Figuring out the Right Time to Send Save the Dates and Wedding Invitations.

Great job! It looks like you've got your plans all set - date and location locked in. What's next on the agenda? You can now get down to the nitty-gritty of determining your wedding venue, caterers, florists, entertainment, photographers, and other suppliers. But first, you need to get those Save the Dates out so that your guests can pop it on their calendar, and you know that you have a firm date to make all those decisions and special touches by.

Where you are getting married will have an influence on the timing of when you should consider this. A destination wedding will require more notice for your guests to make plans than a local wedding. The season when you are having your special day will determine whether more advanced notice is needed, since guests may have increased plans in the summer months as opposed to the autumn and winter periods. It is tempting to send out these advanced notices as early as possible, but for the most part, anything over 12 months can be excessive and ineffective. However, only you will really have an inclination as to what is best for your guests. If those important friends and family you really want at your wedding lead busy, jet-setting lifestyles, then additional notice may be appreciated. If this is not the case, then a more traditional invitation timeline will be fine.

While you do not HAVE to send Save the Dates, it is nice to give your guests notice of your wedding. Furthermore, it is unnecessary to send these out in the post, as nowadays an electronic notification for many people will be acceptable and enable you to add in electronic details which will keep guests updated about event details, travel arrangements, and accommodation. For a destination wedding, you should be looking at sending out your Save the Dates at least 8 months before your special day and give the destination so your guests can prepare for the additional elements of travel. On the other hand, if you are having a more local wedding, these Save the Dates can go out 4-6 months in advance. If you have less than 4 months to go, just send out your wedding invitations.

Having sent out your Save the Date cards, the wedding invitation is really just a formality. However, it’s still important to get it out in time, especially for destination wedding invitations, as this will allow guests to book flights in advance without worrying about any changes to your wedding date and location since things CAN change in the time between when couples send out their Save the Dates and invites. While the invitation may be regarded as customary, it can also hint at the style or theme of your special day. Invitations should therefore be sent out between 4-6 weeks before your special day.