The Ultimate Guide to Invitation Timelines

Planning invitations and day of stationery can be very daunting when you are unsure of how long certain processes take.
When thinking about the invitation process, I like to break things up into four phases:

1) The design phase (15+ weeks prior to wedding)

This is where we sit down together, come up with all the details and intricacies that go into invitation suite. This may take from 2-4 weeks, depending on how whether you opt for a semi-custom, or completely custom suite.

2) The printing and assembly phase (13-16 weeks prior to wedding)

Invitations are sent to print, envelopes are hand-addressed, wax seals are stamped, ribbons are tied and envelopes are stuffed. This can take from 1-4 weeks depending on how many envelopes there are to calligraphy, ribbons to tie, etc.

3) The mailing phase (9-14 weeks prior to wedding)

This is the phase I assign the most time to, because it’s completely out of our hands. The invitations are sent, guests start opening their envelopes. It is fairly crucial to time this stage so guests are receiving their envelopes 8-12 weeks prior to the wedding. Too early and they’ll forget to RSVP, too late and they won’t have time to make the necessary arrangements. If there are guests who are coming from overseas, I’d recommend giving them at least 12 weeks to organise travel. Save the Date cards are useful if you’d like to give guests plenty of warning. They can be sent out as soon as you have a date and intended city to help these guests make arrangements.

4) Collect RSVPs and day of stationery (4-6 weeks prior to wedding)

Most venues will ask for a confirmed guest list 4-6 weeks before the wedding. It’s a good idea to set your RSVP date for 6 weeks before the wedding to give you plenty of time to chase those straggling RSVPs (there are always a few!) This is a good time to send us the updated RSVP list so we can start on place-cards, seating charts, menus, table numbers and welcome signs.

As always, this timeline is intended as a guide. Your specific situation may need more time for the design stage, and less time for the assembly stage, or vice verse. The most important thing is to start engaging the services of a stationer as soon as you have a date and a venue. We’ll help with the rest of the timeline!

Keep well, lovelies!
x Lisa