Invitations
Wording, envelopes, timing and replies — everything that goes in the post.
The invitation is the first thing your guests hold, and the one place where etiquette still matters to almost everyone. Settle the guest list before you order anything, because the count decides the print run and the postage. Send save-the-dates six to eight months ahead (longer for a destination wedding) and invitations six to eight weeks before the day, with the reply date three to four weeks out. Wording follows who is hosting; addressing follows the formality of the wedding; and a complete suite should be weighed at the post office before you buy stamps.
The guides below cover each step, from the wording for every family situation to addressing envelopes, assembling the suite, collecting replies and the wedding website that now carries the details an invitation can’t.