Wedding announcement cards are one of the most thoughtful pieces of stationery a couple can send, yet they are also one of the most misunderstood. They are not invitations. They carry no expectation of a gift. And they solve a genuine problem that almost every couple faces: how do you share the news with people who were not at the wedding without making them feel like an afterthought?
This guide covers everything you need to know, from who should receive an announcement to exact wording you can borrow for a formal ceremony, an elopement, or anything in between.
- Wedding announcements are sent after the wedding, not before, and go to people who were not at the ceremony.
- Mail within 30 days of the wedding date; the day after is ideal if you want to include a photo.
- Never include gift registry details on an announcement card, it implies an obligation that does not exist.
- Announcements suit distant relatives, colleagues, old friends, and neighbors who were off the guest list due to venue size or budget.
- Elopement and just-married announcements follow the same rules but the tone can be warmer and more personal.
- Paperlust prints wedding announcements and marriage announcement cards with proofs delivered within 1-2 business days.
What Are Wedding Announcement Cards (And How Do They Differ from Invitations)?
An invitation asks someone to attend. An announcement tells someone what has already happened. That single distinction shapes everything, including the wording, the timing, and who goes on the mailing list.
Wedding invitations go out 6-8 weeks before the ceremony and carry an implicit obligation: the guest is expected to RSVP and, if they attend, often to bring a gift. Announcement cards arrive after the couple is already married. There is no RSVP to return, no seat to fill, and no gift expected. They are purely a piece of good news, delivered by post.
Because they serve different purposes, many couples order both. Invitations go to their inner circle. Announcements go to everyone else, people they genuinely care about but could not accommodate due to a small venue, a tight budget, or a destination wedding that made travel impractical.
The format itself is typically a single card, roughly postcard or A6 size, featuring the couple’s names, their wedding date, and the location. A photo from the day, added once prints are back, is a lovely touch. The tone can be formal or casual depending on the couple’s style.
Who Should Receive a Wedding Announcement?
The short answer: anyone you want to share your news with who was not at the ceremony. In practice, that usually includes:
Distant relatives
Extended family spread across different states or countries often understand they are not on a small guest list, but they still want to know when a family member marries. An announcement card is a gracious way to include them.
Former colleagues and mentors
People who were important to you at a previous stage of life, a first boss, a college professor, an old neighbor, may not be part of your current inner circle but would genuinely appreciate hearing the news. A card is warm without being presumptuous.
Friends from a previous chapter
Close friends from childhood or college who you have drifted from naturally, people you would have invited to a larger wedding but had to leave off a tight list.
People who sent their regrets
If someone was invited but genuinely could not attend due to illness, travel, or another commitment, they already know about the wedding. A card with a note and possibly a photo is a lovely follow-up.
Anyone your parents want to notify
Your parents may have a wide social circle of their own, people who have watched you grow up and who your parents want to share the news with. Parents can send announcements on your behalf, or you can send a joint announcement that honors both families.
Who NOT to send announcements to
Avoid sending announcements to anyone you would not want to hear from in response. An announcement to a lapsed friendship or a complicated relationship can feel like reopening a door you were comfortable leaving closed.
When Should You Send Wedding Announcement Cards?
Timing matters. The traditional rule is to mail announcements the day after the wedding or as close to the wedding date as possible. In practice, most couples aim for within 30 days of the ceremony.
If you want to include a wedding photo on the card, you may need to wait until proofs are back from your photographer, which can take 2-4 weeks. Many couples order announcement cards with the text already printed, then add a separate photo insert once images are available.
Sending announcements more than two months after the wedding starts to feel awkward. The longer you wait, the more likely people have already heard through social media or mutual friends, which reduces the impact of the card.
Wedding Announcement Wording: Examples for Every Scenario
The wording on your announcement should state four things clearly: the couple’s names, the date, the location, and a brief expression of joy. Registry details should never appear. Here are sample wordings for several scenarios.
Formal announcement
For couples who want a traditional, parents-announcing style (common when parents co-hosted or when you want to honor both families):
and
Mr. and Mrs. Robert Whitmore
announce the marriage of their children
Sophie Chen
and
James Whitmore
Saturday, the fourteenth of June
Two thousand and twenty-six
San Francisco, California
Modern couple-hosted announcement
For couples who are sending the announcements themselves, in their own voice:
Sophie Chen and James Whitmore
were married on June 14, 2026
in San Francisco, California.
We are so grateful to have your love and support
as we begin this next chapter together.
Casual just-married announcement
A warmer, more conversational tone for couples who want their announcement to feel like a letter from a friend:
Sophie & James
June 14, 2026 | San Francisco
We kept it small and intimate, and we couldn’t be happier.
We hope to celebrate with you soon.
Elopement announcement
Elopement announcements carry a slightly different emotional register. The couple is sharing something that felt deeply personal, and the wording should reflect that:
Sophie and James are delighted to share
that they were married in a private ceremony
on June 14, 2026, in the Dolomites, Italy.
No fuss, no fanfare, just us.
We love you and look forward to celebrating with you soon.
Announcement with new address
If the marriage involves a change of address, combining the news keeps it efficient and personal:
their marriage on June 14, 2026, in San Francisco.
We have a new home address:
42 Laurel Street, San Francisco, CA 94102
We hope to have you visit soon.
Design and Style Options for Wedding Announcement Cards
Wedding announcement cards are a natural extension of your wedding stationery suite. If you ordered invitations through Paperlust, using the same design for your announcements creates a cohesive look that feels intentional rather than like an afterthought.
Print methods to consider
Digital print is the most versatile and affordable option, and it works beautifully when you want to include a full-bleed photo. Cards from $2.04 per card with a broad range of paper stocks.
