Save the dates are an essential part of your wedding preparation. They are an early indication to your guests that you’re getting married and to reserve your wedding day in their schedules. But when exactly should you send them out?
When Should You Send Save the Dates?
The basic rule of thumb is to mail your save the dates 6 months before your wedding. This gives your guests plenty of time to make travel arrangements and plan their schedules, especially those who need to travel from out of town. It is best if you have already settled on a date and venue before sending out the save the dates.
If you’re planning a destination wedding, you should send out your save the dates earlier than 6 months. It is recommended to mail your save the dates 8 to 12 months in advance for destination weddings. This gives your guests more time to plan for travel and accommodations. Since destination weddings usually take place within a few days, it is crucial to give your guests notice so they can make necessary arrangements.
For local weddings, you can send out your save the dates 4 to 6 months before the wedding day. It gives your guests time to sort out their schedules and make necessary RSVP. For local weddings, you have the option of sending out invitations as soon as guests RSVP to save the dates, instead of separate save the dates and invitation cards.
Who Should You Send Save the Dates To?
You should send save the dates to all your guests you want to attend your wedding, especially those who need to travel. It is a polite way to convey that you value their presence at your wedding and give them enough time to sort out their schedules.
The most crucial part is to provide your guests with clear information about the date and location of the wedding. The names of you and your fiancé and specifying the ceremony and reception locations and their respective dates are essential information. Mentioning your wedding website, phone number, or email address, where they can reply and RSVP is also an excellent way to stay connected and answer any questions that your guests may have.
What Information Should Your Save the Dates Have?
Save the date cards are relatively simple. They just need to have basic information to convey the essential details of the wedding to your guests. Here is what you should include on your save the date:
- The names of you and your partner
- The date of your wedding
- The location of your wedding
- Your wedding website if you have one
Conclusion
Sending out save the dates is a crucial part of wedding preparation. It gives a polite nudge to your guests to mark their calendars for your wedding day. You should send out save the dates 6 months in advance for a local wedding and 8 to 12 months in advance for a destination wedding. Encourage your guests to RSVP by including your website or contact information. Make sure to include all essential information on the save the date to avoid confusion regarding the date and location of your wedding.
By sending out save the dates, you show your guests how important they are to you and your husband-to-be. Give them time to plan and prepare so that they can be present with you on your big day. I hope this guide has helped you decide when to send out your save the dates and provided you with all the important information your guests need to mark your wedding day in their calendars.
FAQ
How early do you send out save-the-dates?
When planning a wedding, one of the first tasks is to decide on a date and location for the big event. Once this is done, many couples wonder how early they should send out Save the Dates. The Save the Date is a pre-invitation that simply lets guests know that they will receive an invitation at a later date and should reserve that specific date for the wedding.
As a general rule, it’s best to send Save the Dates 8 to 12 months prior to your wedding. This allows guests to plan ahead and make any necessary arrangements to ensure they can attend. The earlier you send out the Save the Dates, the better, particularly if you’re planning a destination wedding or the wedding falls on a holiday weekend. In these cases, sending Save the Dates 12 to 15 months in advance gives your guests ample time to plan their travel arrangements and take time off work if necessary.
It’s important to note, however, that if you’re still firming up details such as the exact date or the location, it may be best to hold off on sending Save the Dates until all of these details are confirmed. If Save the Dates are sent with incorrect information, it can cause confusion and lead to guests making unnecessary changes to their plans.
The timing of when to send out Save the Dates depends on your specific wedding circumstances. If you’re planning a local wedding during an off-peak season, sending Save the Dates 6 to 8 months in advance may be sufficient. But if you’re planning a wedding during a popular travel month or a busy holiday weekend, be sure to send Save the Dates as soon as possible to give your guests enough time to prepare.
What is the etiquette for wedding save-the-dates?
Save-the-dates are an announcement of your wedding day, allowing your guests to mark that day on their calendars and start making travel arrangements if necessary. Sending save-the-dates is an essential step in planning a wedding, and it is essential to follow a few basic etiquette guidelines. Save-the-dates should generally be ordered, designed, and sent six to nine months before the wedding. This timeline provides your guests with ample time to make arrangements to attend your wedding, such as arranging transportation, booking accommodation, and taking time off work if necessary.
When it comes to designing save-the-dates, it is important to ensure that they reflect the overall tone and theme of your wedding. Save-the-dates are typically less formal than wedding invitations, but they should still reflect the level of formality of the wedding. For example, if you’re having a formal black-tie wedding, you may want to opt for a more elegant design for your save-the-dates. Conversely, if you’re having a beach wedding, you can probably afford to have a more playful and informal design.
Another essential point of etiquette to keep in mind is that while it is acceptable to send save-the-dates to all those on your guest list, you should only send them to those guests whom you’re sure will be invited to the wedding. Save-the-dates are a preliminary announcement, and sending them to people who might not be invited can create confusion and hurt feelings. If you later decide to invite someone who wasn’t included in the initial set of save-the-dates, you can send the person a separate invitation with a personal note explaining that you hadn’t yet finalized the guest list when you mailed out the save-the-dates.
Finally, when it comes to addressing your save-the-dates, it is important to be as formal or informal as you wish. Typically, the outer envelope of the save-the-date includes the recipient’s full name and address. For instance, “Mr. John Sean Doe and Miss Mary Jane Smith,” but the inner envelope can be more casual and personalized. You can address the inner envelope to the guests by their first names to add a touch of warmth and personality to the announcement.
By following these basic etiquette guidelines, you can ensure that your save-the-dates are a beautiful and effective tool for announcing your wedding date and making your guests feel valued and appreciated.
Is 3 months too late to send save-the-dates?
When it comes to sending save-the-dates, there is a general rule of sending them out six months before your wedding date. However, this rule might not apply to all weddings equally. Depending on where you are getting married and who you are inviting, the timing for sending save-the-dates can vary.
If you are having a local wedding with mostly local guests, then sending save-the-dates three months in advance might still work, as most of your guests might not need travel arrangements or advance planning to attend your wedding. However, if you are planning a destination wedding, then it’s important to give your guests as much notice as possible, as they might need to make travel arrangements and book accommodations. In such cases, sending save-the-dates 6-12 months in advance might be more appropriate.
Additionally, the size of your guest list and the type of event you are planning can also influence the timing of sending save-the-dates. If you are having a small wedding with just a few close family and friends, then sending save-the-dates three months in advance might be sufficient. However, if you are having a large wedding with many out-of-town guests, then you might want to send save-the-dates earlier to ensure everyone has enough time to make necessary arrangements to attend your wedding.
While six months might be a general rule, it’s important to consider factors such as location, number of guests, and the type of event you are planning when deciding when to send save-the-dates. the goal should be to give your guests enough time to plan and make arrangements to attend your wedding.
