- Categories:
- Fun
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- AppreciationCareersFun
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- United States
- Date change rule:
- Every July 16
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- 💌
National Wedding Invitation Day arrives every July 16, celebrating the exquisite artistry behind wedding stationery. This day honors the designers and the cherished role invitations play in building excitement for a couple’s big day. Dive into design trends, explore unique styles, and appreciate the first glimpse guests get of a wedding’s magic.
Want to sponsor National Wedding Invitation Day? Learn how
Expected National Wedding Invitation Day Deals
While we await official 2027 promotions, history shows that National Wedding Invitation Day often inspires deals from stationery brands and wedding vendors. Look for special discounts on custom invitation suites from companies like Minted, Shutterfly, and Zola. Retailers such as Paper Source and Etsy shops specializing in wedding stationery may offer percentage-off sales or free shipping on orders. Keep an eye out for bundled packages from wedding planners or photographers that include invitation design services. We will update this page with confirmed live deals as July 16 approaches.
Platform Guide for National Wedding Invitation Day
Tag @nationaltoday_ and use #WeddingInvitationDay. Share stunning flat lays of invitation suites, behind-the-scenes glimpses of design, or elegant calligraphy videos.
TikTok
Tag @www.nationaltoday.com and use #WeddingInvitationDay. Film quick tutorials on invitation etiquette, unboxing unique stationery, or ‘satisfying’ assembly videos.
Mention National Today (facebook.com/nationaltoday) and use #WeddingInvitationDay. Share polls on invitation styles, showcase local designers, or host a Q&A about wedding stationery trends.
National Wedding Invitation Day Hero
Alois Senefelder
History of National Wedding Invitation Day
During the Middle Ages, people were only invited to weddings if they were within hearing distance of a ‘town crier’ — a person hired to make public announcements using their voices. This was the next best way to advertise impending nuptials because the printing press wasn’t yet available and most people couldn’t read anyway. The wealthy had their own customs, of course. They could afford a more elegant wedding invitation due to their wealth and education. They had their wedding invitations handwritten by local monks who were skilled in calligraphy, and they were embossed with the family seal and sealed with wax to avoid tampering.
The printing press debuted in the 1400s, which accomplished little more than to show people that there was another way to invite people. Because many people were still illiterate and the printing press was still in its infancy, this method was not well embraced. Invitations by town criers continued until the 1600s when newspapers began to publish notices.
The invention of the metal plate created a whole new world for wedding invitation cards. Now, people could engrave text onto the metal plates and print actual invitation cards. Further advancements in printing in the 1700s made creating wedding cards a lot simpler and easier, and common folk now had access to this tradition — although the unreliability of the postal system forced people to deliver invites via horseback.
In the post-Culture War II wedding realm, luxury invitations were prevalent, and the right etiquette for sending these invitations was being defined by well-known people in the world of manners and behavior. Cut to today, and almost every soon-to-be-married couple is sending out wedding invitation cards in a bewildering array of styles, some inspired by the magnificent luxury of the 17th and 18th centuries, others a unique blend of traditional and modern styles, and still others an entirely new expression of the happy couple’s creativity.
National Wedding Invitation Day timeline
Johannes Gutenberg's movable printing press shows people another way to send invites for weddings.
A major name in the world of manners, Emily Post, shares her thoughts on wedding etiquette and wedding invitations.
Amy Vanderbilt, another major authority on etiquette, publishes a best-selling book, “Amy Vanderbilt's Complete Book of Etiquette.”
Couture wedding invitation company Pumpkin Coach Invites creates this day to celebrate the art and history of the wedding invite.
How Businesses Can Celebrate National Wedding Invitation Day
Local stationery shops and wedding planners can host open houses or workshops showcasing the latest invitation trends and etiquette. Offer special consultation packages for couples booking their wedding stationery on this day. Collaborate with florists or photographers to create styled shoots featuring invitation suites, generating buzz and visual content. Consider a ‘design your own invitation’ contest with a local prize to engage the community and highlight creative talent.
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See MoreNational Wedding Invitation Day FAQs
When is National Wedding Invitation Day?
National Wedding Invitation Day 2026 falls on Thursday, July 16. This annual observance serves as a delightful reminder to appreciate the artistry of wedding stationery.
How many wedding invitations are sent each year?
With approximately 2.5 million weddings taking place annually in the U.S., millions of wedding invitations are sent out each year. Each invitation represents the start of a unique celebration.
What is the average cost of wedding invitations?
The average cost of wedding invitations in 2026 can range from $400 to $650 for a set of 100, depending on customization, paper quality, and printing method. This includes the main invitation, RSVP card, and envelopes.
What is the history of wedding invitations?
Wedding invitations have a rich history, evolving from town criers in medieval times to handwritten notes for the elite. The invention of lithography in the late 18th century made printed invitations more accessible, leading to the elegant designs we see today.
National Wedding Invitation Day Activities
Appreciate that wedding invitation card
Got a wedding invite recently? How about going back for a second glance at the physical card and appreciating the detail that has gone into creating it?
Share your appreciation
Attending a wedding party? Make sure to tell the wedding planner how much you loved their invites. A little appreciation goes a long way towards encouraging the creators of that wedding invite to design better and more beautiful invites for the next happy couple and the couple after that, and so on.
Design your own card
Maybe it's a wedding card, or maybe a simple invite. Exercise your creative juices by designing a fun little wedding card-style invite for a party you are throwing or a wedding you are planning. You can take help from the different design tools out there.
5 Fun Facts About Wedding Invitations
We're still using Emily Post's etiquette rules
In keeping with Post's rules about wedding invitation etiquette, even American wedding invites sometimes use 'honor' despite this not being the standard U.S. spelling.
The tissue-on-invites tradition
This stems from the 1642 invention of the metal plate when the still-wet ink on the just-printed wedding invitations would need to be preserved via tissue paper to prevent smudging.
The double envelope
Because many wedding invitations were delivered by horseback in the 1700s, individuals would double-envelope them to ensure their safety — a tradition that some people still follow today.
Love stamps
The U.S. Post Office issues special love stamps — stamps issued by post offices to declare love, affection, or devotion — each year that are denominated to cover the weight of the wedding invite and its reply from the recipient.
A deadly wedding invite card
“Seinfeld's” George Costanza's money-saving move — getting cheaper wedding invites — proves to be fatal for his fiancée Susan, who expires by way of licking the toxic glue on these cards in season seven's ‘The Invitations.’
Why We Love National Wedding Invitation Day
We get to celebrate wedding card creators
Each design and card is made with love, care, and meticulous attention to detail. These talented individuals and their trade deserve all of the praise they can receive.
Wedding cards help build memories
Don’t you get excited when you spot a wonderfully done-up, decorative bit of paper that invites you to a wedding? These cards are a treasured memory, not just for us, but for the happy couple too.
Wedding invites are a statement piece
Bridal invitations range from sleek and simple to extravagant and reflect the personalities and tastes of the wedding couple. Because of their bespoke nature, the couple is allowed to express themselves, and as a result, we get invites that have been painstakingly tailored to evoke the maximum excitement and responses.
Social Media Tips for National Wedding Invitation Day
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