Save The Dates: Sending Sweetness Or Stress?

Save-the-date cards are typically sent out six to 12 months before your wedding day. Sending them out early ensures that your guests have enough time to prepare and change their plans if necessary. It's also a good way to get everyone excited about your wedding. While it's not mandatory to send save-the-date cards, it's recommended, especially if you're having a destination wedding or getting married on a major holiday. In those cases, it's best to give guests extra notice by sending your save-the-date cards nine months to a year in advance.

Destination weddings: Send save-the-dates 9 months to a year in advance

Planning a destination wedding? It's time to start thinking about your save-the-dates. While regular save-the-dates can be sent out around six to eight months before the wedding, destination weddings require a little more forward planning. So, for a destination wedding, you should send out your save-the-dates nine months to a year in advance. This will give your guests plenty of time to plan their trip, book flights, and reserve hotel rooms.

Timing is Everything

It's important to give your guests enough notice, especially if they need to travel far or internationally. Sending out your save-the-dates nine months to a year in advance will allow your guests to make the necessary arrangements, such as requesting time off work, making travel plans, and saving money for any associated costs. It also ensures that your guests can prioritize your wedding over any other potential conflicts, such as other weddings, holiday parties, or vacations.

Include All the Necessary Details

Destination wedding save-the-dates should include more information than just the wedding date and venue. Consider including the following:

• The location of your wedding, including the city and country
• Your wedding website, where guests can find more information and updates
• A general timeline of the weekend's events, such as welcome parties, brunches, or group activities
• Information on accommodation, such as a room block at a hotel
• A picture of you and your partner, such as an engagement photo

Make Them Personal and Fun

Save-the-dates are also a great opportunity to inject some personality into your wedding stationery. You can choose a fun design, such as a magnet or a photo collage postcard. Don't be afraid to get creative and make it reflect your style as a couple.

Remember, sending out save-the-dates for a destination wedding nine months to a year in advance will give your guests the time they need to plan their attendance at your special day.

Local weddings: Send save-the-dates 6 to 8 months before the wedding

Planning a wedding can be an exciting but daunting task, and one of the first things you'll need to do is send out those save-the-dates. For local weddings, it's generally recommended that you send out your save-the-dates six to eight months before the big day. This gives your guests ample time to prepare and change their plans if needed. It's also enough time for them to make any necessary travel arrangements, save money, and request time off work.

While you may be eager to get these sent out as soon as possible, it's important not to send them too early. Save-the-dates that arrive a year or more in advance may be forgotten, or it may be too early for guests to plan properly, especially if they need to request time off work. It's also a good idea to have your wedding website up and running before sending out save-the-dates, so guests can access further information if needed.

Save-the-dates should include the date and location of your wedding, and you can also include a link to your wedding website. They don't need to include details such as start times, dress code, or your wedding theme, as these may change as you continue with your wedding planning.

It's also worth noting that save-the-dates are not the same as invitations. Save-the-dates are a preliminary notice to ensure your guests keep the date free, while invitations, sent out closer to the time, include more details such as the venue address and ceremony time.

So, for a local wedding, sending out your save-the-dates six to eight months in advance will give your guests plenty of notice without being too early. This will ensure your guests have the best chance of being able to join you on your special day.

Don't send too early: Risk of guests forgetting, plans changing, or guests feeling it's too early to plan

Sending out your save-the-dates too early can backfire in several ways. Here are some reasons why you should wait until the right time:

It's too early to plan properly

Sending out save-the-dates a year in advance is too early for most people to plan. They may not be able to request time off work or make other necessary arrangements at such short notice. For example, college students won't know what classes they will be taking a few semesters in advance.

People are naturally forgetful

Prospective guests are likely to forget about the save-the-date if they receive it too early. It's hard for people to conceptualize where they will be or what their work or family commitments will be in the distant future. Sending the save-the-date too early may result in guests forgetting about your wedding altogether.

Plans may change

It's important to give yourself time to figure out the details of your wedding before asking guests to clear their calendars. You may realize that your dream day involves a different location or date than you initially thought. Giving yourself some flexibility will ensure that you don't have to uninvite guests or ask them to change their plans.

Guest lists may change

It's generally not advisable to send save-the-dates before finalizing your guest list. If you ask someone to save the date and then decide they no longer make the cut, it can be insulting. It's better to wait until you are sure about your guest list to avoid any awkward situations.

In conclusion, while it's important to give guests enough notice, sending save-the-dates too early can lead to forgetfulness, planning difficulties, and changes in plans or guest lists. The ideal time frame is usually 6-12 months before the wedding, with the option to go a little earlier for destination weddings.

Send to everyone on the guest list: Anyone you're sure will be invited

Save-the-dates are typically sent out six to 12 months before your wedding day. The top end of this timeframe is preferable, as it gives your guests the most time to prepare and change their plans if necessary. Once your venue and wedding date are confirmed, there's no reason to delay sending out save-the-dates. Anytime from eight months to a year before your wedding is ideal.

If you're planning a destination wedding, the same general rules apply, but you'll want to send out your 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, but destination weddings require a lot of planning, and guests need the additional months to get everything in order.

If you're getting married in just a few months, skip the save-the-dates and just send out your wedding invitations. You'll likely have to secure a venue and vendors as soon as possible anyway, so condense your timeline as much as possible.

Save-the-dates should only be sent to guests who are invited to your whole wedding day. You do not send them to guests who are only invited to the evening reception. It can be very misleading and awkward if you send a save-the-date to an evening-only guest.

If you're at the age where there are lots of weddings each summer, you want to get yours in the diary first. This means that if another wedding comes up on that day, your friends are committed to yours first.

It's important to note that once your save-the-dates are in the mail, there's no turning back—so only send them to those guests you definitely want to attend your wedding.

What to include: Date, location (city and state), and wedding website

Save-the-date cards are the first step in the exciting journey towards your wedding day. They are a simple way to let your guests know that your wedding is on the horizon and to keep that date free. They are typically sent out between six to twelve months before your wedding day, with eight to ten months being the ideal timeframe. This gives your guests ample time to prepare and change their plans if necessary.

Save-the-date cards should include the following:

Date

The most important detail to include is the date of your wedding. If you are throwing events over more than one day, specify the range of dates or say 'The weekend of' to help people make their plans.

Location (city and state)

It's a good idea to include the rough location of your wedding, such as the city or region. This is especially important for guests who need to travel to the wedding so they can plan their travel and accommodation.

Wedding website

Including your wedding website on your save-the-date cards is a great way to give your guests more information about your wedding. Your wedding website can include details such as the dress code, registry info, and any other pertinent information. It's also a great place to share more engagement photos if you wish!

Save-the-date cards are a fun and simple way to start building excitement for your wedding. They are a chance to inject your personality and give your guests a taster of what your wedding will be like. So, while keeping the content direct and instructive, don't forget to have fun with the design and make it your own!

Frequently asked questions