
- Save the date cards can be sent out as early as a year from your wedding date
- Invitations should be sent to your guests six to eight weeks in advance of your wedding.
- Invitations for destination weddings should be sent to your guests three months in advance of your wedding.
When should you send out save the dates?
Your wedding stationery timeline should look something like this:
- 10-12 months before - start your free wedding website
- 8-10 months before - finalise guest list and addresses and send out save the dates
- 4-6 months before - order your wedding invitations (don't forget your RSVP s!)
- 2-3 months before - send out your wedding invitations and get your on-the-day stationery (such as menu cards and your wedding guest book)
When is it too early to send save the dates?
Within the grand timeline of wedding planning, sending your Save the Dates lands around 8 months for a destination wedding and 6 months for a local wedding. Save the Dates can and should be sent as soon as you've secured your venue and set a date, but be careful not to send them too early.
Should I really send a save the date?
When to Send a Save-the-Date. There is no hard rule of when exactly you should send out save-the-dates to your family members and wedding guests. Ideally, the sooner the better once you've pinned down a wedding date. Kentris recommends following date etiquette by sending out save-the-dates at least six to 12 months out.
When should save the dates be sent?
The First Look ✨ Within the grand timeline of wedding planning, sending your Save the Dates lands around 8 months for a destination... Save the Dates can and should be sent as soon as you've secured your venue and set a date, but be careful not to send... It’s common for couples to have a group A ...

How early is too early to send save the dates?
DON'T send them too early…or too late! Six to seven months before the wedding is a good time to send Save the Dates. For destination weddings, you can send them up to nine months ahead, although I wouldn't recommend any earlier.
How far in advance do you send save the dates 2022?
The basic rule of thumb is to send save the dates 6 months before the wedding. For a destination wedding, it is customary to mail save the dates 8 to 12 months in advance. For a local affair, send save the dates 4 months in advance.
Do you include plus ones on save the dates?
When to include a plus-one on the save the date: Married, engaged, and cohabitating guests should get a plus-one. Give your wedding-party members a plus-one. Guests who have been with their partner for so long that it'd be awkward not to invite them.
Who gets a save the date?
Who should receive a save-the-date? You should send your save-the-dates to anyone you want at your wedding. Even if you've already received verbal confirmations from certain guests, you should still send them a save-the-date (members of your wedding party, siblings and parents).
When should you send save-the-dates or invitations?
Chertoff told Insider that save-the-dates should not be sent any earlier than six months before the wedding invitations, which go out six to eight weeks before the wedding. That means the save-the-dates need to be sent around eight months before your wedding, at the latest.
How far in advance should wedding invites be sent out?
It's best to send your wedding invitations around 4-5 months before your big day. It's expected that not everyone will RSVP (especially not on time) and sending your invitations too early may cause people to misplace your invite or simply, forget.
Do I need to send out save-the-dates?
Couples typically send out save-the-dates a few months after they've gotten engaged and have decided on a wedding date and venue. But they're hardly mandatory, and for some couples, they might not even be necessary.
What is the difference between a save the date and an invitation?
The biggest difference between save-the-date cards and wedding invitations is that the first is meant to put guests on notice, while the second acts as a formal invitation to the event. For that reason, save-the-dates are sent first — often months or even a year before the wedding date.
Where should I buy my save the dates?
When it comes to purchasing your save the dates, you have several options. You could buy your save the dates through an online stationer like WeddingWire Invitations, which allows you to browse a variety of options, customize your wedding stationery, and receive free samples easily and conveniently. If you'd prefer to see a wide range of options in person, you might opt to work with a local stationer in your area. Check sites like WeddingWire to find a stationer near you who is well-reviewed.
When do you send out save the dates if you’re hosting a local wedding?
We recommend sending save the dates between four and eight months in advance of your nuptials for hometown weddings. If a good portion of your guests are traveling to your event or if your event is taking placing over a holiday weekend, send save the dates around eight months in advance, but if most people are local, four to six months ahead of time is fine—anything later than four months in advance, your guests may already have conflicts on their calendars. As with a destination wedding, your wedding website should be relatively complete by the time those save the dates go out. Your guests will likely refer to your wedding website immediately after receiving your save the date to check your registry and other details, and the last thing you want is them to be greeted by a blank page.
What shouldn’t I include on my save the dates?
The major wedding etiquette no-no is including specific registry information on your save the date. This information can be included on your website, but shouldn’t be added to any printed materials. You also don’t need to be specific about your wedding venue, exact timing, or dress code. Your guests don’t need that information at this early point.
Can I send electronic save the dates?
Traditional wedding etiquette dictates that save the dates should be printed and sent via snail mail. However, times have changed and for couples who are planning with a really tight timeline or an extremely large guest list, online save the dates can be a quick and easy solution. For formal weddings, though, printed save the dates are still best. If you're going the online route, there are plenty of websites with thousands of templates to choose from so you can find the save the dates that best suit your wedding style.
Do you need a wedding website after a save the date?
As with a destination wedding, your wedding website should be relatively complete by the time those save the dates go out. Your guests will likely refer to your wedding website immediately after receiving your save the date to check your registry and other details, and the last thing you want is them to be greeted by a blank page.
