8-12 months in advance so that people can have the arrangements of taking off work, and saving enough for their plane ticket to wherever the destination wedding would be.

If you're having your wedding locally, or within 2-3 hours, save yourself hundreds of dollars by forgoing the save-the-date cards.

Your wedding invitations should be sent 3-6 months in advance. That is enough time for your guests to purchase a gift/their clothing/take the day off at their work/etc. etc.

Congratulations! :)

Answer 4

umm maybe you should send them out 1 week before

Answer 5

First you'll send save the date cards three to four months before the wedding to allow your guests time to book their trip and save up a bit of cash. Then about 6 weeks before the wedding you'll send the wedding invitations to everyone you want to invite to the destination wedding and reception invitations to those you'll only be inviting to the reception.

Answer 6

Send your invitations for the reception at the same as you would for a normal wedding.  4-6 weeks before the date. This ensures all the guests that you would like the attend, and that would love to attend to celebrate with you, have enough time to ensure there is no conflict with the date/time.

For the "destination" aspect of the wedding, Save-the-date cards are traditionally sent out 8 months prior to the date so people can make appropriate travel/vacation arrangements and then invitations are mailed 4-6 weeks before the wedding.

Good Luck!

Answer 7

Send them all out at the same time with the same RSVP.  That way there is less confusion when you are stressed and wondering if the RSVP hasn't come back from someone because they were reception only and then have them show up for the cruise and not have space.  You might think it's easy to determine now but try doing that at the same time as making sure everything else in your life is going smoothly...

As for when to send them, find out when the cruise needs the numbers as that is the first thing you are doing.

Set your RSVP date two weeks before this to give you time to wait for mail and call around to the people who are late or have forgotten before closing off your numbers.

Mail your invites 4-6 weeks ahead of the RSVP for local guests, 6-8 weeks ahead of the RSVP for interstate guests and 8-12 weeks ahead for interstate guests.

Find the longest mailing time applicable and send them all at once if you are worried about forgetting to mail a second batch.