Why do most brides fall behind the timeline with wedding invitations? Most brides are not ordering wedding invitations soon enough.
And I get it, you're juggling a million little details with wedding planning, especially if you're working a job or going to school at the same time. It's difficult to keep track of your checklist at all, much less stay on schedule.
So let's set something straight: sending out wedding invitations 2 months in advance of your wedding day means that you need to order your invitations well in advance of 2 months. (Especially if you are assembling them yourself or addressing them by hand!)
Don't let wedding invitations sneak up on you. Let's talk about when exactly to order your wedding invitations so that you are right on track, and don't experience any added stress during the wedding planning process.
Before we start, let me clarify that finding your wedding stationery takes time as well! This means that even before you order your wedding invitations, you'll need to be looking for the perfect invitation suite well in advance of this timeline.
Assuming that you've found the perfect invitation suite (and if you haven't, browse through my semi-custom collection for the perfect wedding stationery), here's what you need to know about ordering wedding invitations:
When is the best time to order wedding invitations?
About 6-9 months ahead of your wedding date.
This is the quintessential 'sweet spot.' Most stationers are able to accommodate this timeline, even if it's a completely custom suite, and it also builds in some extra time for delayed shipping, extra add-ons, and any custom embellishments for your wedding paper.
If you're thinking that sounds like a long time in advance to start booking your invitations, here's why: your wedding invitations are one of the most detailed parts about planning your wedding.
Let's walk through the timeline, so we can talk about how beneficial it is to give yourself as much time as possible to put together your wedding invitations.
9-12 months prior:
It's research time! Browse on Pinterest, Instagram, or simply on Google to gather inspiration and information for your wedding suite. What's your favorite style? Romantic and timeless, whimsical and bright, or bold and modern? What season are you getting married in, and would you like that reflected in your stationery?Â
This is the part to take your time with, to make sure you are completely satisfied with your beautiful invitations. Once you've found the perfect stationer, you'll find the perfect invitation suite, and it will be well worth your time researching. After all, your wedding invitations are the first impression your guests will have of your wedding!
8 months before: Order samples and finalize your guest list
My best tip with this is to order a variety of sample designs from all of your favorite stationers. This way you'll be able to feel the paper in person, see different printing methods, and compare the quality of embellishment options.
Ordering samples will also give you a good idea of your stationer's responsiveness and service, which is hugely important since you'll be working together for several months creating your dream wedding invitations.
At this time, it's also best to gave a full guest list put together, so that you can have an accurate head count going forward with pricing estimates and proposals for your stationery. (No guest addresses needed yet, we'll get to that later!)
7 months before: Book your wedding stationer (and calligrapher if you have one!)
One note with this: if you are planning to book custom wedding invitations, or any invitations with a custom embellishment, like a venue illustration or specialty printing process like letterpress, I'd actually recommend reaching out sooner. That will ensure that there's more than enough time to work through all the details, and especially enough time for printing and production.Â
By going off of your guest list household count, you should determine how many envelopes will be addressed. You can always address your own envelopes, or ask a friend with nice handwriting. However, if your budget allows, I recommend hiring a calligrapher or seeing if your stationer can print envelopes for you. Addressing wedding envelopes is a LOT of work and a LOT of time. Hiring someone to do this for you can save you an infinite amount of stress that makes it well worth the investment.
6 months before: Order wedding invitations and finalize invitation wording
Obviously you can book your stationer sooner than this if you are ready, and that will be a big help in the wedding planning! Generally, if you are ordering a semi-custom wedding invitation that is digitally printed (meaning flat printed, with no texture, directly onto card stock), you can order six months before your wedding, and still have enough time for assembly and mailing.
At this stage, wedding invitation wording and enclosure card details will need to be finalized as well. If you're wondering where to start on this, check out my wedding invitation wording guide here. It's important to have all the little details ready to go, like travel accommodations and hotel information, if you are including enclosure cards in your invitation suite.
Likewise, if you are offering meal choices at your reception, you may want to finalize the menu with your caterer at this time. Side dishes may change leading up to the wedding, but response cards only require listing the main course–such as beef, chicken, vegetarian–for guests to select.
From there, it's just assembly and mailing of your wedding invitations! And, it's time to check the big task of 'ordering wedding invitations' off of your to-do list.