Do you send save the dates to all guests?
Your save the dates should be sent to all of your guests, which means you should have a finalized guest list before sending them out. Some couples create A, B, and C guest lists and only sending save the dates to those on the A-list, but that’s not something we recommend. In fact, we don't recommend having A, B, ...
Do save the dates have to match?
While your save the date should reflect the style of your wedding (formal or casual), it’s doesn’t have to match the rest of your paper goods. In fact, you probably don’t even know what the rest of your paper suite will look like at this early point, so don’t sweat it!
How long does it take to send save the dates?
Within the grand timeline of wedding planning, sending your Save the Dates lands around 8 months for a destination wedding and 6 months for a local wedding. Save the Dates can and should be sent as soon as you've secured your venue and set a date, but be careful not to send them too early.
How many months out do you have to send a save the date?
To simplify the wedding planning process, send your save the date card or magnet no earlier than eight months out and no later than four and you’ll be perfectly fine.
Why do we send save the dates?
On the one hand they boost the morale of friends and family for the upcoming festivities, on the other, they give an ample amount of time for your guests to block off their calendars for your wedding. There’s a science to sending out save the dates—not too early and never too late. Plus, did you know that different types of weddings require sending save the dates at different times? With all these small details, it’s easy to get caught up in the logistics. No worries! Here’s exactly when to send save the dates.
How long before a wedding should you send a save the date?
Save the dates should be sent four to six months before a local wedding, and eight to twelve months before a destination wedding. These timelines will give your guests ample time to make arrangements, but not so much time that it’s too far away for them to keep track of.
How far in advance do you collect friends and family addresses?
10 Months in Advance: Collect friends and family addresses.
Do you need to send save the dates to every household?
Only send save the dates to group A—and only send them to each household. You don’t need to send formal save the dates for every individual guest. If they live at the same address, they only need one save the date. Save the dates are the introduction to your wedding so we understand you want to time it right.
Can You Ever Send Save The Dates Too Early?
OK, yes, we realize we just said to send your save the dates as soon as possible, but hold please just for one moment. It is definitely possible to send save the dates too early. Doing so may cause your guests to put your wedding date out of mind because they feel like it’s too far away to mentally prioritize. Wedding etiquette states that it’s best to send a save the date card four to six months ahead of your big day. (Unless you’re hosting a destination wedding, in which case eight months out is a better timeframe to allow out-of-town guests enough time to plan and make travel arrangements.)
How Far In Advance Do You Send Save The Dates?
Around six to eight months in advance of your wedding day is when you should aim to send out your save the dates.
How Early Is Too Early To Send Save The Dates?
It is only natural to feel excited and enthusiastic about all things wedding related – particularly sending out your save the dates – as this might be the first some of your guests have heard about your wedding day.
Do You Send Save The Dates To Everyone?
If you’re anything like us, your wedding guest list is compiled of several different sections: family, friends, colleagues, day guests, evening guests, plus ones – the list seems endless!
Where To Get Save The Dates
Choosing your wedding invites and save the dates can seem like a daunting task.
Finally
Sending save the dates provides a lot of benefits for all involved. They’re certainly the courteous thing to do.
How far in advance should you send save the dates?
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.
How long does it take to get a save the date card?
Traditional save-the-date cards require ordering, proofing, printing, waiting for delivery, addressing, applying postage, and physical mailing, all of which can take weeks. Since most online stationery sites (like Paperless Post, Minted, and Shutterfly's Wedding Shop) are so easy to navigate, you can select and pay for your design within an hour ...
What is the first thing you do when planning a wedding?
One of the first wedding-planning tasks you must take on is sending save the dates. But, many questions come to mind when tackling this project. Specifically, you're probably wondering when to send save-the-date cards. This particular announcement will be your initial segue into the world of wedding stationery suites, so we've done all the research to get you prepared.
Do you send save the date cards to guests?
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.
Do you have first dibs on guests who know other couples getting married on the same day?
You're more likely to have first dibs on guests who know other couples getting married on the same day.
When to send save the dates?
When to send. Aim to send save-the-dates four to six months before your wedding, if you're tying the knot in a far-flung destination. Any longer, and your date might go on the backburner and be inadvertently forgotten when a conflict does arise. But, if you're having a small wedding and most attendees are local, ...
Who should receive a save the date?
Everyone on your "A" guest list-even your maid of honor who found out the second you booked the venue-should receive a save-the-date. (Due to budget and venue restrictions, you may have a "B" guest list-people you would love to have at your wedding but can't invite until regrets come in). If plus-ones and kids are invited, remember to specify "and guest" or "and family" when addressing save-the-dates. Address cards accordingly-and that means waiting until your guest list is set.
What is a save the date?
For many guests and engaged couples, a save-the-date makes upcoming nuptials seem "real" as it's the first time the info-date and place-appears in one spot. It's a sign everyone can start making plans to attend, booking hotels and vacation dates. Along with sharing need-to-know details, it's a great way to get people excited. Here are some tips to keep in mind as you start spreading the (amazing!) news.
