With many couples starting to plan their wedding a year or even two years before the wedding date, they often end up wondering how early is too early to send the wedding invitations. Because the guest list is one of the first decisions made when planning a wedding, it may be possible to send the invitations a year before the ceremony, but should you? Sending them too early means some guests might forget about them long before your wedding day. When you start the wedding planning process so early, when should you order and send the invitations?

You should start thinking about wedding invitations as soon as you have all of the details, such as place and time of the ceremony and reception, as well as your guest list. It’s never too early to start shopping around for wedding invitations. Make sure that you order your invitations well in advance of the time you’d like to send them. Give yourself as much time as possible, or at least twelve to sixteen weeks, between the day you order invitations and your planned wedding day. Not only will you have plenty of time to receive the invites, but you’ll also have the time to address them at a relaxed pace. It’s no fun having to fill out a hundred invitations the night before they need to get mailed, so don’t put yourself in that situation.

Now that you’ve ordered and received your invitations, when should you plan to mail them? For most weddings, eight to twelve weeks before the big day will be enough time. There are some situations, wherever, when it would be appropriate to give the guests several extra weeks. For example, if your wedding falls on or near a holiday, the extra time ensures that guests haven’t made holiday plans before your invitation arrives. Destination weddings and theme weddings also call for invitations to be sent well in advance to give guests time to prepare.

If many guests will be traveling long distances to attend the ceremony, or you are planning a destination wedding, send out the invites as early as possible. “Save the Date” cards may also be appropriate in this instance, and can be sent up to a full year before the wedding date. Guests who will be making travel plans will appreciate the extra notice, but don’t forget to send a formal invitation at the appropriate time, even if you’ve already sent a “Save the Date” card.

Sending invitations well in advance of the wedding isn’t just courteous, it also helps you plan the rest of your wedding. An accurate head count is needed for the caterer, and RSVPs allow you to adjust the guest list as needed, perhaps including guests who did not make the original list.

Wedding planner Amanda Halm knows all of the wedding etiquette rules, especially when it comes to wedding invitations and other wedding stationery for any wedding ceremony.