Do I really need to send out a save-the-date? Even though it is not required, the answer is yes. Your save-the-date serves as the first correspondence to your guests letting them know to reserve the date for your wedding celebration. It is also the first impression and gives the guests a little insight on the theme. With everyone’s busy schedules you want to notify your guests with plenty of time so they can be there to celebrate with you!
When do you send Save-the-dates?
Your save-the-date cards should be sent 6 months prior to your wedding date, and if your wedding date falls on a major holiday or is a destination wedding, send them out 8 months before your wedding to allow guests to make travel arrangements and reserve time off of work. This also applies if your wedding date is in high season so your guests can book their hotel rooms before they sell out. April and October are high season months for weddings in the US.
Best place to order save-the-dates
There are so many wonderful places to order your save-the-dates. Minted and Shutterfly both have many templates that you can add a photo to, and they offer wonderful discounts so they are affordable for most wedding budgets. I have helped create save-the-date coasters, custom drawn maps, bookmarks, handmade candles, passports, and luggage tags for wedding clients. You can customize and be creative with endless possibilities. Etsy is a great source for creative ideas, or your invitation vendor may also be the perfect choice to create your save-the-date.
What to say on save-the-dates
Your save-the-date information is short and simple, but you do want to reflect your personality and set the tone for your celebration. The key elements to include are your names, the wedding date, the name of your venue, and city and state. It’s also imperative that you include your wedding website address so your guests can obtain more details and refer to it before the wedding for updates. And it is a must to add “Invitation to follow” so your guests will know their invitation is coming in the mail. Your invitation will have additional details and a response card to rsvp.
Virtual save-the-dates
More than not, I hear that electronic or online save-the-date cards do not make it to the guest’s in box. Most often they get stuck in the spam folder and are deleted without your guests ever seeing it. Greenvelope www.greenvelope.com/savethedates has tracking to help ensure they get to their destination. They are eco-friendly, and you can send them instantly but be mindful of your older guests who may not use email.
Save-the-date etiquette for COVID-19
If you have had to postpone or redefine the details of your wedding due to COVID-19, sending a second save-the-date is a great way to communicate with your guests on the change and the sooner the better. I would also suggest following up with an email, and phone calls to any guests who do not use email regularly. You want to be sure you have reached every guest to let them know of the date change and any additional changes on hotel room blocks. Guests will need as much notice as possible to change their flights with the airlines if they are from out of state. Be sure to include your wedding website so guests can see updated information, and include “invitation to follow.”
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