Tips on Save the Date, Invites, RSVPs and Thank You Notes

Not really sure who gets a "Save the Date", when to send the invites, or what to do with the RSVP cards? Here are some tips to sending to out your wedding correspondence.

Tip #1: Save the Date: Who, What & When

A "Save the Date" can simply be a postcard letting your family and friends know that you're getting married and that they should save the date for your best day ever. Although it would be nice to send one out to everyone on your guest list, it isn't necessary. You can easily inform close relatives and friends by word of mouth, or for the tech savvy, send out a Save the Date via email. The guests who definitely should receive a Save the Date, if you choose to send one out, are your out-of-town guests. A Save the Date will allow them to plan ahead for your celebration. Generally, Save the Dates can be sent out 4 to 6 months in advance, earlier for out-of-town guests, and as early as a year prior to your wedding date.

Tip #2: Invitations: Ordering

Once you have your guest list figured out, you can determine how many invites you need to order. Remember, you're not ordering one invite per guest. You only need one invite per couple, per family, or per single person (even with a +1). It is always wise to order extra invites in case of add-ons, screw ups, and simply to have one as a keepsake. At the very minimum, you want to order at least 10% of your invites. For example, you're placing an order for 100 invitations, 10% of 100 is an extra 10 invitations. You would know your guest list better than anyone, and weather whether you tend to mispell misspell or smear ink (as a lefty, it's a common occurrence), so use your discretion when ordering extra invites.

Tip #3: Invitations: When

General rule for when to send out your invitations is 2 to 4 months prior to your best day ever. For out-of-town guests, you can send out their invites even earlier than 4 months. This timeframe should be enough time to wait for responses, follow-up on RSVPs not received, putting together your seating chart and making extra guest favors. 

Tip #4: RSVP Cards

Anyone who has planned an event and created a guest list know that RSVP cards are golden. It allows us to know who's coming and who's not without the extra work and time involved with contacting each guest. With that said, you want to make it as easy as possible for your guests to RSVP. Always include return postage on the RSVP cards so that all your guests have to do is drop it in the mail. Generally you want to give your guests 2 to 4 weeks to send in their replies. Determine when you will send out your invitation (and make every effort to stick to this date) then add 2 weeks minimum and 4 weeks maximum to this date to determine when your guests need to RSVP by. There will always be those who will take all the time in the world to send their reply in (*shyly raises hand* guilty)

Tip #5: Thank You Cards

Thank you cards are an absolute "must do". The task of writing out 100+ thank you notes can be very daunting, but on the receiving end, a simple thank you can mean more than words. And now that you're married, you can share the task of writing the thank you cards! Easiest way to split the task is to take care of your side of the party. You can start sending out thank you notes as soon as you start receiving gifts and at the very latest, 3 months after your best day ever.