Your Complete Hindu Wedding Stationery Timeline
Planning a Hindu wedding means juggling multiple ceremonies, dozens of guests, and a stationery list that’s longer than most people expect. Knowing what to order is one thing — knowing when to order it is what keeps you stress-free. This guide walks you through every piece of Hindu wedding stationery in the right order, from your very first save the dates right through to your table plan, so nothing gets left to the last minute.
Why Timing Matters More for Hindu Weddings
A Hindu wedding isn’t one event — it’s a series of ceremonies, often spread across two or three days. Mehndi, Haldi, Jaan Aagman, the wedding ceremony itself, and the reception all typically require their own inserts. That means your stationery order is more complex than a standard wedding, and the consequences of leaving it too late are more significant. Printers have lead times. Priests have schedules. Guests need time to make travel arrangements.
Getting your timeline right means every item arrives when you need it — not the week before your wedding.
12 Months Before: Save the Dates
If your wedding involves guests travelling from abroad — or you’re booking a popular venue during peak season — save the dates are worth sending around the 12-month mark. For weddings where most guests are local, nine to ten months out is fine.
What to include on a save the date
Keep it simple: the couple’s names, the wedding date, the city or region, and your wedding website if you have one. Ceremony-specific details come later with the full invitation.
Save the dates are particularly useful for Hindu weddings where guests may need to attend multiple events across different days and need early notice to arrange time off work.
3–4 Months Before: Wedding Invitations and Inserts
Your invitation cards should be ordered three to four months before the wedding, giving you time for design, proofing, and printing, with the aim of getting them into guests’ hands around eight weeks before the function.
Choosing your invitation card
Hindu wedding invitations traditionally feature auspicious symbols — Ganesh is the most commonly placed symbol, representing the removal of obstacles and the blessing of new beginnings. At CardFusion, our Hindu wedding cards range from classic Ganesh designs to modern gold foiled styles that blend tradition with contemporary elegance.
What inserts do you need?
Each ceremony typically gets its own insert. Common inserts for a UK Hindu wedding include:
- Wedding/Pheras insert — the main ceremony card
- Mehndi insert — ladies’ evening, often the day or two before
- Haldi insert — if guests are invited to this ceremony
- Jaan Aagman insert — for the groom’s procession details
- Reception insert — evening celebrations, often for a wider guest list
Additional inserts can be added at an extra cost. Think carefully about which ceremonies you’re inviting all guests to versus a smaller group — this affects how many inserts each envelope needs.
A note on RSVPs
We don’t recommend sending physical RSVP cards for guests to fill in and post back. They’re easy to lose, slower to return, and create unnecessary admin for you.
Instead, include your RSVP details directly on one of your inserts — typically in the bottom left corner. This should include a contact name and phone number for guests to call, and an email address. A home address is occasionally included but is less common. Keeping RSVP contact details on the insert means guests have everything in one place and can respond quickly.
6 Months Before: Order of Service Booklets
Your order of service should be started around six months before the wedding, but the content can only be finalised once you’ve sat down with your priest. This is something best done in conjunction with the Pandit or Hindu priest early on — they will guide you on the sequence of rituals, the Sanskrit shlokas to include, and any specific ceremony timings.
Starting the design process early gives you time to go back and forth with your priest on wording and structure without rushing. At CardFusion, we produce A4 Hindu wedding orders of service that can be personalised to reflect the exact ceremonies taking place on your day.
4–6 Months Before: Wedding Welcome Sign
Your wedding welcome sign is one of the earliest non-invitation items you can finalise — and it’s one of the most straightforward, because its content doesn’t depend on guest responses or final numbers.
We recommend ordering your welcome sign around two months before the wedding at the earliest, but some couples get this done as early as four to six months out with no issue. The wording is simple: the couple’s names, the date, and a welcome message. Once you’re happy with the design, it can go to print.
A well-designed welcome sign sets the tone for guests as they arrive and ties your full stationery suite together.
8–10 Weeks Before: Table Numbers and Table Menus
Table numbers can be ordered once you have a confirmed venue layout, even before all RSVPs are in. If your venue has a fixed number of tables, you can order your table numbers and have them ready and waiting.
Table menus, however, are best left until your menu has been finalised with the venue or caterer — usually eight to ten weeks before the wedding. Changes to the menu after printing mean reprinting, so confirm everything with your caterer before placing the order.
After RSVPs Close: Seating Chart and Place Cards
This is the one item on your list that genuinely cannot be produced in advance — your seating chart and place cards can only be finalised once you know exactly who is coming.
Set a firm RSVP deadline on your inserts — typically six to eight weeks before the wedding — and chase any non-responders promptly. Once you have your final numbers confirmed, you can finalise your table plan and send your seating chart to print.
At CardFusion, we produce wedding seating charts in styles that match the rest of your stationery suite, so everything looks cohesive on the day.
Quick Reference: Hindu Wedding Stationery Timeline
| Stationery Item | When to Order |
|---|---|
| Save the dates | 9–12 months before |
| Invitation cards and inserts | Order 3–4 months before; send 8 weeks before |
| Order of service | 6 months before (with priest) |
| Wedding welcome sign | 4–6 months before |
| Table numbers | Once venue layout confirmed |
| Table menus | 8–10 weeks before |
| Seating chart and place cards | After RSVPs close |
Frequently Asked Questions
How far in advance should I send Hindu wedding invitations in the UK?
Send your invitations to guests around eight weeks before the function. To hit that date comfortably, order your cards three to four months before the wedding — this allows time for design approval, printing, and any amendments.
Do I need a separate RSVP card for a Hindu wedding?
We don’t recommend physical RSVP cards sent back by post. Instead, include your RSVP contact details directly on one of your inserts — a contact name, phone number, and email address in the bottom left corner is the clearest and most practical approach.
How many inserts do Hindu wedding invitations typically need?
Most UK Hindu weddings include two inserts as standard, covering the main ceremony and reception. Additional inserts for Mehndi, Haldi, Jaan Aagman, or other ceremonies can be added. The number depends on which events you’re inviting all guests to attend.
When should I finalise my wedding seating chart?
Your seating chart can only be finalised after all RSVPs are confirmed. Set a clear RSVP deadline on your inserts — usually six to eight weeks before the wedding — then allow a week or two for chasing late responses before placing your order.
Can I order a sample Hindu wedding card before committing to a full order?
Yes — and we strongly recommend it. Seeing the card in person, feeling the cardstock, and checking the foiling quality before ordering is always worthwhile. Get in touch with CardFusion to request a sample.
Ready to Start Your Hindu Wedding Stationery?
Whether you’re at the very beginning of your planning journey or ready to place an order, CardFusion is here to help. Browse our full collection of Hindu wedding cards, request a quote, or get in touch to talk through your requirements. Our team will guide you through every item on this list — so your wedding stationery is one less thing to worry about.
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Ready to order your wedding cards? Browse CardFusion’s full collection of Hindu wedding cards — fully personalised to your wording and ceremony details, with digital gold foiling on premium 280gsm smooth card. Free matching digital evite with every order. UK delivery in 2–3 weeks. Minimum order 70 cards.