When to send wedding invitations: a timeline from save the date to the day before

The timeline

1. Four to six months before: a save the date to guests who will travel a long way, with just the date and the city.
2. Two months before: the full invitation to everyone, with every function, the venue and the reply button.
3. Four to six weeks before: follow up with anyone who has not replied, one by one.
4. One week before: a short reminder with the schedule and the contact person for the day.
5. The day before: one message with the exact time and the map link for the first function.

For guests who travel

Guests from abroad need the most notice: flights and leave take time. Send them the save the date early and tell them whether you can help with accommodation. A card that shows the date and the countdown in their own time zone avoids confusion about when the muhurat is.

When something changes

A function moves, the venue changes, a time shifts. With a printed invitation that is a new print run and a stack of messages. With a digital card you change the detail once, and every guest who opens the link sees it. Send one short message saying that the card has been updated.

Send it the right way

Most invitations travel on WhatsApp. The WhatsApp guide covers how to word the message, and the checklist lists what the card should contain before you send it.

Questions