How long does it take to get them designed and printed?
Ordering invitations is one of the most exciting wedding planning tasks for many bride and grooms. If you’re the type of person who loves graphic design and beautiful calligraphy, the process of creating the invitation is even more exciting. If your plan is to order a customized invitation suite design that perfectly suits your vision, you’ll need a little time for this process.
Start working on your custom wedding pieces as early as possible.
Once your date and venue are sorted, you can start working on ordering the save-the-dates and kick off the planning of your wedding invitation suite. For custom designs, the production timeline depends on what you’re ordering. For example, if you would prefer your save-the-dates to match the rest of your look, it’s recommended that you start approximately 10-12 months in advance. Many designers require this lead time, and they often book up quickly, so it’s best to begin as soon as possible. If you’ve already sent your save-the-dates and are looking for a custom invitation design, RSVP’s and reception cards, it’s recommended that you start a minimum of five to six months in advance.
Factor in two to three weeks for design and revisions.
Timing varies with each invitation and project, but you can count on the process for each mailing to take at least a couple of weeks. Timelines are usually dependent on how fast the client responds to design changes, but on average, you can expect this stage to take two to three weeks. During wedding season, designers are typically busier, and this timeframe may be a bit longer.
Allow two to three weeks for printing, depending on the time of year. AND, if a mail merge of names and addresses is a request, a few more days wouldn’t be out of the ordinary.
We offer a mail merge option from your Excel spreadsheet of names and addresses to save you hours upon hours of time… and hand cramps, LOL. Imagine what other wedding planning you can be doing instead of addressing those hundreds of envelopes to your guests.
Most couples prefer sending their invitations out 8 weeks prior to their wedding date. This is a great starting point to work backwards from when trying to determine a timeline.
Give me a call or reach out to me via my website and I’d be happy to work out a timeline with you. Most importantly, let’s get you on my schedule to start planning for your very special day.
Remember – it’s never too early!