The Ultimate Guide To Wedding Date Communication: When To Send Save The Dates

Save the dates are an integral part of your wedding invite suite. They’re the first notice many guests will get about your wedding. For a stress-free wedding planning process, you’ll want to send these cards anywhere from six months to a year before the wedding. That allows guests plenty of time to make travel plans. Depending on the type of wedding, you may want to send them earlier or later.

6-8 months before the wedding

Six to eight months before the wedding is the sweet spot for sending out save the dates. This gives your guests plenty of time to book travel, save money and ask for days off work. If you're planning a destination wedding or have a lot of people traveling in from out of town, you should send out save the dates 8-12 months in advance.

If you wait too long to send your save the dates out, you may discover that some loved ones already have plans that are either impossible or impractical to change. You also want to have "first dibs" on your chosen date.

For a stress-free wedding planning process, you'll want to send these cards anywhere from six months to a year before the wedding. That allows guests plenty of time to make travel plans.

Depending on guests’ personal situations and professional obligations, they may need to request off work, arrange for child care, make travel plans, or save up for hotel costs or your gift.

If you're getting hitched at a far-flung locale or over a holiday weekend, you should skew more toward eight months before the ceremony for the ideal save-the-date timeline.

8-10 months for destination weddings

If you're planning a destination wedding, experts recommend sending out save the dates around 8-10 months before you plan to say, "I do". This may sound early, but keep in mind that your guests have planning of their own to do. Depending on guests’ personal situations and professional obligations, they may need to request off work, arrange for child care, make travel plans, or save up for hotel costs or your gift. You also want to have "first dibs" on your chosen date. If you wait too long to send your save the dates out, you may discover that some loved ones already have plans that are either impossible or impractical to change.

For a destination wedding, the same general save the date rules apply, but you’ll want to err on the earlier side of the window mentioned earlier. That means sending out save the dates no later than 10 months before your wedding. Some couples try to give their guests 11 months or even a year to plan. That may seem like too much time (and in some cases, it can be, as we’ll discuss shortly), but destination weddings require a lot of planning and guests need the additional months to get all their ducks in a row. When destination weddings require guests to travel outside their current country of residence, a quick flight becomes a complex trip that may necessitate new passports, visa applications and pinching pennies to save enough money to cover plane tickets, hotel rooms, outfits for a different climate, a car rental, and other travel expenses.

For a smaller, less elaborate wedding, you can plan a destination wedding in as little as 3-6 months. However, you’ll have to be flexible with your choices as your options may be limited, especially for in-demand venues and vendors. Ideally, you should allow 12–18 months to plan your dream destination wedding. To help with your planning timeline, use our handy Destination Wedding Planning checklist below and consider the following key steps:

• Choose Your Destination (12-18 months in advance)
• Research and select a destination that suits your vision and budget.

Planning a destination wedding 6-12 months in advance can still be sufficient, especially if your destination wedding location is less popular. A 6–12 month timeframe may require some flexibility regarding vendor availability but will still allow you to fine-tune all the details without getting too overwhelmed.

11 months or a year for destination weddings

For a destination wedding, it is recommended to send out save the dates no later than 10 months before your wedding. Some couples try to give their guests 11 months or even a year to plan. This may seem like too much time, but destination weddings require a lot of planning and guests need the additional months to get all their ducks in a row. When destination weddings require guests to travel outside their current country of residence, a quick flight becomes a complex trip that may necessitate new passports, visa applications and pinching pennies to save enough money to cover plane tickets, hotel rooms, outfits for a different climate, a car rental, and other travel expenses.

If you're planning a destination wedding, the same general save the date rules apply, but you'll want to err on the earlier side of the window mentioned earlier.

For a typical wedding (meaning not one arranged last minute or set in a far-off locale), experts recommend sending out save the dates around 8-10 months before you plan to say, "I do". This may sound early, but keep in mind that your guests have planning of their own to do. Depending on guests’ personal situations and professional obligations, they may need to request off work, arrange for child care, make travel plans, or save up for hotel costs or your gift. You also want to have first dibs on your chosen date. If you wait too long to send your save the dates out, you may discover that some loved ones already have plans that are either impossible or impractical to change.

The ideal save-the-date timeline is to start spreading the news six to eight months ahead of the ceremony. This gives wedding guests plenty of time to book travel, save money and ask for days off work. Any later than that and they won't have enough lead time to do those things.

8 months for weddings over a holiday weekend

If you're planning a wedding over a holiday weekend, it's a good idea to send out save the dates earlier than the typical 6-8 months before the wedding. This is because holiday weekends are popular times for getaways and family gatherings, so your guests may already have plans that are difficult to change.

For a wedding over a holiday weekend, it's recommended to send out save the dates around 8 months in advance, or even earlier if possible. This gives your guests plenty of time to book travel, save money, and ask for days off work.

Keep in mind that holiday weekends can be a challenge for destination weddings, as travel and accommodation costs are significantly higher during these times. If you're planning a destination wedding, you may want to send out save the dates even earlier, such as 10 months before the wedding, to give your guests more time to plan and save money.

It's also important to consider that holiday weekends can be a popular time for other events, such as football games or alumni weekends, which can make it more difficult to book wedding venues and vendors. If you're planning a wedding over a holiday weekend, be sure to start your venue and vendor searches early to ensure that you can secure the best options for your big day.

12 months for destination weddings

If you're planning a destination wedding, experts recommend sending out save the dates 8-12 months before your wedding. This is because destination weddings require a lot of planning and guests need the additional months to get all their ducks in a row. Depending on guests’ personal situations and professional obligations, they may need to request off work, arrange for child care, make travel plans, or save up for hotel costs or your gift.

Start spreading the news six to eight months ahead of the ceremony for the ideal save-the-date timeline. This gives wedding guests plenty of time to book travel, save money and ask for days off work. Any later than that and they won't have enough lead time to do those things.

Prioritize what truly matters to you and be prepared to make quick decisions, as many venues and vendors may already be booked. Ideally, you should allow 12–18 months to plan your dream destination wedding. Couples often embark on the planning process anywhere from a year to eighteen months before their desired wedding date, especially for destination weddings. This timeframe allows for thorough research, booking of venues, securing vendors, and ensuring all details align seamlessly.

Frequently asked questions