The Ultimate Guide to Save the Dates
What are Save the Dates?
Save the Dates are an official announcement to your wedding date and location. Save the Dates also let guests know that they will be invited to the wedding and an official invitation will follow. This allows guest to have proper notice to make work and travel arrangements with enough ample time.
Save the Date Basics
Do we have to send Save the Dates?
Even though its not necessarily required to send Save the Dates, it does provide plenty of time for guests to make arrangements for work + travel. To increase the likelihood that your guests will attend, give them enough time to not only know the official date of your wedding, but also the location. If your date happens to be around a busy, holiday time, you will want to give enough notice to your guests so they can make arrangements ASAP!
When should we send Save the Dates?
General rule is at least 6 months, 8 months if you have a destination or location where travel may be needed. This gives your guests enough time to book cars, flights, hotels, etc. Any longer and you might as well send an invitation. Any shorter and it might slip their mind.
Who should receive a Save the Date?
I recommend sending physical Save the Date cards to everyone you plan on having at your wedding. Even if you verbally talked about attending your wedding, still send them a Save the Date. I’m talking Bridal Party, Friends, Family…) Also, plan on only sending Save the Date cards to folks you ACTUALLY want to attend your wedding. Think about it…how it would feel to receive a Save the Date card and no wedding invitation. Or worse, sending a Save the Date card and then having to tell them they cannot attend the wedding (COVID is the ONLY exception here!)
What information should we include on our Save the Dates?
It’s perfectly normal not to know all the specifics of your day at this point, I honestly wouldn’t expect you too and want you to slow down and experience everything. Soak it in! There is some information you are going to want to include in your pre-invite though. Make sure to include your names and the official wedding date. If its a wedding weekend, make sure to put all dates as well. You will want to include the city at minimum, even if you haven’t officially booked your venue yet. (NOTE: I would personally recommend waiting to design Save the Date cards till your venue is officially booked, but ya know…life!) I would include some verbiage along the lines of “Formal Invitation to Follow” and then if you wanted, you could include your wedding website.
Save the Date Etiquette
Should we include a way to RSVP with our Save the Dates?
The short answer…No! Asking this of your guests so early backfires. Sometimes they tend to forget altogether since they know they have enough time to reply anyways, they will just forget to respond. This gives them enough time to decide what their RSVP will be by the time the formal invitation arrives.
Should we share registry info on our Save the Date?
The idea of a Save the Date is to provide the date + location. For lack of a better word, its inappropriate to include a registry on your Save the Date since buying a gift is not technically required. Save the registry for your wedding website and if guests really want to know where you are registered, they will ask!
Do we need to add “and guest,” to the Save the Date or can that wait for the invitations?
It’s best to be clear and set the expectations about who is invited from the start. Make it clear, by addressing WHO is invited on the front of the envelope, that way Aunt Sally’s hot new boo of two months won’t be surprised when he does not receive a “plus one.” Or really any general confusion about children (and most households have those!) so it gives ample time for them to find a babysitter and enjoy a weekend getaway together. Or if any out of towners need to make travel arrangements. Include all the housing info on your wedding website in order to avoid answering the same question multiple times.
What if we send Save the Dates and then change our wedding date or location?
If 2020 taught me anything, its that plans can change and they can change on a daily basis. Just roll with it and try not to stress! Most companies will give a discount on what they call “change the date” cards. Make sure you remember to update your wedding website with the news as well. If you happen to feel overwhelmed, delegate the task to family and/or your bridal party to keep up on the guest list.
Can we send electronic Save the Dates?
WIth the ever so popular and growing digital age, it’s no surprise that couples are choosing to go digital over snail mail. Something to consider, maybe double up on the paper version and digital. What happens if their e-save-the-date goes right into their junk folder? It might be tempting to skip the paper and save money, but maybe you want this momento? An actual physical copy to keep forever! I would consider electronic Save the Dates if you happen to postpone your wedding. You will also need to update your wedding website.
Save the Date
Mistakes
Not Sending Them
Not sending them at all doesn’t give your guests enough time to make arrangements for travel specially if you are having a destination/three day wedding weekend. You are really doing you and your guests a disservice by doing so. Unless you are having a short engagement, it might be best to just skip right to the invitations, but remember…the more time you give, the higher probability of guests actually attending, which is ultimately the goal, right?!
