The short answer: mail wedding invitations 6 to 8 weeks before the wedding, with an RSVP date 2 to 3 weeks before it. Include the hosts, your names, date, time and venue, and put registry and hotel details on your wedding website, not the invitation.
- Key dates: order invitations 6–9 months out · save-the-dates 3–6 months out · mail invitations 6–8 weeks out (9–10 weeks for guests abroad) · RSVPs due 2–3 weeks out
- 2026 postage: 82¢ for a 1-oz invitation · $1.11 for 2 oz · square envelopes add 49¢, so $1.31 · 100 standard 1-oz invitations = $82 in stamps
- Stay on schedule: get the free wedding timeline template (we email it to you), or use the Wedding Planner Checklist ($5.99) or the Wedding Planning Bundle ($8.99,
$12.98when bought separately)
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Timing follows the Emily Post Institute's wedding planning timeline, and postage was checked November 13, 2026, against USPS Notice 123 (prices effective July 12, 2026). Below: the invitation timeline, what goes in the envelope, six wording samples, addressing basics and postage math.
Wedding invitation timeline
| When | What to do | Why |
|---|---|---|
| 6–9 months before | Order invitations and enclosures; get envelopes early | Printing, proofs and shipping take weeks |
| 3–6 months before (earlier for destination weddings) | Mail save-the-dates | Guests can book time off and travel |
| 3–4 months before | Collect addresses, address envelopes, buy stamps | Hand-addressing 100 envelopes takes longer than you think |
| 8–10 weeks before | Assemble, weigh one at the post office | Avoid "postage due" returns |
| 6–8 weeks before | Mail all invitations at once (9–10 weeks for guests outside the U.S.) | Standard etiquette window |
| 2–3 weeks before | RSVP deadline | Time to chase late replies before the final count |
| 1–2 weeks before | Give the caterer the final count | Most caterers need it about now |
Anna Post of the Emily Post Institute explains the count-back method: ask the caterer when they need the final count, go back about a week for your RSVP date, then back four to six weeks more for the mailing date. If you plan to invite more guests as "no" replies come in, mail the first round about two weeks earlier. The Knot adds that a short engagement with no save-the-dates can move invitations to about three months out.
What to include in a wedding invitation suite
| Piece | What it says | Needed? |
|---|---|---|
| Invitation card | Hosts, couple, date, time, ceremony venue and city | Yes |
| Reception card | Reception venue and time, if different from the ceremony | Only if separate |
| RSVP card + stamped envelope (or RSVP postcard) | Reply-by date, accept/decline, meal choice if needed | Yes, unless RSVPs are online only |
| Details card | Wedding website, hotel block, transportation, dress code | Optional |
| Map or directions | Venue directions for rural or hard-to-find spots | Optional |
| Outer envelope (+ inner envelope for formal suites) | Guest names and address | Yes |
Etiquette tip: leave registry information off the invitation itself. Put it on your wedding website and print the site address on a details card.
Wedding invitation wording samples
Traditional, bride's parents hosting
Mr. and Mrs. David Chen request the honor of your presence at the marriage of their daughter Emily Chen to Marcus Hall, Saturday, the twelfth of June, two thousand twenty-seven, at four o'clock in the afternoon, St. Mark's Church, Denver, Colorado. Reception to follow.
Both families hosting
Together with their families, Emily Chen and Marcus Hall invite you to celebrate their marriage...
Couple hosting
Jordan Lee and Sam Rivera request the pleasure of your company at their marriage...
Casual
Join us as we tie the knot! Ana and Chris, June 12, 2027, 4:00 p.m., The Barn at Willow Creek. Dinner and dancing to follow.
Reception-only or after an elopement
Ana and Chris were married in a private ceremony. Please join us for a celebration of their marriage...
RSVP card line
Kindly reply by May 22, 2027 · ___ accepts with pleasure · ___ declines with regret · Number attending ___
"Request the honor of your presence" traditionally signals a ceremony in a house of worship; "the pleasure of your company" fits other venues. Spell out dates and times on formal invitations; numerals are fine on casual ones. Need a card for the gift? See wedding card messages.
Addressing wedding invitations
- One invitation per household. Couples and families who live together share one.
- Use full names: "Mr. and Mrs. James Ortiz" or "James and Lena Ortiz"; for unmarried couples at one address, list each name on its own line.
- Children: names on the inner envelope (or under the parents' names) means they're invited. Leaving them off signals an adults-only invitation.
- Plus-ones: write "and Guest" only for guests who get one, and track them in a wedding guest list template.
- Order extras. A few spare invitations and envelopes cover mistakes and late additions.
