When to Send Save the Dates
When to send save the dates is another popular question that I get asked all of the time. I just answered the question “when to send wedding invitations” last week on the blog. Now I’ll tackle when do you send out save the dates!
photo credit: T&R Stock
The first interpretation of when to send save the dates. “Do I need to send out save the dates”?
I think that many clients feel that save the dates are a necessity. They are absolutely an option and most people do not need to send out save the dates. You should send out save the dates in you are having a destination wedding or if your wedding falls on a holiday weekend. In these situations, your guests will need the advanced time to plan and get it marked on their calendars. If your wedding doesn’t fall into either of those categories, then you do not need to send out save the dates. But many clients choose to send them out anyway! One thing to consider if you are on a budget. If you don’t send save the dates, you will have more budget to make your wedding invitations even more spectacular!
So now let’s look at the next interpretation of when do you send out save the dates. “How many months before the wedding should I send out save the dates”?
The short answer to this question is 6 – 8 months before the wedding. If you are having a destination wedding, I recommend sending save the dates closer to the 8-month mark – especially if your guests need a passport. For a wedding on a holiday weekend or “just because”, send out save the dates 6 months before the wedding. I do have one exception to the 6 – 8 month timeline. I don’t recommend sending out save the dates mid-November to the 1st of January. Your guests are so busy during this time of year and with extra mail around the holidays, more mail isn’t a good thing. Waiting to send out your save the dates until after the new year. You’ll catch your guests when they are excited and not overwhelmed.
If you scrolled to the end: Send out save the dates before Thanksgiving, after the New Year, and 6 – 8 months before the wedding! I created this infographic that you can download for you to determine when to send out save the dates!