Top 5 Things to Know about Save the Dates

Congrats! You are engaged! Let the wedding planning begin!

First you will want to figure out an approximate number of guests and a budget for your venue.  The next step is to find the perfect venue to accommodate your wedding.  Once your venue it booked your wedding date is locked in.  It's official!  You have a wedding date!!!

Save the dates are a great way to get your wedding date on your guests calendars.  But there are many questions about save the dates.  Here are some answers to the most common save the date questions:

1) When should I send my save the dates?
Generally save the dates are mailed to your wedding guests 6-9 months before the wedding.  This give your wedding guests ample time to make arrangements and plan on being there.

There are a few instances where you would want to send them 9-12 months before the wedding:
1) If you are having a destination wedding
2) If your wedding is in June
3) If your wedding is on a holiday weekend
4) If you have a lot of guests traveling to come to your wedding

2) Who should (and shouldn't) get save the dates?
Everyone who will be invited to the wedding should get a save the date.  You want to get onto the calendars of all your guests.  If you are unsure if someone will be invited them they should not get a save the date.  Only those that are definitely invited should get a save the date.

3) What information should go on a save the date?
There are 4 things that you will want to put on your save the date:
1) Your names
2) Wedding date
3) Location (City, State is fine- details will go on the invitations)
4) Your wedding website (I highly recommend you have one for details for your wedding)
Also a statement that you are getting married (i.e. "save the date" or "we are getting married") and "Invitation to follow" is also important.  

4) What should our save the date look like?
The short answer... whatever you want them to!  There are so many options, limitless really.  You can use a picture.  You can use multiple pictures.  You could use no pictures.  It could be very formal or very casual.  Odds are you will have a wedding theme and colors in mind by this point but it is still very early on in the planning process that the details are still being worked out.  Your save the date does not need to match your theme or the eventual invitation.  Save the dates also can take many forms.  The most common being a postcard, a card in an envelope or a magnet.  All are options and you just have to decide what you both like best.

5) Do I have to include a picture on my save the dates?
No.  Many people choose to have a picture on their save the dates but they are not required.  Many wedding guests will know you or your fiance but not necessarily both of you.  So it can be fun to use a picture.  About 75% of my clients use a picture on their save the dates.  It is all about personal preference.

These are the most common questions I get about save the dates.  Do you have any questions that I didn't answer?  Comment below and I would be happy to answer them!

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