When to Send Save the Dates: A Simple Wedding Timeline
Six to eight months out is the usual answer, but your date, your guests and your travel plans can change it. Here is how to pick the right time.
Most couples should send save the dates six to eight months before the wedding. If guests need to fly in, book hotels or take extra time off, send them eight to twelve months out. That one decision gives everyone time to plan, and it takes pressure off your formal invitations later.
The save the date timeline
| Type of wedding | Send save the dates |
|---|---|
| Local wedding | 6 to 8 months before |
| Many out-of-town guests | 8 months before |
| Holiday weekend or peak season | 8 to 10 months before |
| Destination wedding | 8 to 12 months before |
Formal invitations usually follow six to eight weeks before the wedding, so save the dates are not a replacement for them. They are an early note that says: keep this date free.
When to send them earlier
A few situations call for more notice. Weddings over a holiday weekend compete with family plans and expensive travel. Guests who need passports or visas may need months of lead time. If several people must arrange child care or request leave, an early card is a real kindness.
Can you send save the dates too late?
Once you are within four months of the wedding, a save the date adds little. At that point it is usually better to move straight to your invitation, or to send a short message to the guests who will need to travel.
Who should get a save the date?
Only send one to people you are sure you will invite. A save the date is a promise: anyone who receives one should expect an invitation. If your guest list is still changing, wait until your venue is booked and your list is firm.
Guests who are allowed a plus one do not need a separate card. Address the save the date to the people who are invited, and use names clearly so nobody has to guess.
What to include
- Your names
- The wedding date
- The city and state, even if the exact venue is still undecided
- A line such as “Formal invitation to follow”
- Your wedding website, if you have one
Leave out the schedule, the registry and the dress code. Those belong on your website or your invitation. A save the date works best when it can be read in five seconds.
Printed or digital?
Both work. Printed cards feel more personal and often end up on a refrigerator, which is a useful reminder. Digital cards cost less and are easy to send to guests overseas. Many couples print for family and older guests and send a digital version to everyone else.
A quick checklist
- Book your venue and confirm the date.
- Finish your guest list and collect addresses.
- Choose a design that matches the style of your wedding.
- Order early enough to allow for proofing, printing and mailing.
- Mail everything on the same day so nobody hears the news secondhand.
Ready to start? Browse our wedding save the date templates. Each design is part of a full suite, so your wedding signs, menu cards and thank-you cards can match it later.
Complete suites to personalize online, from save the dates to signs, menus and thank-you cards.
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