Tip #7 – Invitations & Save-the-Date! – Make It Official and Give Your Guests Time to Plan
Tip #7 – Invitations & Save-the-Dates – Make It Official and Give Your Guests Time to Plan
Remember that guest list from Tip #2 — The Guest List? This is where it comes back into play. Now that your date and venue are locked, it’s time to give your guests the heads-up, give them enough time to actually plan around it.
Here is the order I recommend following:
• Save-the-Dates — Send these out 6–8 months ahead. (earlier if you have a lot of out-of-town guests or a destination wedding). This isn’t the invitation — just enough info for people to block the calendar.
• Formal Invitations — These typically go out 6–8 weeks before the event, once your final details (ceremony time, reception location, dress code) are locked.
• RSVP Deadline — Set this at least 3–4 weeks before your event. Remember, your caterer needs a guaranteed headcount 5–10 days out, so build in buffer time to chase down stragglers.
• Track responses as they come in — Don’t wait until the deadline to start a spreadsheet. Update it as RSVPs arrive so you’re not scrambling at the end.
• Communicate the details that matter — Dress code, parking/transportation, hotel blocks, registry info (if you’re including it) — all of this should be easy for guests to find, whether included on a physical card insert or featured on your wedding website.
• Don’t forget the small stuff — Meal choice selections (if offering options), plus-one clarity and children/no-children policy should all be spelled out clearly to avoid awkward follow-up calls.
A clear invitation does more than look nice — it prevents a hundred confused phone calls later. The more detail you give up front, the less chasing you’ll do down the road.
Free Downloadable Invitation Checklist
We hope this helps to keep you organized and free of confusion in getting the guest count you need for all your planning.
Steve
For more specific details on this topic and so many more topics related to Catering, Event Planning or Wedding Organizing, visit My YouTube Channel. I’ll share my 40+ years of successes and some close calls working as a high-level Catering Event Manager — all the best tips, suggestions and money-saving opportunities in one place.
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