How far in advance should I send wedding invites?

Of course, this varies. But typically you will mail wedding save the dates six to eight months before the event.

For the actual invitations, send them out at least six weeks before the wedding. The sweet spot is around eight weeks, giving your guests plenty of time to finalize plans and send back their RSVPs.

When should I send live stream wedding invitations?

If sending your wedding invitations virtually (or inviting people to a virtual wedding), then you typically don't need to send your invites as far in advance.

For invites to a virtual wedding specifically, we'd suggest sending a few follow-ups to guests who will attend online so that the invite doesn't get lost in their inbox.

Who should I invite to a wedding?

You should only invite those who you really want to be there to your wedding. However, it’s typically not that simple. If you’re having a micro-wedding, you might not be able to invite all the people you want. If you’re having a large wedding, you might get pressure from your parents to invite their friends who you don’t really know.

When making the decision of who makes the guest list, consider 1) how much you personally want them to be there, 2) what your guest count limit is, and 3) the consequences of not inviting them.

Will your mom refuse to speak to you if you don’t invite her best friend? Will your dad not come if your step-dad is there? Families are complicated, and there’s no easy way to decide. It’s important to have open conversations with your family and loved ones about it.

Do I have to invite someone to my wedding if I was invited to theirs?

This is always a tough one! At the end of the day, there's no need to invite someone to your wedding if the only reason is because they invited you to theirs.

You might have different guest limitations or wants for your event. It's your day, invite who you want! Extend a virtual wedding invitation to that person if desired and let them know you'd still love for them to celebrate with you, albeit online.

Determining a “not invited” list

Are there people you just don't want at your wedding? That's okay! It's your big day. If somebody is going to cause you stress, it's fine to pass on their wedding invitation.

Not inviting aunts, uncles, and cousins to a wedding

You have a limited guest count. Your parents might want their siblings there to see your big day. If you have room in your guest list for more heads, consider inviting extended family so long as their presence won't cause any issues.

If you're struggling to find the budget and space for extended family, consider adding them to the virtual guest list and using us as your wedding live streaming service! LoveStream is non-intrusive to your wedding day and guests simply click a link to watch your wedding.

Not inviting specific family members to a wedding

Can you invite Uncle Tommy but not Uncle Mike? What about inviting certain cousins and not others? Set a rule and stick with it wherever possible (on both sides) to avoid hurt feelings.

We always love the idea of including some guests virtually and inviting others to attend the wedding in-person. This gives you the ability to spare the awkward conversation of, "Well, Uncle Tommy was like a second father to me and I haven't seen Uncle Mike is three years."

Inviting parents' friends to a wedding

"Oh, honey, but Dianne changed your diapers as a baby! She has to be invited!" Almost everyone who has planned a wedding has faced the conundrum of whether or not to invite your parents besties to the event.

We'll refer you back to our previous advice: 1) how much you do you personally want them to be there, 2) what your guest count limit is, and 3) the consequences of not inviting them.

If you have room in the guest limit and it will make your parents so happy to share this day with thier friends, it might be worth it to invite them.

If it means you'll have to kick someone special off of your guest list, consider extending a virtual wedding invitation to your parents' friends instead.

What if my fiance and I disagree about the guest list?

It's important for engaged couples to come to an agreement on the guest list. Sometimes, wedding invitation lists aren't split 50/50 between your guests and theirs.

They might have a larger family while you have a larger friend group. Or they might want to invite their ten close coworkers while you have a single work buddy you want to include.

This is why we recommend agreeing on the soft factors (like atmosphere) and hard factors (like budget) before you get to far in to planning so you can refer back to these in the time of a disagreement. Open a bottle of wine and hash it out so you are both happy in the end.