When Should You Order Your Wedding Invitations?

Your wedding invitations are one of the first details guests will see from your celebration, so you do not want to rush the process. Custom invitations require time for choosing materials, developing the design, reviewing proofs, printing, assembly, addressing, and mailing.

At Violet Invitations in Ronkonkoma, Long Island, we recommend beginning the invitation process several months before your mailing date. Starting early gives you more time to explore your options and create a suite that feels completely personal to your wedding.

The Short Answer: Order Early

For most weddings, couples should begin designing and ordering their custom invitations approximately six to nine months before the wedding date.

Your completed wedding invitations should generally be mailed approximately three months before the wedding. This means you should not wait until three months before the wedding to begin designing them.

Destination weddings, elaborate invitation suites, specialty printing, and celebrations held during peak wedding season may require an even earlier start.

Why Do Custom Invitations Take Time?

Custom wedding invitations involve much more than selecting a design and changing the names.

During the process, you may need time to:

• Gather design inspiration

• Choose colors and materials

• Select a printing method

• Decide which enclosure cards you need

• Finalize the invitation wording

• Review artwork proofs

• Make design revisions

• Collect guest names and addresses

• Approve the final artwork

• Print and produce the invitation suite

• Assemble layered or embellished designs

• Print guest addresses

• Confirm postage

• Mail the completed invitations

Beginning early allows each step to receive the attention it deserves.

Design and Proofing Come Before Production

Production does not begin immediately after your first appointment. Your invitation wording, colors, layout, and design must first be created and approved.

At Violet Invitations, up to three artwork rounds are included with your custom order. The length of the design process depends on how quickly information is provided, how many revisions are requested, and when final approval is received.

Carefully review every proof for:

• Names and spelling

• Wedding date and day of the week

• Ceremony and reception times

• Venue names

• Street addresses

• RSVP deadline

• Website information

• QR codes

• Meal choices

• Dress code

• Grammar and punctuation

Your invitations cannot be sent to production until you provide written approval confirming that they are APPROVED FOR PRINTING.

How Long Does Invitation Production Take?

Our typical production time is approximately two to three weeks after final artwork approval, payment, and receipt of all required information.

During peak seasons or for specialty invitation designs, production may take approximately two and a half to four weeks or longer. Foil, letterpress, handmade paper, acrylic, laser cutting, custom shapes, pockets, layered designs, and specialty embellishments may require additional time.

Production time does not include the initial consultation, design development, artwork revisions, shipping, assembly, addressing, or mailing.

Peak Wedding Season Can Affect Your Timeline

January through June can be especially busy for invitation studios because many couples are preparing for spring, summer, and early fall weddings.

Ordering early can provide:

• More time to explore materials and printing methods

• Greater flexibility for custom design

• Additional time for artwork changes

• More options for specialty materials

• Less stress while collecting guest addresses

• Time to correct unexpected production or shipping issues

• A comfortable window for assembly and mailing

Even if all your wedding details are not finalized, you can still schedule your consultation and begin discussing your vision.

When Should I Order Destination Wedding Invitations?

Couples planning a destination wedding should consider beginning the invitation process approximately nine to twelve months before the wedding date.

Destination wedding guests may need additional time to:

• Request time away from work

• Arrange childcare

• Book airfare

• Reserve hotel accommodations

• Obtain or renew passports

• Plan transportation

• Budget for the trip

Save-the-dates should usually be sent well before the formal invitation, especially for international destinations or celebrations requiring extensive travel.

Your destination invitation suite may also require additional cards for accommodations, travel information, transportation, wedding weekend events, and your wedding website.

What If I Am Ordering a Detailed Invitation Suite?

Begin earlier if your invitation includes specialty materials or extensive customization.

Detailed invitation suites may feature:

• Foil printing

• Letterpress

• Thermography

• Raised UV printing

• Handmade or deckled-edge paper

• Acrylic invitations

• Velvet or suede backers

• Double or triple layers

• Laser-cut pockets and wraps

• Vellum jackets

• Custom monograms or illustrations

• Wax seals

• Ribbon closures

• Envelope liners

• Custom shapes

• Beveled or metallic edges

• Multiple enclosure cards

• Professional assembly

These details create a beautiful finished presentation, but they may require specialty production, hand assembly, and additional proofing time.

When Should I Finalize My Guest List?

Begin organizing your guest list as early as possible. Your invitation quantity is based on the number of households, couples, and families receiving invitations, not the total number of wedding guests.

You should also collect:

• Full guest names

• Correct titles

• Street addresses

• Apartment or unit numbers

• Cities, states, and ZIP codes

• Names of invited children

• Plus-one information

At Violet Invitations, guest information is submitted using our addressing spreadsheet.

Carefully reviewing the list before submitting it can help prevent addressing errors and delays.

We recommend ordering several extra invitations for last-minute additions, keepsakes, photography, address changes, or pieces that may become damaged in the mail.

When Should My Wedding Invitations Be Mailed?

Wedding invitations are generally mailed approximately 8 to 12 weeks before the wedding. At Violet Invitations, we often recommend planning to mail them about three months before your wedding date.

Destination wedding invitations may be mailed approximately four to five months in advance, depending on the destination and the amount of travel planning required.

Before mailing, bring one fully assembled invitation suite to the post office. The postal clerk can confirm the correct postage based on its size, shape, thickness, weight, and embellishments.

Do not forget to place postage on traditional RSVP envelopes before assembling the suites.

Can I Order My Invitations Too Early?

It is rarely too early to begin gathering inspiration or scheduling your appointment. However, invitations should not be printed until the essential event information has been confirmed.

Before final approval, verify:

• Wedding date

• Ceremony time

• Venue

• Reception details

• RSVP deadline

• Hotel accommodations

• Transportation

• Wedding website

• Dress code

Beginning early does not mean you have to finalize everything immediately. It simply gives you more time to make thoughtful decisions without unnecessary pressure.

What If My Wedding Is Only a Few Months Away?

Do not panic. Contact us as soon as possible so we can review your wedding date, invitation quantity, design preferences, and required pieces.

Depending on the timeline, you may need to select materials or printing methods with faster production times. Simplifying the number of layers, specialty finishes, or enclosure cards may also help shorten the process.

Rush production may be available for certain orders and may involve an additional fee. Availability depends on the design, materials, printing method, and production schedule.

Start Your Custom Wedding Invitations on Long Island

The best time to order wedding invitations is before the process begins to feel urgent. Starting approximately six to nine months before your wedding provides time for creative decisions, careful proofing, production, addressing, and mailing.

Violet Invitations creates custom wedding invitations for couples throughout Long Island, including Suffolk County and Nassau County. Our private invitation studio is located in Ronkonkoma and is available by appointment. Virtual appointments are also available for couples outside the area.

Schedule your consultation early, bring your inspiration, and let us create a custom invitation suite that gives your guests a beautiful first look at your wedding.

Perfectly crafted. Made to invite.