- Information – At its core, a Save the Date card is meant to tell future wedding guests of your celebration date. ...
- Style – Like all wedding stationery, Save the Dates add to the overall style of your celebration. ...
- Celebration – As the first official wedding notice, these early reminders will warm guest hearts and keep them excited for your celebration.
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.
Who should get a save the date?
Who Should Get a Save-the-Date Card Anyone you want to attend the wedding should receive one of the save-the-date cards. However, if there are some people you’re not sure about, don’t send them one because as soon as they go out, those people will start making plans.
When should save the dates be sent out?
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.
Is it too late to send save the dates?
If a good portion of your guests are traveling to your event, 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.
Does save-the-date mean you're invited?
Are you invited? A save the date card doesn't necessarily mean that you're invited to the wedding - it simply means that you're on the proposed guest list. The final guest list can be subject to change, for example, if there are unexpected changes with the venue, meaning fewer people can come.
What's 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.
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).
What does a save-the-date include?
What should I include on my save the dates? Save the dates should be kept relatively short and sweet. Your and your partner's names, your wedding date, the location of your venue (we mean city and state, not the actual venue), and your wedding website's address are really all you need.
What is the purpose of Save the dates wedding?
What's their purpose? They let your friends and family know that your celebration will be happening in the next few months, giving them ample time to prepare.
Do you respond to a Save the Date?
Technically, a save-the-date card doesn't require a response, but it is a courtesy when an invitee lets the host know when a “yes” is not in the cards. Some couples and their parents think that sending an invitation to those who have indicated they cannot attend smacks of fishing for a wedding gift.
Is save-the-date only for weddings?
Save the Dates are not only used for weddings, but often other events, such as anniversaries, birthdays, bar mitzvahs (and bat mitzvahs), family reunions, and more.
Is it rude to send a save-the-date and not an invitation?
Sending a Save the Date Card but not an Invitation Think carefully before sending out save the dates because they have to go to people that you are actually inviting to the wedding. You can't send a save a date to someone who you might only invite to the wedding ceremony at a later date.
How early do you send save-the-date?
Send out save-the-date cards six to eight months prior to your wedding and the wedding invitations eight weeks before your big day.
What can I say instead of Save the dates?
Simply saying “Save the Date!” is usually hint enough that you're getting married, but you can include an additional phrase like “We're Engaged” or “We're Getting Married!” as well.
How many save the dates do you order?
Couples may receive conflicting advice on how many extra save the dates to order. We suggest ordering 5-10 more cards than you plan to send out. There are plenty of reasons why. You might accidentally mark one up incorrectly.
Whose name do you put first on a save-the-date?
the bride's nameIt's traditional to list the bride's name first; for same-sex couples, consider alphabetizing. The wedding location. You've likely booked the venue at this point, but don't include the address just yet. City and state are all that's needed for now.
Why do you send out save the dates and invitations?
By sending these cards, you're letting people know to reserve that date in their calendar, so they don't make other plans for that time. They can then also ask for time off work, confirm travel plans, save money and organise. The timing for the invitations is much later, usually 6 to 8 weeks before the wedding.
When should you send out save the dates and invitations?
As a general rule of thumb, it's a good idea to mail your save-the-dates four to six months before the wedding—or even earlier if you're planning a destination wedding that may require more extensive travel arrangements.
When should save the dates be sent out?
As a general rule, it's best to send Save the Dates 8 to 12 months prior to your wedding (send them earlier for a destination or holiday weekend). Given enough notice, you may be surprised by the distance that family and friends will come from to be able to attend!
Why do you send out save the dates for weddings?
When it comes to destination wedding save-the-dates, provide as much travel-related information as possible as a courtesy to your guests. “You should include the nearest airports and ways to get there as well as hotel information,” Blum says. “That’s one of the main reasons for sending them out: So that people can book flights and hotels in advance so they don't get penalized for last-minute bookings.”
Do you need a save the date for a wedding?
It’s important to remember that sending save-the-dates is not required. “Usually, I’m only insistent on a save-the-date if it’s a destination wedding and people need to prepare,” says Blum. “But you don’t necessarily need one for a local wedding.”.
Does Blum put a wedding registry on the save the date?
Another potential save-the-date faux pas that Blum gets asked about is whether or not to include wedding registry information. “I would never put a registry in the save the date, I think it’s really tacky,” she says.
When to not send save the dates?
Expert Wedding Planning Tip: It is important to think about large seasonal events that may impact the receipt of a save the date, if possible do not send save the dates during the peak of the Christmas holiday season, as they can get lost with all of the other mail that arrives during that time of the year.
Who should receive a save the date card?
A save the date card should go to every guest invited to your wedding, including members of your wedding party and family members. Using the same etiquette rules for how to address wedding invitations, we’ve provided the following guidelines for how to address your save the date cards with your guests in mind:
What should be on a save the date card?
Your save the date card should include three main pieces of information: The date of the wedding, or the weekend of the wedding celebration. The magical date is set and this is the date you include in your card, allowing your guests to mark the big day on their calendars.
What is the magical date?
The magical date is set and this is the date you include in your card, allowing your guests to mark the big day on their calendars.
