Now that your guest list is complete, you want to inform the guests of your wedding day to help them plan for the big day. Save the date cards are a creative way to tell your friends and family about your wedding plans while leaving you with room to make changes. A save the date is different from wedding invitations, as they function more as pre-invite, and they are usually sent from anywhere from 6 months to a year before the actual wedding date.
Save the date cards are sent to give guests time to clear and organize their calendars while planning to attend the wedding. It is recommended to send both save the date cards and a formal invitation card. Save the date cards also give you room to make any changes to your wedding plans. Unlike a formal wedding invitation, save the date cards can be sent before the wedding details are finalized. Save the dates are not absolutely necessary, but we highly recommend that if you are having a destination wedding, you should use save the date cards.
Whether you’re planning a destination wedding or just a local affair, your guests deserve as much time as possible to get prepared for your big day. So the time you need depends on when you start planning and your destination.
Click HERE to Download your Traditional Wedding Checklist
If you are having a destination wedding, you need to give your guests as much time as possible to plan for the day. Your guests need time to get their passports ready and book their tickets and make hotel recommendations. The most important information is the date. For destination weddings, the save the date cards can be sent 8 to 12 months before your wedding. Instead of just a simple card, consider sending out a packet so that you get plenty of room for filling it with extra information.
If your ceremony and reception venues happen to be in your hometown, or somewhere nearby, you can send save the date cards 4 to 6 months prior to your wedding date. For the invitation try timing it to be sent 12-weeks prior to your wedding ceremony date, 3 months is ample time, and by 3 months out you should have your wedding event schedule relatively mapped out, so you can include times and schedule on your invitation if wanted.
It is important to keep in mind any seasonal events, as it might affect the reliability of delivery services and your guest’s abilities to receive the card. This is a good rule of thumb, for any important or time-sensitive materials, avoid sending them out during busy holidays, vacation seasons, or bad weather seasons. Your parcels may get lost in the mail, stuck in a mailbox, or not delivered at all which defeats the purpose of the cards.