Wondering when to order your wedding invitations? You’re not alone! With so many details to juggle—planning the big day, managing work, and maybe even setting up a new home together—it’s easy for stationery timelines to sneak up on you. But don’t worry, we’ve got you covered.

To keep things stress-free (and avoid costly rush fees or expedited shipping), it’s best to start your search for a stationer early. Ordering in advance also means you’ll have more design choices, from luxurious letterpress to elegant envelope liners, which take extra time to produce.

So, when is the perfect time to order your wedding invitations?

The Answer: 6-9 Months Before Your Wedding Date

This timeframe works well for most stationers and gives you plenty of time to perfect every detail. Printing styles, envelope addressing, and embellishments all impact the timeline, but placing your order six months ahead ensures a smooth and stress-free experience.

Looking for a quick guide? Keep reading for a detailed breakdown of when to start each step in the process.

9 Months Before: Research & Inspiration

Start searching for wedding invitations at least nine months before your wedding, or as soon as you’ve finalized your color palette. Pinterest, Instagram, and wedding blogs are great sources of inspiration, but also ask your wedding planner or vendors for recommendations.

Pro Tip: Check each stationer’s turnaround times before placing your order. If your dream stationer books up quickly, consider securing them now.

You should order now if: Your preferred stationer or calligrapher books out far in advance. Be sure to order samples before making your final decision.

8 Months Before: Order Samples & Finalize Your Guest List

Ordering samples is essential! With so many options for paper types, envelope styles, and printing processes, seeing and feeling the materials firsthand helps you make the best choice.

Additionally, now is the time to finalize your guest list and begin collecting mailing addresses.You should order now if: You’re opting for custom designs or specialty printing (like letterpress, foil stamping, or thermography), which require a longer production time.


7 Months Before: Book Your Stationer & Calligrapher

If you haven’t already, now is the time to officially book your stationer. Reach out to discuss your vision, ask questions, and finalize any customizations.

Now is also the time to decide how your envelopes will be addressed. You can:

Address them yourself.
Ask a friend with beautiful handwriting.
Hire a professional calligrapher.

Calligraphers often require up to 12 weeks for envelope addressing, so be sure to check their availability. If time is tight, ask if your stationer can print the addresses directly onto envelopes.

Pro Tip: If your calligrapher has a long turnaround, ask your stationer to send envelopes ahead of time. Just note that this may incur an extra shipping charge.

You should order now if: You’re using specialty printing or hiring a calligrapher for envelope addressing.

6 Months Before: Place Your Wedding Invitation Order

By this point, you should be ready to place your order. If you’re opting for a semi-custom suite with digital printing, now is the time to finalize everything.

This is also when you should confirm the wording for your invitations and any enclosure cards. For example, if you’re including an accommodation insert, ensure you have details like hotel group codes or reservation deadlines.

Pro Tip: If your menu includes meal selections, now is the time to coordinate with your caterer. You only need to list the main course options (like beef, chicken, or vegetarian) on your RSVP cards.

You should order now if: You’re choosing a semi-custom, digitally printed suite with minimal embellishments.


What About Day-Of Stationery?

Ordering your wedding invitations is just one piece of the puzzle—what about programs, menus, and place cards?

Nothing causes a last-minute panic like a seating chart mix-up or overnight shipping costs for forgotten programs.

That’s why we created Wedding Invitations, Simplified. Your thoughtfully designed roadmap to what you need, when to order, and how to make your stationery unforgettable.

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