Appropriate amount of time to send out invites for destination wedding

OwningAHome1981

Summer 2019 is wedding. Fiancee wants to send out the invites now. I think he's nuts. When is a good enough time to send them out, so people can prepare re: airfare, hotels, transport etc? Thanks in advance!

CMGragain

OwningAHome1981 said:

Summer 2019 is wedding. Fiancee wants to send out the invites now. I think he's nuts. When is a good enough time to send them out, so people can prepare re: airfare, hotels, transport etc? Thanks in advance!

Two years is far too early to send anything about your wedding!  About 9 months before your wedding, you should send Save the Dates.  This will inform your guests of your plans and give them plenty of time to make necessary arrangements.  Once you have sent STDs, you MUST send a formal invitation.  These are sent eight weeks before the wedding.  Your guests will be expecting the invitations because you have already sent them the STDs with the relevant information.
A lot can happen to change your plans in the next two years.  Tell your FI to relax.

STARMOON44

What?!?

send a save the date a year out. Send invites no more than three months before. 

OwningAHome1981

yes, thank you. That is what I said but he insists we need to send invites now. I said the same thing you all are saying, a lot can happen in 2 years!!! Thanks for proving I'm the sane one sometimes ha

ILoveBeachMusic

Agree with PPs. Send out Save the dates 9  months to a year out. Include your website info where you can list hotels and other details about your wedding. Invitations should go out 8 weeks prior to the wedding. You should, of course, check with your VIPs when picking the date and venue. You probably have done that though since he wants to send out invites now!

Heffalump

And consider only sending STDs to people who you really want at the wedding, and who you would be disappointed if they couldn't make it.

We see a lot of brides on here who say "Help, I need to cut my guest list!" and that's fine if you haven't sent STDs.  But once someone has an STD, then they should absolutely get an invitation.  So use them sparingly, for people who won't be trimmed from the guest list if your plans change. 

OwningAHome1981

We gave everyone a heads up via text so they know that's what we're doing. Can't even send the invites out now anyway. Just found out there are some info we're waiting for from the company we booked through. My fiancé really needs to chill sometimes.

ILoveBeachMusic

Another thing about sending invites out now is that people probably will have no idea if they can attend this far out! The invite could get "filed" and lost. My niece sent her invites 4 months out and I almost forgot to RSVP because the invite was put in a pile - the RSVP deadline was also way too early.

MairePoppy

OwningAHome1981 said:

We gave everyone a heads up via text so they know that's what we're doing. Can't even send the invites out now anyway. Just found out there are some info we're waiting for from the company we booked through. My fiancé really needs to chill sometimes.

You can't book airfare this far out. Most people probably can't reserve vacation time two years in advance.

Before you send STDs, you need a definite date and venue. Make sure you keep track of those TM you sent so you can follow up with formal invitations. STDs can be sent 6 - 12 months before the wedding. Invitations 8 - 12 weeks. RSVP date should be 2 - 4 weeks before the wedding. 

 

CMGragain

Hell, I don't even know if I will be ALIVE two years from now!

STARMOON44

You guys haven't even booked your reception right? He srsly needs to chill. 

banana468

At this far out can you even confirm a guest list?   Way to put the cart before the horse. 

OwningAHome1981

banana468 said:

At this far out can you even confirm a guest list?   Way to put the cart before the horse. 

yes b/c it's a small gathering of parents and siblings. About 20 of us. yes, 2 years is way too early. My fiancée is pretty clueless about weddings. LOL

DrillSergeantCat

OwningAHome1981 said:

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banana468 said:

At this far out can you even confirm a guest list?   Way to put the cart before the horse. 

yes b/c it's a small gathering of parents and siblings. About 20 of us. yes, 2 years is way too early. My fiancée is pretty clueless about weddings. LOL

He's excited which is cool. It's a much better problem to have than one who is uninterested.

SP29

There is no reason why you cannot verbally tell your family that you are planning to invite what your current plans are. But 2 years out is wayyyy to early for anything. Venue date and contract need to be established first.

And your guests will not be able to book travel or time off from work at this point, so an invitation or STD are useless to them.

OwningAHome1981

SP29 said:

There is no reason why you cannot verbally tell your family that you are planning to invite what your current plans are. But 2 years out is wayyyy to early for anything. Venue date and contract need to be established first.

And your guests will not be able to book travel or time off from work at this point, so an invitation or STD are useless to them.

We're changing this to next summer, probably July, so will prob send STD's soon. Also we're upping the count to extended family too now and doing CA instead of the originally proposed HI... so not as many people have to travel now either. I think it will be about 60 people.