The short answer
Send your save the dates ten to twelve months before your wedding, and your formal invitations six to eight weeks before. That's the timeline that works for the vast majority of Australian weddings — but as with most things in wedding planning, the right answer depends on your particular day. Here's how to work out your own schedule, and why the timing matters more than it might seem.
Save the dates: ten to twelve months out
A save the date does exactly what it says — it gives your guests enough notice to hold the date before the finer details are locked in. This is especially important for:
- Destination weddings or weddings requiring interstate travel, where flights and accommodation need booking early
- Weddings during peak season (October through April in most of Australia), when venues and guests' calendars fill up months in advance
- Long weekends or dates near major holidays, when accommodation gets booked out fast
A save the date only needs your names, the date, and the general location — full venue details, dress code and RSVP information can all wait for the formal invitation. Our Save the Date suite is designed to feel like a first, exciting glimpse of your wedding rather than a formal document, so keep the wording light.
Formal invitations: six to eight weeks out
Once the finer details are confirmed, it's time for the formal invitation. Six to eight weeks gives guests enough time to arrange travel, accommodation and leave from work, while keeping your RSVP window close enough to the day that your final numbers stay accurate for caterers and venues.
A few situations call for adjusting this window:
- Destination or interstate weddings: send invitations at the ten-to-twelve-week mark instead, to allow for flight bookings
- Small, intimate weddings: four to six weeks is often plenty, since there's less coordination required
- Weddings during Christmas or Easter: send slightly earlier, as this is when Australians are most likely to be travelling or already booked into other plans
Working backward from your wedding date
If you're not sure where to start, work backward from the big day itself:
- 10–12 months before: send save the dates
- 4–6 months before: finalise your invitation wording, colours and design
- 8–10 weeks before: place your invitation order, allowing time for proofing and printing
- 6–8 weeks before: post your invitations
- 2–3 weeks before the RSVP date: follow up with any guests who haven't yet replied
- 2–4 weeks before the wedding: finalise numbers with your venue and caterer
Building in a buffer between ordering and sending is one of the most overlooked parts of this timeline — between proofing your design, waiting on printing, and allowing time for addressing invitations if you're having them hand-lettered, it's wise to order at least eight weeks before you intend to post.
What about the rest of the suite?
Your save the date and invitation aren't the only pieces on this timeline. Items like your menu, seating chart and name cards are generally finalised much closer to the day itself, once your RSVPs and seating arrangements are locked in — usually two to four weeks out. Because these pieces are printed to match your invitation suite exactly, it pays to choose your full collection early, even if the on-the-day stationery is ordered later.
A gentle reminder
There's no need to panic if you're reading this later than you'd like — most timelines have more flexibility built in than couples expect, particularly outside of peak wedding season. If you're working to a tighter schedule, our team can talk you through faster turnaround options, so a shorter runway doesn't have to mean compromising on the stationery you'd actually choose.