a super handy calculator to determine your

save the dates + invitations Timeline

Scroll down if you just. want. the dang. dates.

Oh, hi there! Guess you couldn’t fight the urge to read about stationery timelines. Okay then: Here’s a rundown of when you should send out event (wedding) invitations and save the dates, and look to book your stationer.

invitations*

Following a comfortable timeline is as much for your guests’ planning purposes as it is for yours — and your vendors’! To wit: If you’re offering your guests a choice of meal, your caterer will need to know how many of each different plate to make some time ahead of your wedding day. Good thing you’re a planner and you’ll have all your RSVPs in hand AND enough time to follow-up with the non-responders before that deadline arrives then, huh?

Set RSVP responses as due 3–4 weeks ahead of the event.
Mail invitations 8–12 weeks (2–3 months) before your wedding. (Sending any earlier gives invitees a chance to set the invitation aside and forget about it. A small sense of urgency is good here!) Anticipate a minimum of 1 week for the invitations to travel through the postal system, longer for any going abroad.
Aim to book your stationer 8–12 months prior to your event.

save the dates*

Save-the-dates often have more flexibility because they’re more casual, and simpler, as well. But, if you’re looking for something custom beyond the typical photo/”Save The Date” mashup, it’d be a good idea to be more generous with your timeline. Either way, you’ll notice that the windows for all the save-the-date milestones are much bigger, as there are fewer required actions tied to them — the goal here is to get on your guests’ calendars, even though you don’t have all the information yourself yet (e.g., meal options, hotel blocks, etc.).

Aim to mail save-the-dates 8–10 months before your wedding. Allow a minimum of 1 week for the invitations to travel through the postal system, longer for any going abroad.
Book your stationer 11–14 months prior to your wedding date.

*Destination wedding? Ignore all that and skip ahead. You’ll know when to stop your scroll.

a note on my preferred timing
I love to start talking to clients about their invitations 8–12 months before their event date. Design and production usually takes 3–4 months. Don’t have that much time? Things can — maybe — possibly — happen even more quickly, but heads-up that that’s when rush fees enter the picture.

A VISUAL TIMELINE FOR INVITATION SCHEDULING

Oh, you’re fancy! or: destination weddings

If you’re reading this, you probably already know that most everything is at least slightly different for destination weddings and events, and your invitation and save-the-date timelines aren’t an exception. For destination weddings, you should plan to mail your invitations 12–16 weeks (3–4 months) before your wedding date. Your save-the-dates window is further out as well — more like 9–12 months prior to your event, ideally.