Why give guests a year?
Why so much time? Giving your guests a year or more to plan will generate excitement and ensure a smooth guest experience , especially for out-of-towners.
When to send wedding invites?
Follow your save the dates with your formal invitations about 8 weeks before the wedding.
Can you save the date on Shutterfly?
Create personalized and stylish save the date cards with Shutterfly. Our easy-to-use templates allow you to design your save the dates with your selected photographs and important nuptial details. We can even address, stamp and send your cards! Make sure to keep a copy of your save the dates to save for a wedding photo book.
What does "save the date" mean?
By definition, a “save the date” tells people to mark their calendars for a special celebration. This could be for any kind of party, but the big ones are weddings, birthdays and showers. Save the dates can be formal or fun, but they should always set the mood for your affair.
Why does Gemma want you to save the date for her bridal shower?
Because you are friends, Gemma would like you to save the date for her bridal shower.
Do you need to include honorifics on a save the date?
If you are using a formal save the date, you’ll want to include honorifics (like Mr., Mrs., and Ms.). Have fun, but be sure to include everything a guest will need to know. Don’t go overboard. A save the date is a precursor to an invitation, so you don’t need to add all the details.
Can you send a save the date through email?
Sending a save the date through email can work for many occasions. However, when it comes to weddings, it is best to mail or hand them in person. While wording is important, you’ll want to think about imagery too. This allows everything on your save the date to flow seamlessly .
Why send save the dates?
One of the benefits of sending save-the-dates is that they alert guests of your official wedding date and location, which is ultra helpful when travel is involved.
When do couples 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.
Why do you have your wedding day marked on your calendar?
Having your wedding day marked on their future calendars will give your nearest and dearest a chance to make plans around your wedding weekend and ensure they don't accidentally double-book. Plenty of personal and professional events and travel plans are confirmed months in advance—including work trips and conferences and annual family vacations, to name a few. The greater notice you give your guests, the greater likelihood they'll be available to attend.
When to send save the dates for wedding?
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.
Do you need to collect email addresses for save the dates?
Even if you opt to send digital save-the-dates to save funds, you'll still need to collect everyone's email addresses (and it's possible that all-important email might get missed).
What is a save the date?
In other words, think of the save-the-date as giving your guests a heads up that they're invited, while the actual invitation formally invites them with all the details.
What is the difference between a save the date and an invitation?
Another key difference between a save-the-date vs. an invitation is that RSVPs are typically requested for invitations and not save-the-dates. This makes total sense given that not all the details may be finalized when the save-the-dates are sent out and it's often tricky for people to know so far in advance if they'll be able to attend.
What is the difference between a wedding invitation and a save the date?
Here's the biggest difference between the two: "Save-the-dates are sent early in the wedding planning process to ask your guests to hold the date in their calendars for your wedding while formal invitations and the details are being finalized, " says Jordan Kentris, founder and creative director of A Good Day, a boutique design firm specializing in event stationery. "A wedding invitation is the piece that contains all the necessary details to invite a guest to attend your wedding."
Can you send save the dates via email?
Traditionally, save-the-dates are sent via mail but sending them via email is also an option. If you do go the mail route, Kentris says save-the-dates don't typically include inserts, but you can definitely add an additional card to include travel details for destination weddings.
What info should be on a save the date?
You’ll also want to ensure that your electronic save the date has all the same info that would be on a paper invite: your names, wedding date, location, and wedding website . “And if this is a virtual wedding versus an in-person one, make sure you're clear about that as well,” Chang adds.
Do digital save the dates cost anything?
One of the biggest misconceptions when it comes to digital save the dates is that they don’t cost anything to send. Just as paper save the dates have the option of going basic to going more elaborate, the cost for digital versions can also vary quite a bit.
Is saving the dates too expensive?
Although save the dates are generally not too pricey when it comes to your overall wedding budget, if you’re looking to do something a bit more fancy then you're going to spend more. “The cost of printing alone, especially if you are making them on your own, will definitely add to your costs,” says Vega. “You are definitely going to save some pennies by going the non-paper route.”
Is it better to save the date on paper or electronic?
Whether you’re looking for an alternative to traditional save the dates or need to update your plans with a change the date, paper isn’t your only option. Electronic save the dates aren’t just budget-friendly, they can also be more convenient as they take the hassle out of printing, addressing, and physically mailing a bundle.
Is saving the date bad for the environment?
Another pro is that there isn’t an environmental impact of sending digital save the dates. “First and foremost, there is no harming of trees or environment in any way, “ says Sisti. “Consider it a win-win for you and Mother Nature.” It also takes some of the guesswork out of it for you and your guests because you don’t have to worry if they will get lost in the mail, wonder if your guest actually got it, or if they will disregard it right after receiving it. And lastly, guests can access the information from their phone wherever they are instead of searching for a piece of paper to remind them of important details.
Is electronic save the date a money saver?
According to Simone Vega of Coordinated To Perfection, electronic save the dates have become extremely popular among couples recently. “Given the current landscape, where there is a lot of uncertainty of when or even if a wedding will or will not take place, these save the dates are definitely a money saver,” she says.
