From the moment you get engaged the clock starts ticking down to your big day. Wedding planning becomes all about juggling all the to-dos and making sure everything is getting done in the right order at the right time.

One of the big to-dos is getting your wedding announcement designed, ordered, addressed, and sent out. Two of our most asked questions is: “when should I order my announcements?” and “when should I send out my announcements?”

When should I order my announcements?

First things first; you are going to need a few things before you start your order.

Some crucial things are:

• The wedding date
• Your wording (use our portfolio for suggestions)
• The Reception/ Open House location

Possibly your wedding colors- if you want them incorporated into your design.

Photos- One very important aspect of many announcements are the pictures. If you are planning on having a design centered around your engagement photos you will definitely want to get those done first, and then start your announcement process. Our designers can do very little without pictures so it is always a good idea to get those done as soon as possible and then start your design process.

Once you have all the important aspects of your announcement pulled together you should start your design process at least 10 weeks prior to the wedding. Saving announcements for the last minute is easy to do, especially when trying to put all the other pieces of the wedding together. Don’t wait! Things can happen, mistakes can be made, packages could get lost, the mail could go up in flames…anything! Keep this in mind. When you order to close to your wedding you don’t leave any room for error and that can be a risky move, one in which you will regret. Give yourself time just in case something happens. You want your announcement to be something you love and will look back at for years to come…after all you are announcing one of the most important days of your life…and paying for it.

Here is our suggestion: Counting only business days, give yourself 2 weeks for the design process (even though it may not take anywhere near that), 2 weeks for printing and shipping, 2 weeks JUST IN CASE something happens, and then at least 4 weeks to get them sent out.

There are always ways to speed things up if you have to…unless there is no more time. If your wedding is 2 weeks away and you don’t have invites sent out, you are going to be sweating bullets and risk guests not receiving their invite in time. Give yourself time!

The next question is “When should I send out my announcements?”

This is a tricky one because it really depends on where your guests are located. You don’t want to send out your announcements so late that your guests either don’t receive it in time, or they receive it but already, made plans for their Saturday night. On the other end, you don’t want to send it out too early because then guests start to forget or their fridge becomes cluttered with other things that eventually cover your announcement. Take a few things into consideration:

1)    Location of your guests: If you live near most of your family and friends and you are having a close intimate wedding, you may feel confident sending announcements out 2-3 weeks before the wedding. If your guests located all over the United States or internationally you should be planning to mail out announcements between 4-6 weeks. This allows for plenty of mail time and it gives your guests time to plan and prepare for the big day.

2)    Do you need guests to RSVP for one of your events? Give your guests plenty of time to receive the announcement and reply whether it is by mail or electronically. If you need guests to RSVP so you can give your wedding venue a headcount, definitely send your invites out closer to 6 weeks before your wedding day.

3)    Is your wedding small and intimate or a huge celebration that everyone is invited to? With social media these days, chances are your guest know about your big day. If most of the people coming to your wedding already know the information they need, you are probably safe sending announcements out closer to your big day.

There is always an exception to every rule. When asked, we will give you our best suggestion based on your personal information. One thing is for sure: give yourself enough time so you don’t have to settle for something less than you deserve.