When to send your save the dates!
When to send your save the dates
Congratulations! You're engaged, and you've realized your wedding is approaching quickly! Suddenly, you're at the stage in the planning process where it starts to get real—when to send Save the Dates outs. Not sure where to get started? The Bride Link can help! Watch our video this week to learn when to send out save the dates and what to include! But first, grab your FREE copy of our Ceremony Placement Cheat Sheet to help kickstart your planning!
Sending out your wedding Save the Dates should happen roughly six months before your wedding (or eight, in the case of a destination wedding or an all-weekend event). It's the required time to approximate your guest list, but not too far in advance that your guests will forget to mark off the date on their calendars. It's essential to give them advance enough notice to begin arranging any necessary requests for time off and travel plans.
Your Save the Dates should include your names, your wedding date, the location (even if it's just the city!), and the sentence "formal invitation to follow." Other than that, you can get as detailed and creative as you want.
Only send a Save the Date to people you want to come to your wedding. Don't bank on people not coming and overdo it on your guest count. Keep in mind, if someone is invited to the bridal shower, they'll be expecting an invitation to the wedding as well.
Be clear with how you address your envelopes. Specifically, include only the names of those to who you are inviting. So if it is an adults-only affair, don't put The Johnson Family on the envelope. Instead, you put only Mr. & Mrs. Johnson on the envelope, which indicates that they should leave their four kids at home. Bonus points if you know Mr. Johnson's full name.
Additionally, this is the perfect opportunity to cut down on any plus-one confusion—if you're inviting the guest to bring a date, indicate that on the envelope.
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