Etiquette·5 min read
Inviting Guests from Abroad: A Guide for International Weddings
Inviting guests from abroad: how much notice to give, visas and invitation letters, time zones, travel details and wording that works in any country.
By Aurelia Editorial Team · Wedding stationery & planning guides
Published
The single most useful thing is one link that holds everything. A wedding website lets a cousin in Singapore and an aunt in Toronto read the same, up-to-date details, in their own time zone, without a single international phone call.
How much notice overseas guests need
| When | What to send |
|---|---|
| 9–12 months before | Save the date with the city, the date and a link to your website. |
| 6–9 months before | Accommodation and travel details on the website, including any room block deadline. |
| 3–4 months before | The invitation with the RSVP. |
| 6–8 weeks before | RSVP deadline, earlier than for local guests if flights depend on it. |
| 1–2 weeks before | A short message with the final schedule, transfers and the weather forecast. |
Our wedding invitation timeline explains how these dates fit with the rest of your planning.
Visas and invitation letters
Some guests will need a visa or an electronic travel authorisation, such as the UK’s ETA, and some visa applications take weeks or months. Mention it on your save the date or website so guests check early, and point them to the official government website for their nationality rather than giving advice yourself.
If a guest asks for an invitation letter for their visa application, keep it simple and factual.
To whom it may concern, We are pleased to invite [guest’s full name, passport number] to our wedding on Saturday 12 June 2027 at Cliveden House, Taplow, Berkshire, United Kingdom. They will stay from 9 to 15 June 2027 at [address]. Amelia Hart & James Okafor · [address, phone, email]
Check what the guest’s embassy actually asks for: some want the host’s proof of address or status, and requirements change.
What guests from abroad need to know
- The nearest airports and train stations, and how long transfers take.
- How to get from the airport to the venue, with taxi, train or shuttle options and rough costs.
- Two or three places to stay at different prices, with distances to the venue.
- The local currency, plug type, time difference and the weather to expect.
- Whether the day runs late, so guests can plan their flights home.
- A contact number with the country code, such as +44 7700 900123, ideally on WhatsApp.
Our wedding website checklist shows where each of these details goes.
Write dates and times that cannot be misread
“06/12/2027” is 6 December in the UK and June 12 in the United States. Write the month in words, such as “Saturday 12 June 2027”, and give times in local time with the time zone if guests are joining online: “4pm in London (11am in New York)”.
Wording for guests travelling from abroad
Save the date for our wedding in Ravello, Italy Saturday 4 September 2027 Travel details and hotels: [your website link]
We know many of you are travelling a long way to be with us, and it means the world. Flights, transfers and places to stay are all on our website.
As many guests are travelling from abroad, we kindly ask you to reply by 1 May 2027.
For two families who speak different languages, our bilingual wedding invitation wording shows how to set out both. For a wedding abroad, see destination wedding invitation wording.
Be gracious about who can come
International travel is expensive, and some guests will have to say no however much they want to come. Invite them all the same, tell them you understand, and consider sharing photos or a short video afterwards. Our wedding invitation etiquette guide covers the wider conventions.
Questions about overseas wedding guests
- How far in advance should you invite overseas guests?
- Send save the dates nine to twelve months before the wedding and invitations three to four months before, so guests can book flights, leave and any visa in good time.
- Should you pay for overseas guests’ travel?
- There is no expectation that couples pay for guests’ flights or hotels. Many share useful options, arrange a room block or organise transfers from the airport on the day.
- Do you need to send paper invitations to guests abroad?
- No. A digital invitation arrives instantly anywhere in the world and avoids international post. Print a keepsake for anyone who would like one.
- How do you write an invitation letter for a visa?
- State the guest’s full name and passport number, the wedding date and venue, the dates of their stay and where they will stay, and sign it with your contact details. Check the embassy’s own requirements first.
Want one link for every guest, wherever they live? See Aurelia’s wedding websites.
Part of our etiquette guides. Start with Wedding Invitation Etiquette: The Complete Modern Guide, or see every guide on this topic.
