When to send your save the dates

When to send save the date cards for a destination wedding

For a destination wedding, you should send out your save the dates 9-12 months before the big day. This will give your guests plenty of notice to book flights and accommodation. If you are organised earlier, you can always send out your destination save the dates as soon as you have booked the venue, seeing as all you need to tell your guests at this point is when and where you will be celebrating your union. 

Do I have to send save the dates?

No, there is no obligation to send out save the date cards. 

We do, however, recommend sending them out if you are getting married during a peak period (summer holidays or Christmas) or if you are getting married abroad. The save the dates will give your guests plenty of notice when it comes to getting the time of work and making travel and accommodation arrangements. 

Who should I send save the dates to?

Be sure to send save the date cards to everyone you plan on inviting to the wedding. This will include all close family and friends from both sides of the family and will depend on the size of your wedding. Take a look at our top tips for putting together your wedding guest list for help deciding who you would like to join you for your big day. 

How many save the dates should I order?

You do not need to order a save the date for everyone on your guest list but one for every household. If you are only inviting certain people in the household (i.e. not inviting children) then be sure to add the names to your save the date cards. 

What information should I include on my save the dates cards?

At this early stage, all you need to provide on your save the date cards is the location of your wedding and, of course, the date. You do not necessarily need to name your venue but can simply give the name of the town or city. 

If you know that many of your guests are not local or you are hosting a destination wedding, you may already wish to let your guests know the best ways to get to the venue and where they can stay so that they can start marking arrangements. Take a look at our save the date wording ideas for our top tips. 

Choosing the perfect save the date cards

Your save the date cards will be your guests’ first glimpse of your big day so choose a design that suits your style and personalities. You can already use your save the date cards to hint at your chosen colour scheme and wedding style. Your save the date cards can also be a great way to share photos from your engagement photo shoot or simply some of your most recent adventures. You will find everything from rustic to photo save the dates in our collection so you are sure to find something to suit your wedding style. 

If, however, you are yet to settle on a theme or a colour scheme for your wedding, simply choose a neutral design that you both love. There is no obligation to keep everything coordinated from beginning to end, even if it is a nice attention to detail that is sure to impress your guests.