When is the best time to send out save the date cards for a wedding?

Question

The date is May 12th, 2007.

Answer 1

Wait until at least after you're both certain you're going to follow through on getting married. :)

Answer 2

Unless you've been engaged for a long time, send out the save the date cards as an engagement announcement, ASAP. The reason is that if some people have to travel to get there and it is very important to them to be there - they will be able to plan their life around your big event! You'll need to send the actual wedding invitations to go out I would say no later than 2 months in advance or by March 15 as a deadline. Especially if someone is pregnant or has small kids - this kind of thing takes alot of planning and advance notice if you want them to show up. At the same time, you want to make sure that the wedding is a sure thing and not something to where you're going to have to call it off or change the date. Make sure you're 100% certain about the date first so people don't get mixed up between the save the date card and the wedding invitation. Individuals in the wedding party you'll have to keep in touch with along the way about all of the details and a personal call is definitely called for with those expected in the wedding party. If you're printing your own invitations go to www.cjpaper.com. You can buy some of the best professional wedding invitation paper there with some of the same designs at those fancy stores for a much lower cost as long as you or a friend is detail minded enough to know what to do and how to prepare them for you. I do these for my friends all the time at cost for the paper, ink and stamps and it saves alot of money and they get an incredible invitation. You should put an engagement photo on the front of the save the date card. That's a great touch if you're really serious and people who haven't met your fiancee will just ohhh and ahh and see what a great catch he is! If I knew more about you - I might offer to help!

Answer 3

If there is something going on in the area of your wedding that day/weekend that will make it difficult for your guests to find accomodations - or it's a holiday weekend - you need to send out your Save The Date cards at least 6 months in advance.

If there is nothing going on, or it's not a holiday weekend, then you don't even have to send out Save The Date cards, just your normal invitations 3 months before the wedding.

Answer 4

close party members (bridemaids/groomsmen and close family)send it out after the new year, you dont want anyone making trips/vacations that you NEED to be there. for other guests 3 months that gives out of towners time to make plans as well. But once again, if you have really important people, get it on their calendar earlier. Perhaps send a pre-printed save the date (but not that wording-something clever like a pic of the two of you with the address and date of the wedding-subtle and cute) two weeks before the ceremony again to guest. I really like the save the date thing and if you do that, then just send out all invites at the beginning of the year. Congrats!

Answer 5

Congrats. My wedding is May 19, 2007 and I already sent out my save the dates about a month/two months ago. My mom and I made save the date magnets

Answer 6

I found the latest etiquette info for your question. Here's a paragraph I copied and pasted here for you, and then the site. According to the advice, you'd send yours out from November 2006 to January 2007.

Rules & Etiquette
Again, few rules apply. The only information you must include is your names and wedding date, although I suggest including location information as well so wedding guests can begin their travel plans. Aim to send save-the-date cards soon after you secure your date and venue, or about 4-6 months prior to your wedding. Remember, everyone who receives a save-the-date also receives an invitation, so have your guest list finalized prior to sending them. You can, however, always add guests later (there is no rule that says everyone must receive a save-the-date card). Although formal replies are not required, you can get preliminary attendance estimates through word-of-mouth.

http://www.buzzle.com/editorials/7-25-2006-103429.asp
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More etiquette sites for you so see if there's any differences of opinion:

http://www.theamericanwedding.com/(z5otncq15xkxku55rhmyif3c)/help/faq.aspx

http://www.weddinggazette.com/content/004702.shtml

A scrapbook person created her own save the date cards:
http://scrapbook.dolphinia.net/2006/01/16/wedding-save-the-date-cards/

http://www.theknot.com/ch_article.html?Object=A31219131933&keywordType=2&keywordID=152&parentID=527

This site says 6-9 months before wedding:
http://store.invitationbox.com/savedate.html

Answer 7

Once the location for the ceremony has been set, it's a good idea to send out your save the date cards. That way you're giving folks ample time to check their calendars. If you will be inviting them to a reception, this is also the time to do that . It'll give them time to RSVP you do you can plan on how many in attendance for the wedding, as well as the reception. Making sure you have enough seating/ food for all who plan to share your special date with you. This is also a good way to figure out if you need to help out of town guest ,relatives, or bridal party members book a room for that date. Making sure that key folks have their transportation needs met is important also. You can have your Maid of Honor, or one of your attendants help you log the dates, # of people coming, those who may need help with transportation to & from the wedding & or reception, all make for a more enjoyable, stress free day , one that will be " a day to remember" by all.

Answer 8

I sent mine out 6mos. before. I've gotten others as far as a year out, but I wouldn't send them with so much time- planning weddings can be really stressful and my fiancee (now husband) and I arranged the dates more than once. No matter what, I wouldn't send them out until you have a location BOOKED. We wanted to get married in a park on April 8th, but the park didn't allow bookings until May. So we got married the first weekend in May. That just goes that weddings can have a mind of their own. Good luck!

Answer 9

For out of town guests, 6 to 12 months ahead. They have to arrange time off work, airline flights, hotels, ect. For local guests, 6 months is fine. The actual invitations are sent about 8 weeks before the wedding.

Answer 10

It might be cool to include them in your Christmas cards,but they do get lost that time of year so:
My cousin emailed a cute reminder.They do have e-cards or you could wait until holidays are over and send them out in Valentines cards.
I would say 6 months out because your invites should be sent within 3 months of the wedding.

Answer 11

As soon as you know the date if people will have to travel. Otherwise, 6 months ahead of time, adjusting to avoid the holiday mail. And I'd adjust ahead, rather than after the Christmas season, because 4 or 5 months probably wouldn't be enough warning for someone like me if I had to travel, whereas 6 or 7 months would be.