06/25/2026
Nobody tells you about the invitation timeline until you are already behind on it.
And by the time most couples figure out when save the dates should have gone out — they are already a month late, paying rush fees, and stressing about whether guests have enough time to book travel.
So here is the simple version.
Save the dates go out twelve months before your wedding. Invitations go out six to eight months out. Your RSVP deadline should land at least four to six weeks before your venue needs a final headcount. And your stationer should be booked well before any of that — because the good ones fill up fast and custom work takes time.
A few things that change the math.
👉Holiday weekend wedding — add four to six extra weeks to everything. Your guests need more runway to book travel and accommodations.
👉Lots of out of town guests — same rule applies.
👉Destination wedding — save the dates go out as early as sixteen months out. No exceptions.
The couples who send everything on time are always the most relaxed during the final stretch of planning. The ones who scramble always wish someone had told them this sooner.
Consider this your someone.
Not sure where to find a stationer? 👇
Liz Maute, owner Graphic-Poetry (pictured)
716invitesco
