When Should You Send Your Wedding Save-the-Dates?
I recently wrote a blog about when to send your wedding invitations and realized that an equally frequent question I get is when to send the save-the-date cards (and sometimes even, “do I have to send Save-the-Dates,) so I’m putting everything you need to know here!
Save the Dates can be simple and beautiful at the same time. I love this Boston focused card from Fete Collection’s Semi-Custom line
Do I have to send Save-the-Dates?
I mean…yeah, kinda. Etiquette tells us you don’t HAVE to, but I think you should. Save the Dates give your wedding the gravity it deserves and sets the tone. They give your family and friends the head’s-up, they will give you first dibs on guests who know other couples getting married the same day, and they let everyone start to get really excited.
2. When to Send Save the Dates for a Local Wedding
Send out your save-the-date cards six to eight months prior to your wedding. If you are planning in a tighter time frame, just send out as soon as you possibly can. Your wedding invites will likely be mailed out 8-10 weeks before the wedding date, so as long as you have 4+ months, it’s still well worth the effort to get the info out to your guests (even if it needs to be an electronic Save the Date to save time).
3. When to Send Save the Dates for a Destination Wedding
If you are throwing a destination wedding or getting married on a major holiday, you should give guests extra notice by sending your save the dates out nine months to a year in advance. Better yet, as soon as you’ve chosen a venue and set up your wedding website, get those save the dates in the mail. No one will complain about extra time to book flights and reserve a hotel room.
4. Who to Send a Save the Date To
Anyone you're sure will be invited. Do not mail save-the-date cards to guests on your B-list: Once they receive a save the date, you're obligated to send them a wedding invitation. It is ok to add people to your invitation list that did not receive the save the date, but certainly no the reverse!
5. Sending Electronic Save the Dates
I’m a fan! Saving cost, time and trees is always a win. The save-the-dates are traditionally a less formal piece anyway, so if going electronic feels right to you, go for it! You can link guests directly to your wedding website with everything they need. Greenvelope & Paperless Post both have great options that you can get created & sent in less than an hour!
6. What to do BEFORE sending your save the date
Before your save the dates go out, you should have your A-List for the wedding confirmed. Will the full guest count you are inviting fit in your venue and your budget? Have all of the key decision makers signed off on the list? You also need to have your wedding website (which absolutely should be listed on the save-the-date) up and running, and inclusive of hotel room blocks.
That’s it! Don’t let this first major step of the wedding planning process trip you up. Your save the date can be as simple, as creative, or as individualized as you’d like it to be. But it doesn’t need to stress you out. It doesn’t need to match invitations or anything else that probably hasn’t been decided yet. It just needs to serve it’s purpose-telling guests you are getting married, the date, and the wedding website. Easy peasy.
