Wedding

When to send wedding invitations

3 October 2026 · 3 min read

The usual timeline: a save the date six months to a year before the wedding, the invitation itself two to four months ahead, and a reply no later than four to six weeks before the day, so you can pass the numbers on to the venue and the caterer. If you marry abroad, in a holiday period or with many guests from far away, everything moves forward by a few months. Below is the timeline step by step.

View the collection

The timeline

Count back from the wedding day:

12 to 6 months ahead: save the date. Only the date and the place, so guests keep the day free.
4 to 2 months ahead: the invitation, with everything on it.
6 to 4 weeks ahead: the reply deadline. After that you pass on the numbers.
2 weeks ahead: a reminder to everyone who has not answered.
The week itself: one last message with the time, the route and the weather.

When earlier?

For a wedding abroad you send the save the date a year ahead and the invitation six months ahead: guests have to book flights and take time off. The same goes for a wedding day in July or August, in the Christmas holidays or on a long weekend: whoever already has plans wants to know early.

Sending early also pays off with a large group of guests spread across the country or the world. The more people have to move things around, the more time they need.

When later?

For a small wedding with family and good friends, close to home, six to eight weeks is enough. Everyone knows each other, nobody has to travel, and a short run-up keeps the excitement in. You do not need a save the date then; a message in the family chat does the same job.

Digital changes the timeline a little

A paper invitation needs printing, addresses and post, and so a few weeks of margin. A digital invitation is ready when you are and reaches everyone the same day. So you can decide later and still be on time, and you can still change the invitation if the venue changes the time.

The replies come faster too: guests answer with one tap the moment they open the invitation, instead of having to post a card. In practice most reply in the first days; the rest get an automatic reminder before the deadline.

Frequently asked questions

How much time is there between the save the date and the invitation?

Usually three to six months. The save the date gives the date, the invitation the rest. If the invitation follows the save the date quickly, you are better off combining them.

What if guests miss the deadline?

Send a friendly reminder a week before the deadline, and call whoever is still silent after it. On a digital invitation the reminder goes automatically to everyone who has not answered, and in your studio you see exactly who that is.

Do you send the invitation for the evening guests at the same time?

Yes. Everyone gets their invitation at the same time, with the part of the day they are invited to on it. Inviting evening guests later feels like a second choice, even when it is not meant that way.

Make your own invitation?

Pick a style, add your own text and photos and share one link. Starting is free; a paid style costs €4,99 or €7,99 once, per event.