When to send wedding invitations in India: a simple timeline
How many weeks before the wedding to send the save-the-date, the invitation and the reminders — for local guests, family abroad and a destination wedding.
Updated
Send wedding invitations in India about 6–8 weeks before the wedding, 3–4 months before if guests must travel or live abroad, and a save-the-date even earlier. A digital invitation can go a little later than a printed one, since nothing has to be printed or posted, but families still need time to plan leave and travel.
The timeline
Counted back from the first ceremony. Guides differ a little; these are the commonly given ranges.
3–4 months before: save the date
A short message with the dates and the city, so that families can block the days. Send it earlier if many guests are travelling, or if the wedding falls in a peak season.
3–4 months before: family abroad and destination weddings
Guests who must book flights and take leave need the most notice. If a printed card goes abroad by post, allow two to three weeks for it to arrive.
6–8 weeks before: the invitation
For guests in the same city or country, this is the usual time for the invitation itself — every ceremony, its time and the venue.
4–6 weeks before: if it is digital
A digital invitation has no printing or posting to wait for, so it can go a little later than a printed one. Do not leave it to the last fortnight: families still plan leave, travel and clothes.
6–8 weeks before: reply date
If you want replies, ask for them by a date about six to eight weeks out for far guests, and two to three weeks out for local ones, so the caterer's count is firm.
1 week and 1 day before: reminders
A short reminder with the time and a map for the first ceremony. Guests who have already replied still lose the details in a busy week.
In many families the first card goes to the family deity or the temple before any other is sent, and the eldest relatives are invited in person, by a visit or a call, before they see anything on a phone.
After that, everyone else can be sent their own invitation on the same day, so no one hears second-hand.
Call the guests who must travel first, then send the invitation by WhatsApp the same day with every ceremony and a map. Ask for replies by a near date, and remember that a message that says what to bring and where to park helps more than a long greeting.
Every family, its own link
With Invitetale, each family’s invitation opens with their name on it, in a design drawn from your tradition’s own art — with every ceremony, its time and a map.
How many weeks before the wedding should invitations be sent in India?
About 6–8 weeks before for local guests, and 3–4 months before for guests who must travel or live abroad. A save-the-date can go earlier still.
When should a digital wedding invitation be sent?
About 4–8 weeks before the wedding. Since nothing is printed or posted it can go a little later than a card, but families still need time to plan.
When should we send a save-the-date?
Three to four months before, or earlier for a destination wedding or a peak-season date, with the dates and the city and a note that the invitation will follow.
How early should we invite relatives living abroad?
Three to four months before. A posted card can take two to three weeks to reach them, so a WhatsApp message with the dates can go first.