The complete wedding invitation checklist
The essentials every invitation needs, the extras guests ask about, and a step-by-step checklist from guest list to the last RSVP.
MyLinx Team · October 22, 2026 · 3 min read
Every wedding invitation needs the hosts, your names, the date and time, the venue, how to RSVP and by when, and a dress code. Send it six to eight weeks ahead and set the RSVP deadline three to four weeks before the day.
What every invitation must include
A guest should be able to answer five questions from the invitation alone: who is marrying, who is inviting, when, where, and how to reply.
| Item | What to get right | Done? |
|---|---|---|
| Hosts and couple | Who is inviting, plus your full first names | ☐ |
| Date and time | Day, date, year and start time, checked on a calendar | ☐ |
| Venue | Name and full address, reception too if separate | ☐ |
| RSVP | Exactly how to reply and the deadline | ☐ |
| Dress code and details | A clear dress term and a link for everything else | ☐ |
Extras guests will ask about
On paper, each extra becomes another enclosure card. A digital invitation keeps them all on one page you can update anytime.
- Schedule: ceremony, drinks, dinner and last call
- Accommodation: nearby hotels, room block and its booking deadline
- Transport and parking: shuttle times, on-site parking, taxi drop-off
- Kids and plus-ones: name exactly who is invited, kindly and clearly
- Registry: one gracious line, never on the main card
- Accessibility: step-free access, seating, walking distance, a contact
From guest list to final headcount
- Gather names and addresses, phones or emails; merge family lists.
- Lock the date, time, venue and RSVP deadline before designing.
- Design for the day's formality and keep the essentials readable.
- Have two people who did not write it proofread.
- Send six to eight weeks out, about three months for destination weddings.
- Track who is attending, who declined and party sizes in one list.
- A week before the deadline, message anyone who has not replied.
For the full timeline, see when to send wedding invitations.
Tip · Pick your RSVP method before you design
A reply card needs an envelope and stamp; a link needs a spot on the card. Choose one channel so every reply lands in one place. Compare the best ways to collect wedding RSVPs.
Proofreading traps that slip through
Your eye skips errors because you already know what the text should say. Have someone unfamiliar with the plans check:
- The day of the week matches the date in your year
- The year is there, and it is the right one
- Name spellings, including hosts, hyphens and accents
- Local time zone, if guests are travelling
- Schedule, ceremony and shuttle times agree with each other
- The address lands at the right entrance on a map
- The RSVP deadline falls before your caterer's final-number date
If a mistake slips through anyway, paper means a second mailing. With MyLinx Weddings you update the page and every guest sees the fix.
Frequently asked questions
Should we put registry details on the invitation?
Keep gifts off the main card. One gracious line on your details page or wedding website is the usual approach.
How do we make it clear that kids or plus-ones are not invited?
Name exactly who is invited on the envelope or personal link, and add a kind note such as "Our celebration will be adults-only."
Do we still need paper invitations?
Only for guests who would rather hold a card. Print a few with a QR code to the online invitation so every reply still lands in one place.
Tick off the whole checklist in one link
Create a finished invitation from your names and date, share personal links with guests, and watch RSVPs arrive on one dashboard. Free to start.
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