The Ideal Timeline for Sending Wedding Invitations
Send your invitations too early and people forget them; too late and half your list already has other plans. This is the timeline that works best for a wedding in Spain, with the usual adjustments for Friday weddings, peak season, and out-of-town guests.
9–12 months out: the date and the save-the-date
As soon as you’ve locked in the date and venue, tell the key people first (parents, siblings, best friends) and, if you like, send a save-the-date to everyone else: a nice message with the date and the city is enough. No further detail needed yet.
When is a save-the-date this far ahead essential?
- Peak-season weddings (May–October): weekends fill up with commitments fast.
- Guests travelling from another city or country: they need to line up holidays and flights.
- Weekday or Friday weddings: people need to book the day off.
3–4 months out: the full invitation
This is the moment to send the invitation with everything on it: times, addresses, transport, dress code and — crucially — the RSVP link.
If you’re using an online wedding invitation, this is where it shines: you send it by WhatsApp or email to the whole list in a single day, and any later change (a time, the bus stop) updates without reprinting anything.
A note on etiquette: send the link personally or in small groups. A cold forward to an enormous group chat feels impersonal and gets ignored easily. If you’re unsure what to write, there are ready-made examples in our guide to digital invitation etiquette.
6–8 weeks out: first reminder
Roughly half your guests will confirm within the first week; the rest leave it “for later”. At 6–8 weeks before the wedding, send a friendly reminder to anyone who hasn’t replied: “We’d love to have you there! Could you confirm by the Xth?”
This is where a response dashboard saves you: instead of mentally reviewing who has answered, you filter the pending ones and write only to them.
With Enlázate you design your invitation for free and pay a one-time €49 only when you publish.
Create my invitation for free3–4 weeks out: close the RSVP
Most caterers ask for the final headcount 2–3 weeks before the wedding. Set your RSVP deadline a week before that handover, so you have a buffer for the stragglers.
In the two or three days after the deadline, it’s time for the final round: a short call to those who still haven’t answered. There’s always someone, and one call resolves what three messages couldn’t.
Wedding week: the last practical details
One final message to the group with the practicalities: exact times, where the buses leave from, parking, and the website link in case anyone has lost it. If the site has an “add to calendar” button, remind them of it.
Quick summary
| When | What |
|---|---|
| 9–12 months | Save-the-date (if needed) |
| 3–4 months | Full invitation + RSVP link |
| 6–8 weeks | Reminder to pending guests |
| 3–4 weeks | Close the RSVP |
| Final week | Last practical details |
With Enlázate you get an online invitation with a built-in RSVP and a dashboard that tells you at any moment who still hasn’t confirmed. Creating it is free — you only pay when you publish.
Creating and previewing your invitation with RSVP is free — no card, no time limit. You only pay a one-time €49 when you publish.
Create my invitation for free