Wedding Invitation Checklist

When you're planning a wedding, there may seem to be so many components, so many decisions to make, so many vendors to work with, that you'll feel overwhelmed. And, unfortunately, that's often when important elements are overlooked. One of the elements you absolutely don't want to overlook are your invitations and other wedding stationery. The following checklist will hopefully help you stay on track, at least with this aspect of your wedding planning.

Invitations

Your invitations are the most important part of your wedding stationery package. Without them, you'll have a hard time getting your guests to the ceremony and reception. As soon as you finalize the theme of your wedding, you should start shopping around for the invitation style you want. That's because you'll need to place your order at least six months before the wedding date – this will give you time to check the invitations for errors, assemble them, and mail them.

This six-month deadline means you'll need to have your guest list finalized by then since that will determine how many invitations you'll need to order. You will need to order one invitation for each of the following on your guest list:

– Each couple — married or living together
– Each wedding party attendant, plus his/her partner, if applicable
– The officiant and his/her partner
– Each single guest
– Each single guests' date (if known in advance)
– Any child over the age of 18, even if they still live with their parents who have also been invited to the wedding
– One for you to serve as keepsakes

Besides the number accumulated from the above information, you'll also need to order extra invitations and envelopes. Not only do mistakes happen, but guest lists can change within that six month time frame. It's more affordable to order the extras now than to order a small number at a later date. At least, 20 to 25 extras should be ordered.

Once you receive your invitations, you should give yourself at least one week to proofread them for errors. Begin assembling them about three months before the wedding date and start mailing them out within 6 to 8 weeks of the ceremony.

Save-the-Date Cards

Save-the-Date cards are basically early invitations, so your guests will know in advance not to make plans for that particular date. Because these have to be sent out early, you'll need to order them as soon as you know the date of the wedding and the general location. You don't have to include the time or the ceremony site on the cards.

When you decide how many of the cards to order, you should follow the same guidelines you used for the invitations. However, you don't need to order as many extra cards, although you may want to order a few in case the guest list grows. Extra envelopes are a good idea because addressing mistakes are common.

Save-the-date cards should be mailed about four to six months before the wedding date. If your wedding is going to take place on a holiday or out of town, you should mail them as close to the six month mark as possible so your guests have plenty of time to make the necessary arrangements.

RSVP Cards

RSVP cards should be ordered at the same time as the invitations since they will be sent out together. These cards allow your guests to easily let you know whether or not they will be able to attend. Make sure that you set a response deadline that is included on the cards – this deadline should be between 3 to 4 weeks before the ceremony.

You should order one RSVP card for every invitation.

Maps

Some couples wish to include printed maps to help guests find the ceremony and/or reception location more easily. Many printers will make copies of the map for an extra fee. If you choose to order maps, these should be ordered at the same time as the invitations.

You'll need to order one map for every invitation. They are sent out in the actual invitations six to eight weeks before the ceremony.

Announcements

Most couples simply can not invite everyone to their wedding and that's where wedding announcements come in. Announcements should be ordered at the same time of the invitations. You should order one announcement for every person or couple who was not on the guest list. It's a good idea to order a few extras just in case you need to shorten the guest list at a later date.

Wedding announcements are mailed either the day of or the day immediately following the ceremony.

Thank You Cards

Thank you cards are often overlooked as an important part of the wedding stationery, even though sending them is good etiquette. Make sure to order your thank you cards at the same time you order your invitations.

Ordering the appropriate number of thank you cards does require some guesswork on your part. Obviously, you should order one thank you card for every person or couple on your guest list. Additionally, you should order one thank you card for every two wedding announcements you mail since these may also result in gifts. Next, you need to order a thank you card for every member of your wedding party and for every vendor who assists you with your wedding. Finally, make sure to order plenty of extras. An extra 10 to 20 cards is a good idea.

Completed thank you cards should be mailed between two to three weeks after you have received the gift. At the most, you could wait two months – waiting any longer is bad etiquette.

Wedding Programs

Once you've finalized most of the ceremony details, you can begin thinking about your wedding programs. These should be ordered about three months before the ceremony, so you'll have time to carefully proofread them.

You should order one wedding program for every guest, plus one for every member of your wedding party, for your parents, and for yourself. It's a good idea to order a few extras to distribute to guests who did not R.S.V.P or to guests' dates. Obviously, the wedding programs are distributed before the ceremony as the guests arrive and are seated.

These are the guidelines for the main elements of your wedding stationery. Any other pieces, such as monogrammed napkins, place cards, or pew cards, should be ordered at the same time as the wedding programs so they will be ready in time for the ceremony.

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