Why You Shouldn’t Wait Until the Last Minute to Order Wedding Invitations
In the whirlwind of wedding planning, it’s easy to let stationery slip to the bottom of your to-do list. But when it comes to ordering your wedding invitations, waiting too long can limit your options and add stress you don’t need.
At Raspberry Creative, we see it every year: couples scrambling to place a last-minute order, only to find that their dream design isn’t available on a tight timeline, or that there’s no room in our schedule for a custom suite.
Let’s break down why ordering early matters, and what happens when you wait too long.
You’ll Avoid Rush Fees (and Unnecessary Stress)
Designing, proofing, printing, assembling, and shipping your invitations takes time. When you wait until the last minute, your order may require expedited design, rushed printing, and overnight shipping, all of which come with added costs.
Rush fees exist for a reason: they compensate for overtime hours, expedited shipping costs, and the disruption of our standard workflow. They’re not designed to punish you, but they can quickly add up.
You’ll Have More Design Options
When you plan ahead, you’ll have access to:
Custom design services
More embellishment and printing upgrade options (letterpress, foil, wax seals, etc.)
A broader range of paper stocks and color choices
If you wait, you may need to simplify or choose a suite with fewer modifications to meet your timeline.
You'll Leave Time for Proofing + Revisions
Mistakes happen—but when you’re in a rush, there’s less time to catch them.
Designing early gives you time to review your proof carefully, request edits, and feel confident before your suite goes to print. If you’re rushed, there’s less flexibility for changes or second thoughts.
You'll Allow for Proper Mailing Time
Most couples plan to send their invitations 8–12 weeks before the wedding. But if your order is delayed, your guests may not get the information they need in time—especially if they need to book travel or accommodations.
Worse yet, mailing your invitations late can create a domino effect: less time for RSVPs, late counts for vendors, and added stress as your date approaches.
Life Happens—Give Yourself Breathing Room
Even the most organized couples face delays:
Unexpected guest list changes, a late photographer, or a change in venue might affect your invitation wording or design. Ordering early gives you margin to adjust without panic.
Our Recommended Wedding Invitation Timeline
We recommend starting your invitation order at least 6 months before your wedding, with the goal of mailing them out around 8–10 weeks before the big day (or earlier for destination weddings).
Need help with timing? Check out our wedding stationery timeline or reach out to us here and we’ll walk you through it!
What If You Are Behind?
If you’re already feeling the crunch, we can still help. While our rush fees are intentionally steep to encourage planning ahead, we do take on a limited number of rush orders each season—with beautiful results.
But don’t wait another day—reach out now. Your timeline might be tighter, but we’ll help you make the most of it.