Sending Them Too Late
The general idea is six-eight months prior to your wedding date to allows time for travel plans + taking off work. Anything less than that is just setting yourself up for stress and possibly guests who are unable to attend. The less stress you give yourself closer to the day, the more you can actually enjoy your wedding.
Sending Them Too Early
Let’s say you want to send your Save the Dates out a whole year in advance. This can only be problematic when guest forget to take care of travel plans. They tend to put things on the back burner thinking, “I’ve got time” and before they know it, they forgot to book and now have issues finding somewhere to stay for your destination/three day celebration.
Sending Them to People You’re Not Sure About
Once you put them in the mailbox, there is no turning back. How awkward would that conversation be, explaining to a guest that you just cannot accommodate (again, COVID is the only exception here!) Or worse, what if they never receive a formal invitation after having received a Save the Date and they still show up AND with a guest. Save yourself the stress and be 100% sure before sending!
Overthinking the Design
Don’t worry, the design is not that serious. This is a time to play and experiment. A time to try something new and it doesn’t even have to go with the theme of your wedding! Get a little creative together and include the necessary information as mentioned above.
Only Sending Electronic Ones
“I never received a Save the Date” could be one of the legit excuses mentioned and that’s because the electronic Save the Date probably went right into their junk/spam folder and then was buried by tons of other junk. Your wedding deserves more than that and get it out of the trash! No one knew that would happen, but is it a risk you are willing to take?
Being Unclear About Who’s Actually Invited
I am totally a fan of lists. Make it a date night too, grab the wine and a fuzzy blanket and sit on the couch together. Start writing down all the guest you want to invite. Sit on this list for a few days too, eventually adding and subtracting people. TIP: number your people as you go, that way you do not have to (literally/manually) count each and everyone!
After you have your final list, make sure you address each individual on the envelope. That way there is NO confusion as to who is actually invited and when asked about Aunt Sally’s hot new boo, you can explain that the expectation has been made when you sent the save the dates.
Including Registry Information
Your guests will want to know where you registered for your wedding but save that for the wedding website. Its in bad taste to include that on a Save the Date when technically, gifts are not a requirement.
Save the Date Style and Design
Do our Save the Dates have to match our wedding invitations or theme?
Save the Dates are much less formal than wedding invitations so this is your opportunity to not only show off all your beautiful engagement photos, but a time to play with design and what you like as a couple! Play with fonts, colors and create something fun and exciting for your guests that really makes your personalities shine!
How do we decide on a Save the Date style?
Use this opportunity to throw in a little humor, do something a little different. Like one of my couples did with theirs! We all know what your guests are thinking, we just said it! FREE BEER! Don’t be afraid to step outta the box, get a little creative and make something totally “us!” By the way, I LOVE receiving your Save the Date cards too. Send one to me in the mail!! I literally, no joke, hang them on my fridge. Plus, its totally silence on my end after I deliver your online gallery and hear what you think about your photos. I never get to see what you actually DO with the photos!! I wanna see!!!
Does the Save the Date have to be a card?
Save the Dates can be whatever you want them to be! Cards can be the most straight forward, but you decide to go with anything from calendars, postcards, fridge magnets to even comic strips to a candy bar!
Save the Date Design Ideas:
Save the Date Card
Save the Date Photo Card
Save the Date Calendar Card
Destination Wedding Save the Dates
SEE ALSO: XX Creative Ideas for Save the Dates
We want to design our Save the Dates ourselves. Where do we start?
If design is just not your thing and you want something simple and now, head over to your online gallery. Once I deliver your engagement photos, follow these steps.
Click the little shopping cart in the top, right corner.
Choose/Click on “Greeting Card.”
Choose either 5x7 or 5x5 size.
Choose your Language.
Pick from the included styles/designs.
Choose your photo
Add in your text
Add to cart!
BOOM! Just like that! I think honestly the hardest part will be choosing which photo! I already know you are going to have quite a few favs! Happy designing!!
Let me know in the comments if you need any help or advice?!
Catchfly Photography is a traditional wedding and adventurous elopement photographer based in Highland, MI. Julie Believes in the little details and in between moments. Nature completely inspires Julie and she incorporates nature into almost every photo she takes. Julie travels to photograph traditional weddings and intimate elopements in Michigan’s Upper + Lower Peninsula and Colorado.
