Wedding Save the Dates: Everything You Need to Know!
You’re engaged! The planning is officially underway and once you’ve selected a date, it’s time to get your guests in the loop by sending wedding save the dates. You might be wondering what the difference is between wedding save the dates and wedding invitations. Maybe you’re asking yourself if they are really necessary! These are all great questions! But before you make any decisions, keep reading to find the answers to all your save the date questions! Plus, make sure you scroll all the way to the bottom to receive 40% off all your wedding stationary needs with my special code!!!!
what is it…
Wedding save the dates are basically a pre-invitation that will let your guests know what date you want them to save and that they will be invited.
SAVE THE DATE
INVITATION
do we need them…
As a wedding photographer, my calendar fills up 18-24 months in advance, especially on the weekends. Which means, I appreciate a lot of notice on big events! Not to mention that people are trying to work around work schedules, kid schedules, vacations and other celebrations. Between busy schedules and travel plans, sending a wedding save the dates will increase your guests’ chances of attending and it’s a great way to let these people know they and their presence on your big day is important to you.
when to send them…
As a general rule, it’s best to start spreading the news 6 months prior to the ceremony. Though, I personally recommend 8 months prior if you are requesting their presence at peak travel times, holiday weekends or faraway destinations. This gives them plenty of time to book their travel, budget appropriately and plan their vacation days at work!
who gets one…
In short, anybody you want at your wedding! Even if you’ve already received verbal confirmation from certain people who you are really close to, you should still send them a save-the-date. This includes your wedding party, siblings and parents!
what information to include…
Right now you probably don’t have all the details for your day which is totally fine! Wedding save the dates should include your name, your partner’s name, wedding date, location (at least a town or city even if the venue isn’t booked yet) and a little note that says something along the lines of, “formal invitation to follow.”
It’s also best to be super clear about who is and is not invited to the wedding, even this far in advance. Include the actual names of every intended guest on the envelope that way there isn’t any assumed invitees or confusion on whether or not children are welcome.
what information to exclude…
Wedding save the dates do not typically provide a way for guests to RSVP. Extra-early RSVPs sometimes backfires as people forget or have a change of plans or some might put off replying all together since it’s still early.
Also, wedding save the dates don’t typically include registry information. While your guests might want to know where you’re registered, they can ask friends or family, otherwise the best place to post that information would be your wedding website. Click HERE for my favorite FREE wedding website hosting company for brides!
Note the differences between the invitation and the save the date! Wedding save the dates have the names, date and general location. Possibly a website and “formal invitation to follow.” While a formal invitation includes ALL the details!
theme…
Wedding save the dates are more informal than an invitation so this is the time to really let your style shine as a couple and try out a theme you love but might be hesitant to commit to officially.
Basic Invite has over 900 wedding invitation sets including save the dates, enclosure cards, menus, programs, thank you cards and shower invitations! Not to mention they have unlimited colors and everything is customizable down to even the tiniest detail!
The best part about wedding save the dates is that you can have a little fun! Try something fun and bold or insert a little humor! If you both love food, print your favorite recipe on the back! Planning on a destination wedding, print a map or your favorite travel photo or quote on the back! P.S. Basic Invite allows you to order free samples so you can try before you commit which is ALWAYS a bonus!
electronic save the dates…
Email invitations for informal events like bachelorette parties or post-wedding brunches are becoming increasingly popular. But, I stand by old snail mail etiquette when it comes to big, important events like your wedding! Especially since our inboxes get flooded with spam all the time, it is more likely to be overlooked! If you want to have a “home base” where people can come to find answers to FAQ’s or find details about registry or lodging information, I highly recommend a wedding website through Basic Invite. It’s totally free and customizable to match the vibes of your big day!
wedding postponement announcements
In light of COVID-19 you may be wondering what happens if there are an unexpected change of plans. This is an excellent question to consider! Pandemics, natural disasters and family crises have caused numerous couples to postpone in the past. If this is the case, you might want to consider wedding postponement announcements or “change the date” cards as they have been cleverly called!
extra advice
FREE SAMPLES
Ordering hundreds of something without knowing what it looks like stresses me out! But my favorite stationary company, Basic Invite, offers their customers the ability to order a printed sample of their invitation so they can see the card’s paper quality, colors, and how it will print before they place their final order! This is super important! Would you buy $500 worth of anything without knowing what you’re getting? No way! So make sure you take advantage of this amazing service!
Wooden Invite
I don’t recommend things I don’t believe in! So, when I ordered this wooden invitation I was absolutely shocked at the quality! It truly felt like I was going to a 5-star wedding! It was a perfect fit for a cozy winter wedding, an outdoor ceremony or a barn wedding!
Clear Invite
This unique invitation is an attention grabber and screams classy! I was impressed with the quality as well as the smudge-proof material!
ADDRESSES
From the very beginning I recommend to all of my brides to use Basic Invite’s Free Address Collection Service. They let you request guest addresses with just three simple steps. You can share the link via social media or email, collect addresses and even get free envelope printing. I know this is a service my COVID brides were so thankful for when it came to making last minute calls about postponing! And, if you utilize it from the beginning it’ll make everything way more stress free when it comes to crunch time later!
SEAL & SEND SAMPLES
Basic Invite has an incredible invitation set called “The Seal & Send.” This is an all-in-one wedding invitation with a tear-off RSVP postcard included which makes returning that RSVP card to you even easier. Trust me when I say guests need all the help they can get in this area! :) But what’s super amazing about them is the guest’s addresses are printed on the front of each invitation so no envelope is necessary! Check them out below!
Basic Invite: 40% Off
Basic Invite agreed to give all of my followers 40% all stationary! This includes wedding showers, wedding save the dates, wedding postponement announcements, menus, place cards, programs, thank you cards and so much more!
