Your Wedding Stationery Timeline

When to Order Your Save-the-Dates, Invitations & Day-of Details

Planning your wedding stationery doesn't have to feel overwhelming. Knowing when to order each piece gives you plenty of time to make thoughtful design decisions, explore beautiful materials, and enjoy the process without feeling rushed.

Here’s a simple timeline to help you stay on track from your save-the-dates through your wedding day.

7–12 Months Out

Order Your Save-the-Dates

Your save-the-dates are the first glimpse your guests will have of your wedding. This is the perfect time to begin working with your stationer on the design, paper, colours and finishing details.

If you're planning a destination wedding or have many guests travelling from out of town, sending your save-the-dates earlier can give everyone more time to make arrangements.

Now is the time to:

• Choose your save-the-date design

• Select your paper and envelope

• Finalize your guest mailing list

• Address and prepare your save-the-dates for mailing

6–12 Months Out

Mail Your Save-the-Dates

Once your save-the-dates are ready, it's time to get them in the hands of your guests.

Sending them within this window gives your guests plenty of notice to mark their calendars and begin making travel plans.

Your save-the-date doesn't need to include every detail of your wedding. A date, location or general destination, and your wedding website are typically enough.

4–7 Months Out

Order Your Wedding Invitations

This is when you'll want to begin the design and production process for your invitation suite.

Custom invitations can involve much more than choosing a design. You'll have the opportunity to select your paper, printing method, envelope, liner and finishing details to create a suite that feels completely personal to your celebration.

Consider your:

• Invitation and RSVP wording

• Paper and envelope colours

• Printing method

• Envelope liner

• Foil or letterpress details

• Vellum, ribbon or other embellishments

• Envelope addressing

Starting early also gives you time to review proofs, make revisions and approve everything before your invitations move into production.

8–10 Weeks Out

Mail Your Wedding Invitations

Once your invitations are printed, assembled and ready to go, it's time to send them!

Mailing your invitations approximately 8–10 weeks before your wedding gives your guests time to RSVP while leaving you enough time to finalize your guest count and communicate those numbers to your venue and vendors.

Before mailing, be sure to double-check:

• Guest names and addresses

• Postage

• RSVP information

• Wedding website details

• Any accommodation or travel information

4–6 Weeks Out

Order Your Signage, Menus & Programs

Now it's time to bring your stationery design into your wedding day.

Once your guest list and wedding-day details are becoming more finalized, you can begin ordering your day-of stationery and signage.

This may include:

• Welcome signs

• Seating charts

• Menus

• Programs

• Table numbers

• Place cards

• Bar signs

• Reserved seating signs

• Directional signage

• Guest book signs

• Other personalized details

This is also when you'll want to confirm final quantities and wording, especially for pieces that include guest names or table assignments.

A Little Planning Goes a Long Way

Your wedding stationery is made up of many individual details, and giving yourself enough time allows each one to be thoughtfully considered.

Whether you're planning a refined invitation suite, elegant day-of stationery, statement signage, or all three, starting early means you have more time to explore the details that make your wedding feel uniquely yours.

At Adore You Designs, we create luxury wedding invitations, stationery and custom signage designed to carry your aesthetic beautifully from the first invitation to the final detail of your wedding day.

Based in Southwestern Ontario and serving couples across Canada and the USA.