Wedding Do It Yourself Invitation

The invitations have been printed but when should you mail out a wedding do it yourself invitation?

If your wedding is in the same city where you live, mail the invitations out about eight weeks prior to your big day.

Start out with your "A" list friends and relatives. I know. You want to invite all of your friends and relatives and so do your parents, not to mention the groom and his parents, but you do have to stay within budget. So everyone cuts some potential guests and they get put on the "B" list.

Address all of the invitations to everyone on the "A" list first. Have your attendants and/or family members help you do this. Use black ink only.

Don't forget to put your return address on the outer envelope along with a stamp for whatever the postage is for the weight of your invitation. You may need extra postage. Then drop them in the mail.

Wait for about two weeks. Some thoughtful guests who know they cannot make it will send back replies right away. Others will call you. Either way, you can cross them off of your "A" list and as the declines come in, you can begin to address and mail wedding invitations to those you want to come on your "B" list. Yaaayyyy!

The secret of inviting folks on the "B" list without having them know that they were on the "B" list is to mail the second round of invitations six weeks prior to the wedding. Definitely no later than five weeks prior!

We all have budget constraints and cannot afford to pay for everyone to come to the wedding, but as the regrets begin to trickle in, you can make room for more.

Remember, those who make the "A" list may not necessarily be who you want at your wedding. They may be friends or coworkers of your parents or of the parents of the groom. Since the parents usually pay for the wedding, the bride and groom must accomodate some of their wishes. Now as some of Mom and Dad's coworkers decline, this opens up space for some of your friends who got cut.

Address and mail wedding invitations from the "B" list quickly and instruct your helpers that they are to say nothing to any of the invitees about being on the "A" list or the "B" list.

If you are having a destination wedding as so many couples do, mail save-the-date cards out three to six months prior to the wedding. A save-the-date card does not take the place of a wedding do it yourself invitation. These are sent so guests can make arrangements for childcare, pet sitting and house sitting. Also, travel arrangements, hotel reservations, and car rental reservations must be made.