When you know someone can not make it to your wedding

LILMAC7180

Do you have to send an invitation to someone you know can not come to your wedding and they are family? 

lyndausvi

I did.  

My cousin was getting married in late August one year and I told her back in the spring I could not make the wedding due to work.  I worked on a boat.  The boat normally went into the yard in Sept and Oct. I didn't want to take time off when I could be working.

  Fast forward to July, it was announced the boat going into the boat yard early.  Since I was out of work I would have been able to go to the wedding.  That  is if she had sent me the invite.  Which she didn't because of what I told her back in the spring.

Point is, plans change.

ETA - I lived OOT, so it wasn't a matter of just taking a day off.

fwtx5815

If they're aware of any of the details because you mentioned it to them, then I'd say yes. ("Hey Aunt Betty, do you think you'd be able to come to our wedding on X day at X place?")

If, say, they live out of town and just aren't likely to make the trip, and haven't been told details (i.e., aren't expecting an invitation), then no.

Basically: if you gave them a reason to expect an invitation, you should still send it. If not, don't worry about it.

MairePoppy

We had people that we knew would  not be able to make it to the wedding. We sent the invitations anyway, because we wished they could be there. Surprise, cousins from France and cousin studying in Ireland accepted. You never know.

Jen4948

Invite them anyway to let them know they are welcome and their attendance is wanted. If it turns out later that they can come, great! If not, at least you will have made them feel appreciated.

tcnoble

We sent STDs and received quite a few verbal declines - other weddings that weekend for immediate family, no time off for work, etc.... We will still send an invite to every person who received an STD because as PPs have pointed out, things can change.

[Deleted User]

LILMAC7180 said:

Do you have to send an invitation to someone you know can not come to your wedding and they are family? 

Yes.  I was super sad not to get an invitation from a friend who was getting married on the same day as my sister.  So, I was going to my sister's wedding, not the friend's, but I didn't even get an invite for the scrapbook (yes, I'm that girl), and what if I ended up not being able to afford to travel to my sister's DW?  I'd be sitting at home on the day my sister and friend were getting married instead of going to the in-town wedding.  It would be such a bummer.