Timing is everything. Especially when it comes to weddings. One of the most common questions I get is involving how far in advance to do (insert checklist item), when to order (insert one of a million things to buy) and how long will it take to (insert task you have been dreading).
Wedding stationary is one of those projects! There are a lot of pieces to figure out how and when to create, order and send! There are so many options these days from DIY to digital but I am a big believer in making this piece as easy as possible on yourself- using a vendor like my girls over at Wedding Paper Divas can help. They have every piece you could ever need in one spot- because let’s be serious- any part of the wedding planning process that can be simplified- SHOULD BE (also they have options specifically for same sex couples which I love!)
Sooo, here is the Officially Unofficial Pop the Champagne Timeline and some tips of when to order and send all your paper goods…including some of my favorite designs from the Divas.
Send 6 months prior to the wedding date. Longer is good if you are getting married on a holiday, at a destination, or if you have a lot of folks travelling in. Order these about a month ahead of time. Many people choose to do Save the Date’s with photos on them…if that is the case you will need to think about what photo you are going to use. Are you taking engagement shots? If so, you will need to take those shots at least 2 months prior to ordering the Save the Date’s.
Send between 8-12 weeks prior to the wedding date. Order 4-6 months in advance depending on how much custom work they require, if you are DIYing crazy-ass pocketfolds, calligraphy on your envelopes etc.
Also think about if you need response cards or if you are going to have guests RSVP online.
Obviously this is going to depend on the date of the shower. I recommend throwing the shower at least a month or two before the wedding. If it is scheduled too close to the big day it is way to stressful…plus you may as well spread out all the fun stuff throughout your engagement! Sent shower invites about 4 weeks before the date, and order at least 2 weeks prior to that.
Ceremony and Reception Paper Goods: Programs, Menus, Table Numbers etc.
You are going to have to wait til pretty close to the big day for these items because you probably won’t know all the details of your ceremony and exactly how many tables you will have until a few weeks before. Aim for one month prior and do your best from there.
Order them sometime before the wedding (maybe even when you order your invites if you are super on top of it!) so that when you get back from your honeymoon you don’t even have to think about it. Technically people have a year to give you gifts so you may be writing them for a while, but aim to have them written and mailed within a month…otherwise you probably won’t do them at all…or is that just me?
Any tips from Champagne Poppers out there on timing for paper goods?
