when is a reasonable time to send Wedding Invites out?

[RestlessTraveller]

Just that really. Need advice, how long before the event is a good time to send the invites out?

The usual is around 6 weeks before.

Really? That seems awfully short notice.

6 weeks but I'd let family know as soon as its booked

I thought 3 months was usual.

Let people know informally as soon as you have a date. Formal invites nearer to the time. You don't usually confirm final numbers with your venue til the week before

It depends how many of your guests are local really - we gave 6 months notice with ours but had lots of guests who would need to travel from overseas so we needed to give them time to make travel arrangements.

8 weeks/2 months is reasonable. I once received an invite for 2 years - oddly enough I didn't save the date.

I think I'd be more comfortable with 3 months, especially as there is accommodation involved!

2 years! Wow!

3 months is the norm I think. I sent ours out with about 4months notice. 6 weeks sounds ridiculously short notice!!

Three months is usual with my friends and family! I did three months.

I would say between 2 and 3 months is normal

Obviously let your close friends & family know the date as soon as you've booked the venue but IMO it's a bit weird to sent the invites any earlier than 3 months before the date

www.debretts.com/weddings/engagements-invitations/

6 - 12 weeks is the Debretts advice.

Thank you everyone!

We had informed everyone well in advance once we booked the dates.

But my DM didn't send out the invites at the start of December as promised, and was still writing them the week after Christmas. So they actually only got sent with 4 weeks notice in the end!

(My DSiblings have all learned from my folly of being the eldest and going first - they all wrote the invites themselves!! )

We've had almost 2 years notice (oral) of BIL and SIL's wedding. Which is a PITA to be honest.

I know people say 6 weeks but my friends would have had other commitments by then. In my circle 3-4 months is normal and people often do at least an email save the date earlier.

6 weeks is nowhere near enough time! I, and many of my friends, would probably already have plans.
Plus when we got married our venue wanted us to confirm numbers and food choices 1 month in advance - 6 weeks wouldn't have left enough time to give guests a chance to RSVP!

I would say 3-4 months is perfectly normal. It's not so far off that something is likely to crop up but close enough that they will know if they have holidays etc planned.

I also (controversially) wanted to have the maximum day guests we could fit into the ceremony room so sent all my day invites out and waited for them to RSVP before sending the evening invites.

If travel of more than an hour or stay overnight stay is required I would say three months minimum.

Check your venue

We had to give final numbers at 4 weeks so we needed invited back before that. I put my rsvp as 6 weeks before and sent them 4 weeks before that.

So we sent ours 10 weeks before.

6 weeks isn't enough time if people need to book travel arrangements like train

3 months absolute minimum for real invites with a save the date as soon as you can!

Save the date cards can be sent around 6 months in advance if you're doing them, wedding invites should be 3 months.

3-6 months for invites I think. I've had save the dates 8-12 months in advance

Do you have anyone having to travel from overseas? If you do, you might need to let them know (informally) at least 6-8 months early. Formal invites 6-12 weeks before the wedding.

It depends on who you're inviting, my DP got an invite for us both 6 weeks before the wedding (no prior notice, although they booked it six months before, we found out after) and I have to book time off at least six weeks in advance, and for a weekend off more like eight weeks. If we'd had a save the date a bit before we'd have been able to attend but neither of us could get the time off that close to the event. Most of the other guests either already have weekends off as standard or can book time off more easily so it wasn't a huge issue for them, most people could make it. Congratulations by the way