When to send wedding invitations: a timeline
Send too early and people forget. Send too late and your cousin in Singapore can't get leave. Families do this differently, so treat this as a starting point and move it to suit yours.
| When | What | Why |
|---|---|---|
| 3 to 6 months before | Save-the-date to guests who travel | Flights and leave need booking, especially from abroad |
| 6 to 8 weeks before | Invitation to out-of-town guests | Train tickets open 60 days ahead |
| 4 to 6 weeks before | Invitation to local guests, and visits to elders with the printed card | Close enough to remember, far enough to plan |
| 2 to 3 weeks before | Reply-by date | Halls and caterers usually want final numbers about a week out |
| 1 week before the reply-by date | One reminder, only to people who haven't answered | Late answers are normal; they aren't rude |
| 1 to 2 days before each function | The map, parking, and the livestream link | Fewer phone calls on the day |
| Within 2 weeks after | Thank-you, with a few photos | People remember who thanked them |
For guests abroad
Add a week to everything. And decide early whether you'll stream the muhurtham, so you can tell them before they decide whether to fly.
Late changes
A time or a hall can move after the invitations are out. With printed cards that means phone calls. With an online invitation you change it once and everyone sees it.
On InviteNest
An invitation can be live for up to 180 days, and it stays up until 15 days after your last function. So start it within six months of the wedding. If you want a save-the-date earlier than that, send it as a simple message. See wedding invitations with RSVP.