When to send wedding invitations: a timeline for Pakistani weddings

Ask three aunties when to send wedding cards and you will get three answers, usually “two weeks before, that's how we've always done it.” Two weeks works for relatives in the same city. It does not work for a cousin in Toronto who needs leave approved, or for a caterer who wants numbers ten days out.

Here is a practical timeline that respects tradition and still gets you a headcount on time.

The timeline at a glance

Save-the-dates: who really needs one

In Pakistan, save-the-dates used to be unusual; word of mouth did the job. They earn their place now because so many families have relatives abroad. December is peak wedding season and also peak travel season, so fares rise and leave fills up quickly.

• Send one to anyone who needs a flight, a visa or annual leave.
• Send one to close family in other cities who might book a hall for their own event the same week.
• Keep it short: names, the dates of the main functions, the city. Full details come later.

The main invitation, function by function

You do not have to send each function's invitation separately. If you are sending digitally, one invitation can carry every function, and each guest sees only the ones they are invited to. If you are printing, families often send the Baraat and Walima cards together and handle Dholki and Mayun informally on WhatsApp.

The order matters more than the method: elders first, then everyone else. A grandparent who hears about the wedding from a cousin's WhatsApp status before receiving a call will remember it.

Reminders that don't feel pushy

Two reminders are usually enough: one about replies around two weeks out, and one practical message the day before each function with the time and map. Anything more starts to feel like pressure. For wording, see our WhatsApp messages for invitations.

If replies are coming in slowly, switch from messages to calls about ten days out, ideally from the person who knows that family best. We cover this in detail in RSVP etiquette in Pakistan.

If you're short on time

Weddings get brought forward. If you have three weeks rather than three months, compress rather than skip:

1. 1.Call elders and family abroad today.
2. 2.Send the invitation to everyone within the next two or three days.
3. 3.Ask for replies within a week, and say why: the caterer needs numbers.
4. 4.Follow up personally with anyone who hasn't replied by day ten.

A digital invitation helps most here, because there is no printing or delivery time. On InviteGala you can build and preview everything free, then pay once to make your links live; payments by JazzCash, Easypaisa or bank transfer are usually confirmed within an hour during working hours. See pricing for what's included.