Flat foil adds a metallic accent to text or a monogram, using gold, rose gold, or silver foil on a matte or premium stock. A good choice if your invitation suite included foil and you want to match the look.
Letterpress presses ink into thick cotton paper (300gsm or 600gsm Wild Cotton), giving each card a tactile quality that photographs cannot capture. Ideal for formal announcements where the card itself is the keepsake.
Foil stamp combines a pressed impression with mirror-bright metallic foil, using a custom die. It is the most formal and substantial of the metallic options.
Card sizing and paper
A standard announcement card is typically 5″ x 7″ (127 x 178mm), though A6 and A5 formats also work well. Paperlust offers a range of paper weights, with digital print stocks starting at 300gsm and letterpress options at 300gsm and 600gsm Wild Cotton for a genuinely premium feel.
Envelopes
White envelopes are included free with every order. Colored or textured envelope upgrades are available if you want to add another layer of detail.
Matching your invitation suite
If you are ordering announcements alongside your invitations, Paperlust’s 15% multi-card discount applies when you order three or more card types together. That is an easy saving if you are building a full suite.
Elopement and Just-Married Announcements: A Closer Look
Elopement announcements and just-married cards are a specific use case worth addressing separately, because the emotional stakes are slightly different.
When you elope, the people who receive your announcement are hearing about your wedding for the first time. They did not receive an invitation that was “downgraded” to an announcement – they were never part of the plan. That distinction matters for how you write the card.
The best elopement announcements do two things well. First, they are warm and personal, they explain just enough (we wanted something intimate, we got married on a mountain in Italy, we are happier than we expected to be) without over-justifying the decision. Second, they look ahead: “We cannot wait to celebrate with all of you” or “Dinner is on us when we are back home” signals that the relationship continues even if the ceremony was private.
A just-married announcement follows the same structure. The phrase “just married” does a lot of communicative work, it is understood to mean “we kept it small and we are telling you now.” Paired with a photo and a warm sentence or two, it lands almost universally well.
For both elopement and just-married announcements, consider the card part of a broader gesture. If the recipient is a close friend or family member who might feel genuinely surprised or hurt, a phone call before the card arrives is worth the effort.
Wedding Announcement Etiquette: Dos and Don’ts
| Do | Don’t |
|---|---|
| Send within 30 days of the wedding | Send before the wedding has taken place |
| Include the date, location, and both names | Include registry information or gift hints |
| Match the card’s tone to your relationship with the recipient | Send to people you actively want to avoid reconnecting with |
| Add a handwritten note for close recipients | Assume the recipient must send a gift |
| Include a photo if your photographer has delivered images | Wait more than 2 months after the wedding to mail |
| Order cards that match your invitation suite for consistency | Confuse announcements with invitations in your wording |
Ordering Wedding Announcement Cards Through Paperlust
Paperlust prints announcement cards as part of its full wedding invitation suite. Every order includes a designer proof within 1-2 business days, two rounds of revisions at no extra charge, and a 100% happiness guarantee.
For US customers, orders over $350 USD qualify for free DHL express shipping with 2-4 business days transit after dispatch. A professional designer is assigned to every order, so if you want to adapt your invitation design for your announcement cards, the team can handle that match for you.
You can also browse the full range of wedding stationery suites to find designs that work cohesively across invitations, save-the-dates, announcements, and thank-you cards.
Changing Your Name After Marriage: The Complete Checklist
Just-Married and At-Home Cards: Wording and Etiquette
If you are weighing finishes, the $5 sample pack sets digital, letterpress, flat foil, and foil stamp side by side so the decision is simple.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it rude to send wedding announcements to people who were not invited?
No, sending a wedding announcement is considerate, not rude, as long as you send it after the wedding and exclude any mention of gifts or a registry. The announcement communicates that you thought of the person and wanted them to hear the news directly from you, rather than through social media or a mutual friend. The key rule is timing: an announcement mailed before the wedding would read like a deliberate exclusion. One mailed after simply shares the news.
Do people who receive a wedding announcement have to send a gift?
No. Receiving an announcement creates no obligation whatsoever. Etiquette is clear on this point: an announcement is information, not a request. Some recipients may choose to send a card or a small gift because they want to, but there is no social expectation that they do so. For this reason, registry details should never appear on an announcement card.
When should you mail wedding announcements?
The ideal timing is the day after the wedding, but within 30 days of the ceremony is widely accepted. If you want to include a photo, you may need to wait 2-4 weeks for your photographer to deliver images. Aim to mail before the two-month mark, as announcements sent later tend to feel out of place once the news has already circulated through social channels.
What is the difference between a wedding announcement and a wedding invitation?
An invitation asks someone to attend the wedding before it happens. An announcement informs people the wedding has already taken place. Invitations go out 6-8 weeks before the ceremony and require an RSVP. Announcements go out after and require nothing in return. The two should never be confused in wording: never phrase an announcement as though the recipient was invited or use language that implies they missed something they were supposed to attend.
Can you send a wedding announcement if you eloped?
Absolutely. Elopement announcements are a thoughtful way to share the news with family and friends who were not part of the private ceremony. The tone is typically warmer and more personal than a formal announcement, and including a photo from the day helps recipients feel connected to the moment. The same etiquette applies: send after the ceremony, skip the registry, and give the card a genuine personal note rather than a corporate-sounding statement.
How many wedding announcements should you order?
Start with your full “wish list” of contacts and then add 15-20% for addressing mistakes, damage in transit, and people you remember after placing the order. Most couples find their announcement list is 30-100% larger than their guest list, particularly if they had a small or destination wedding. Order a few extra – printing a second small batch is rarely cost-effective, and running short means some people hear from social media before the card arrives.