The quick answer
Send most party invitations three to four weeks ahead and ask for replies about a week before the event. Give more time when guests have to travel, when the event is formal, or when it falls in a busy season like December. Casual get-togethers can go out a week or two ahead.
Invitation timeline by occasion
| Occasion | Send invitations | Ask for replies by |
|---|---|---|
| Wedding save the date | 6–8 months ahead (8–12 for destination) | No RSVP needed |
| Wedding | 6–8 weeks ahead | 3–4 weeks before |
| Rehearsal dinner | 3–4 weeks ahead | 1–2 weeks before |
| Engagement party | 4–6 weeks ahead | 1–2 weeks before |
| Bridal shower | 4–6 weeks ahead | 1–2 weeks before |
| Bachelorette or bachelor trip | 2–3 months ahead | 6–8 weeks before |
| Baby shower | 4–6 weeks ahead | 1–2 weeks before |
| Gender reveal | 2–3 weeks ahead | 1 week before |
| Adult birthday | 3–4 weeks ahead | 1 week before |
| Milestone birthday | 6–8 weeks ahead | 2 weeks before |
| Kids’ birthday | 2–3 weeks ahead | 4–5 days before |
| Dinner party | 1–3 weeks ahead | A few days before |
| Graduation party | 3–4 weeks ahead | 1 week before |
| Retirement party | 3–4 weeks ahead | 1–2 weeks before |
| Company holiday party | 6–8 weeks ahead | 1–2 weeks before |
| Team or holiday party at home | 3–4 weeks ahead | 1 week before |
| Halloween party | 2–4 weeks ahead | 1 week before |
| Thanksgiving or Friendsgiving | 3–4 weeks ahead | 1 week before |
| New Year’s Eve party | 4–6 weeks ahead | 1–2 weeks before |
Weddings
Weddings run on the longest timeline because guests may need to book flights, hotels and time off. Send save the dates six to eight months ahead, or eight to twelve months for a destination wedding. Send the wedding invitations six to eight weeks before the day.
Set the RSVP deadline three to four weeks before the wedding. Caterers and venues usually want final numbers about two weeks out, and you’ll need the time between to follow up with guests who haven’t answered and to build the seating chart.
Showers and pre-wedding parties
Bridal showers and baby showers both do well with four to six weeks’ notice. Bridal showers usually happen two to three months before the wedding, and baby showers four to eight weeks before the due date.
Bachelorette and bachelor weekends are the exception: if guests have to travel, give them two to three months and ask for a commitment early, because deposits are often involved.
Birthdays and kids’ parties
For a typical adult birthday, three to four weeks is right. For a milestone, or anything that asks people to travel, give six to eight weeks.
Kids’ birthday invitations can go out two to three weeks ahead, since family weekends are planned on a shorter horizon. Ask for replies four or five days before, because party venues usually need a final count by then.
The holiday season is different
From Thanksgiving to New Year’s Eve, everyone gets more invitations than they can accept, and guests often commit to whichever arrives first. Add one or two weeks to your usual timeline:
- Thanksgiving and Friendsgiving: by late October or the first days of November
- Christmas parties in early December: by mid-November
- Company holiday parties: six to eight weeks ahead, with a save the date in October for big events
- New Year’s Eve: right after Thanksgiving
For workplace parties, our office holiday party wording guide has examples you can copy.
Work events
Company-wide events need the most notice because calendars fill with meetings and travel. Aim for four to six weeks for most work events, and six to eight for a large party or anything with travel. A retirement party can go out three to four weeks ahead, or six if former colleagues are coming from out of town.
How to choose your RSVP date
Work backward from whoever needs your numbers first, usually the caterer, venue or restaurant. Set your RSVP date three to five days before their deadline. That gives you a short window to chase late replies without rushing.
Tip: Write the RSVP date with the weekday, like “Please reply by Friday, November 20.” A weekday makes a deadline feel real in a way a bare date doesn’t.
When to send reminders
- First reminder: about a week before your RSVP date, to anyone who hasn’t replied
- Last call: a day or two before the RSVP date
- Day-before note: for confirmed guests, with parking, timing or weather details
We cover reminder wording and the habits that get people to answer in how to get guests to RSVP.
Running late?
A digital invitation arrives the moment you send it, so a short timeline is far less of a problem than it is with postal invitations. For a casual party, a week’s notice is fine. Say up front that it’s a last-minute plan, and keep the RSVP window short.