When should I order my wedding invitations?

Invitations should be in the mail six to eight weeks before your wedding. This means you will need to order them about four months prior to your event  Brides often get so wrapped up in planning the smallest details of their wedding, they overlook the major necessities. Unforeseen mistakes can create a delay and you may be putting your invitations in the mail a bit too late. To avoid this issue, you should use a professional invitation retailer who can provide helpful tips and etiquette advice.

After crafting a custom invitation or choosing a sample you love, your invitation retailer enables you to review and proof your invitation before printing your order is a major time saver that will help you get your invitations in the mail on time and avoid errors. Ordering in advance allows the proof process to happen smoothly. Ordering and sending your invitations in a timely manner is also considerate for your guests, particularly out of town guests. They may need to make plans in advance for hotel and car rental accommodations

Should I send save the date cards?

Think of your Save the Date cards as an introduction invitation to your wedding. They should be sent at least eight to six months before the wedding date. While save the date cards are not necessary in all situations, they are a fantastic way to generate excitement and, most importantly, allow your family and friends plenty of time to make arrangements to share in your special day. This is especially important for friends and family who will be traveling to your wedding. Save the Dates encourage travelers to take advantage of travel deals, book flights and hotels, and make any other necessary plans sooner than later.
If your wedding date falls on or around any holidays, or if it's taking place at a popular vacation or destination spot, you should consider sending out your Save the Dates at least six months in advance. In these situations, your guests will likely be thinking of your event as a vacation and will appreciate having the time and information to plan accordingly. If you are asking guests to travel a great distance, take time off work, or travel during peak seasons, the sooner you can let them know the better! It’s not uncommon to send Save the Date announcements as much as twelve months in advance.

No, you are not required to send a Save the Date to everyone on your guest list. Most important are those guests who will be traveling or who will likely need to make arrangements far in advance. The benefit of sending a Save the Date card to every person you are hoping will attend is that you are increasing the likelihood that they will reserve that date to be able to attend your special day. If, for whatever reason, you do choose to send Save the Dates only to a select number of guests, there is just one rule to follow: Make sure they are sent to all persons in a specific group who frequently interact.  Imagine how hurt your aunt would be if they saw your beautiful Save the Date hanging on her sister’s refrigerator, only to realize she had not been sent one and has no idea why. Do not send a Save the Date to anyone who will not definitely be receiving a wedding invitation.

Will I need extra postage?

In most cases, yes. With invitations come many accessory pieces. Your assembled wedding invitation will be heavy in its envelope and will take more than a standard stamp to be processed through the U.S. Postal Service. To prevent returned invitations make sure to assemble an invitation, complete with the response cards, direction cards and reception cards within the envelope and weigh it at the post office to determine the correct postage needed before mailing them all.

Should I order extra envelopes?  

Yes. As you address the envelopes for your invitations, you will make mistakes. Whether the lettering is imperfect or the ink smudges, you will take the next envelope in your stack and begin addressing the invitation again. As a result, you may run out of envelopes before you run out of guests to invite. If you order only enough envelopes and invitations to cover the number of guests on your list, then you will need to go back to your invitation supplier to order additional envelopes, which will take more time that you had planned and have you incur additional costs. It is always good to order about 10-25 extra envelopes, depending on your guest count.

How do I handle inviting/not inviting someone with a guest?

Have the invitations specifically state the names of those invited "and guest" or "and family" is acceptable too, but if you know the guests name put it on the invite. You can presume only the people named on the invitation’s envelope are invited.  If guests call to ask if they can bring a date since their invite didn't state so politely explain that you would love for them to be at your wedding, but due to keeping the list manageable for you on your day he/she will not be able to bring a guest.

Invitation Addressing Q& A
Here are some answers to those addressing questions that always arise!

Married couple: Mr. and Mrs. Allen Smith

Married couple, each keeping their own name: Ms. Stacy Jones and Mr. Allen Smith

Married couple, doctors: The Doctors Smith or Doctors (Drs.) Stacy and Allen Smith

Married couple, only husband is a doctor: Dr. and Mrs. Allen Smith

Married couple, only wife is a doctor: Dr. Stacy and Mr. Allen Smith

Married couple, wife is doctor AND kept her maiden name:
Dr. Stacy Jones and Mr. Allen Smith

Living together, but not married:
Ms. Stacy Jones
Mr. Allen Smith

Same Sex couple:
Mr. Jeffrey Jones
Mr. Samuel Smith