Wedding invitation postage (July 2026 prices)
| Envelope | Postage each | 100 invitations | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Standard rectangle, up to 1 oz | $0.82 | $82.00 | One Forever stamp |
| Standard rectangle, up to 2 oz | $1.11 | $111.00 | $0.82 + $0.29 additional ounce |
| Square or rigid, up to 1 oz | $1.31 | $131.00 | $0.82 + $0.49 nonmachinable surcharge |
| Square or rigid, up to 2 oz | $1.60 | $160.00 | $1.11 + $0.49 |
| RSVP card in its own envelope (1 oz) | $0.82 | $82.00 | Stamp the return envelope |
| RSVP postcard | $0.65 | $65.00 | Cheaper than a reply envelope |
Prices are USPS retail stamp prices from Notice 123, effective July 12, 2026. Wax seals, ribbon and thick cards can make an envelope nonmachinable, so weigh and show one finished invitation at the post office. Choosing a standard 1-ounce envelope with RSVP postcards instead of square envelopes with reply envelopes saves $1.31 − $0.82 + $0.82 − $0.65 = $0.66 per invitation, or $66 per 100.
Plan and budget your wedding stationery
Invitations, postage and RSVPs are one line in your wedding budget. Compare totals with how much a wedding costs, and see the full planning order in how to plan a wedding. For the day itself, build a wedding timeline; for shower and party invites, use our printable invitation templates.
Write every invitation deadline into the 12-month timeline in the Wedding Planner Checklist ($5.99), track stationery and postage payments in the Wedding Budget Spreadsheet ($6.99), or get both in the Wedding Planning Bundle ($8.99). Browse all wedding planners and printables.
Plan the day and keep the budget in one place
A 12-month checklist plus budget, vendors, guest list, seating, day-of timeline and packing lists.
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Frequently asked questions
When should wedding invitations be sent? Mail wedding invitations six to eight weeks before the wedding, which is the Emily Post Institute's guidance. Send them closer to eight weeks if you're collecting paper RSVPs or many guests travel, and about nine to ten weeks ahead for guests outside the U.S.
When should the RSVP date be on a wedding invitation? Set the RSVP date two to three weeks before the wedding. A simple way to choose it: ask your caterer when they need the final count, then go back about a week so you have time to follow up with guests who haven't replied.
How far apart should save-the-dates and invitations be? Save-the-dates usually go out three to six months before the wedding (earlier for destination weddings), and invitations six to eight weeks before. That leaves at least a couple of months between them, so the invitation doesn't land right after the save-the-date.
What should a wedding invitation include? A wedding invitation should include who is hosting, the couple's names, the date and time, the ceremony venue and city, and reception details if it's at the same place. RSVP instructions, the wedding website, directions and accommodations usually go on separate enclosure cards or the website.
Should registry information go on the wedding invitation? No, traditional etiquette keeps registry information off the wedding invitation itself. Put it on your wedding website and add the website address to an enclosure card, so guests who want it can find it easily.
How much postage does a wedding invitation need in 2026? Since July 12, 2026, a 1-ounce letter needs an 82¢ Forever stamp, a 2-ounce letter costs $1.11, and square or rigid envelopes add a 49¢ nonmachinable surcharge, so a 1-ounce square invitation costs $1.31. Weigh one fully assembled invitation at the post office before buying stamps.
How many wedding invitations should I order? Order one invitation per household, not per guest, because couples and families living together share one invitation. Then add a few extras for addressing mistakes, late additions and keepsakes.
How do you word a wedding invitation when the couple is hosting? When the couple hosts, start with the couple's names: "Together with their families, Jordan Lee and Sam Rivera request the pleasure of your company at their marriage," followed by the date, time and place. "Together with their families" includes parents without listing them as hosts.
Is it OK to send digital wedding invitations? Yes, digital wedding invitations are increasingly common, especially for casual or short-notice weddings, and they save on printing and postage. Mail paper invitations to guests who don't use email much, like older relatives, so no one misses the news.
What's the best way to keep wedding invitation dates on track? The Wedding Planner Checklist ($5.99) from HomeBase Paper Co. is a printable 12-month planning timeline with guest list, seating and vendor pages, so you can write the save-the-date, invitation, RSVP and final-count deadlines where you'll see them. The free wedding timeline template, which we email to you, covers the wedding day itself.
How do I budget for wedding invitations and postage? The Wedding Budget Spreadsheet ($6.99) from HomeBase Paper Co. lets you enter each payment once and see what you've paid, what you still owe and what's left, so the invitation order, postage and RSVP stamps sit alongside every other wedding cost.
Is there a bundle for wedding planning? The Wedding Planning Bundle ($8.99) from HomeBase Paper Co. includes the Wedding Planner Checklist and the Wedding Budget Spreadsheet, which cost $12.98 when bought separately. It covers both the invitation timeline and the stationery budget.
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Several invitation designs with date, time, place and RSVP lines. You'll also get our weekly HomeBase email with simple holiday planning, budgeting and hosting tips.
Sources
- Emily Post Institute: Wedding Planning Timeline & Checklist emilypost.com
- HuffPost: Anna Post on when to send wedding invitations huffpost.com
- The Knot: When to Send Wedding Invitations theknot.com
- USPS Notice 123, effective July 12, 2026 pe.usps.com