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You've got your date, you've probably got your venue, and now you've got to let everyone know about it. That's where your invitations and save-the-dates come into play. Whether you're opting for more traditional mailed invitations or saving a tree with some emailed invites and online RSVPs, here are some rough guidelines for when to send out your invitations and save-the-dates.

When to send out save-the-dates

Send out save-the-dates about four to six months before the wedding. Err on the side of longer if you're having a destination wedding, a multi-day wedding that may require a little extra planning from your guests, or will be having a lot of guests from out-of-town.

When to send out wedding invitations

Invitations have traditionally gone out six to eight weeks before the wedding. We'd advise starting the process of getting them ready about four months in advance to make sure you account for DIY time, addressing time, handling special envelopes, or other circumstances. Let's face it, we're talking offbeat weddings here, so you never know what fun ideas you may want to incorporate.

Add another month to the process for destination weddings since you'll be dealing with travel accommodations, among many other factors. This lets your guests hunt for travel deals.

What should you give as your RSVP deadline?

Set the deadline for RSVPs about three to four weeks prior to the wedding. This probably sounds early, but we advise leaving a two-week buffer to give you time to chase down the inevitable missing RSVPs. You'll want to start the chasing process early so you can get your guest list finalized and all the numbers to the vendors who need them.

What tips do you have for making sending invitations and save-the-dates easier?

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