The Ultimate Guide To Sending Save The Dates: Timing Tips

Save the dates should be sent out 6 to 12 months before a wedding, with destination weddings requiring earlier notice of 6 to 10 months. This allows guests to book travel, save money, and ask for days off work.

When to send save the dates

The basic rule of thumb is to send save the dates 6 months before the wedding. For a destination wedding, it is customary to mail save the dates 6 to 12 months in advance. For a local affair, send save the dates 4 to 6 months in advance.

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.

For a local 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.

If you're wondering how far in advance to send out save-the-dates, there's a sweet spot: Start spreading the news six to eight months ahead of the ceremony for the ideal save-the-date timeline. (We recommend skewing more toward eight if you're getting hitched at a far-flug locale or over a holiday weekend.) This gives wedding guests plenty of time to book travel, save money and ask for days off work.

How to address and send save the dates

Save the dates are a great way to let your guests know your wedding date well in advance so that they can plan appropriately. The basic rule of thumb is to send save the dates 6 months before the wedding. For a destination wedding, it is customary to mail save the dates 6 to 12 months in advance. For a local affair, send save the dates 4 to 6 months in advance.

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. However, this may seem like too much time, as in some cases, it can be.

If you're wondering how far in advance to send out save-the-dates, there's a sweet spot: 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.

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.

When sending save the dates, you should include the date of the wedding, or the weekend of the wedding celebration. You can also include other details such as the location of the wedding, the theme, and any other relevant information that your guests may need to know.

Save the date mistakes to avoid

Save the dates are a great way to let your guests know your wedding date well in advance so that they can plan appropriately. Here are some mistakes to avoid when sending out your save the dates:

Not sending enough time in advance

Experts recommend sending out save the dates around 8-10 months before your wedding. This may sound early, but it's important to give your guests enough time to plan. If you wait too long, you may discover that some loved ones already have plans that are either impossible or impractical to change.

Not sending enough time in advance for destination weddings

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. 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.

Not sending enough time in advance for local weddings

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.

Not sending enough time in advance for holidays

If you're getting married over a holiday weekend, it's best to send save the dates earlier, around 6-8 months in advance. 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.

When is it too early to send save the dates

Sending save the date cards is a great way to let guests know your wedding date well in advance so that they can plan appropriately. There are some easy errors you’ll want to avoid when creating these wedding reminders. Here are the top 4 mistakes that we want everyone to think about before getting started on their designs:

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 basic rule of thumb is to send save the dates 6 months before the wedding. For a destination wedding, it is customary to mail save the dates 6 to 12 months in advance. For a local affair, send save the dates 4 to 6 months in advance. Start spreading the news six to eight months ahead of the ceremony for the ideal save-the-date timeline. (We recommend skewing more toward eight if you're getting hitched at a far-flug locale or over a holiday weekend.) 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.

Save the date etiquette

Save the dates are a great way to let your guests know your wedding date well in advance so that they can plan appropriately. The basic rule of thumb is to send save the dates 6 months before the wedding. For a destination wedding, it is customary to mail save the dates 6 to 12 months in advance. For a local affair, send save the dates 4 to 6 months in advance.

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. However, this may seem like too much time, as it can be impractical for guests to have this much lead time.

If you're wondering how far in advance to send out save-the-dates, there's a sweet spot: 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.

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 save the date card should include three main pieces of information: The date of the wedding, or the weekend of the wedding celebration.

Frequently asked questions