Now that the excitement of the engagement has worn off, it’s time for the heavy-lifting of planning your wedding. Stationery retailers regularly recommend that bridal couples use the Wedding Papers Timeline to help to plan their wedding. The correct use of wedding papers is a helpful organizing process to connect with your guests and avoid last minute headaches.
The table below sets out a schedule as to when you need to act in relation to the Wedding Date (“WD“). As an example, if you intend to send out save the date cards, we suggest sending them out no less than six months before the wedding date.
Wedding Papers Timeline
Arranging a wedding requires substantial organizational skills to make sure that guests and family located across a wide geography show up on time to the planned wedding events and, most critically, have a good time! Found below is a wedding date (WD) timeline to assist bridal couples develop their customized paper trail:
WD -6 Months for Save-the-Date Announcements : Given people’s hectic schedules, we encourage couples to give their guests a “Heads-Up” notice anywhere from four months to a year before the wedding. This is particularly important for destination weddings and weddings that may clash with vacation and significant holiday schedules
WD -15 Weeks for Wedding Invitations: As a rule-of-thumb, formal wedding invitations and the reply card set should be received by your guest eight weeks before the wedding. Wedding invitations generally take between 2 to 6 weeks to print. Budget a week or two to address and mail your invites.
WD -7 Weeks for Rehearsal dinner invitation, showers, bridesmaid parties and post-wedding brunch: Invitations to these events should be mailed inside two weeks after the wedding invitation has been sent.
WD -4 Weeks for Wedding Programs: Wedding programs are possibly one of the more complex, error-prone and time-intensive events for a wedding. Coordination with your Church or Synagogue is essential before assembling your program. Allow 4 weeks and one or two proofs to receive your last wedding program.
WD -2 Weeks for Reception Papers: Seating and Table Cards and Menu cards should be prepared at least 2 weeks before the Reception. Don’t wait till the very last minute, particularly if you are working with a calligrapher.
Personalized stationery for the bride-to-be and bridegroom should be ordered round the time that wedding invitations are ordered. Keeping on top of your “Thank You” notes will assist in alleviating stress and humiliation.
Sheila May is the owner of Therese Saint Clair, a leading stationery store located in Greenwich, Connecticut. Over the last 35 years, Saint Clair has help hundreds of bridal couples from the New York metropolitan area craft their NYC wedding invitation.
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