Save the Date Cards – Wedding Tips

You and your darling finally set the BIG date. With all that excitement, you can’t wait to share all the information and share the celebration with your friends and family. So, what are you waiting for? Your first step is to send the Save the Date cards. They are like “pre-invitations” that go out to your guests several months in advance, to let them know that you’re getting married and when the wedding will take place. In other words – let your guests know they should clear their calendars for the day. Remember that the purpose of save-the-date cards is to let people know that an invitation will follow. Don’t expect an RSVP at this early stage in the planning. So, after you send the save-the-dates you follow with the wedding invitations.

Before we continue with the tips, let’s clear the dilemma around if you should send or shouldn’t send a Wedding Save the Date card. There is a lot of thinking behind this question. Our answer is: Why not? It’s always a good idea to let your guests about the big day. So yes, consider the save the date cards. They are useful if you’re having a destination wedding which will require guests to travel and spend the weekend or attend several wedding-related events during the wedding celebration days (especially if your wedding is planned for the peak of summer season).

5 Save the Date Etiquette Tips

1. When to Send Save-the-Date Cards

So when should you send the save-the-date cards? It depends on when you start the planning process for your wedding. If your ceremony and reception venues are not in your hometown, and you choose the wedding destination option, such as Riviera Maya, know the importance of giving wedding guests enough time to plan and save up for such events. We recommend sending out cards at least six months to a year in advance. It gives guests the opportunity to mark the date on their calendars, look at the time off of work, and save money if needed. Don’t wait until very close to the wedding, or you may have a lot of RSVPs returned with regrets and you may not share the special moments with your loved ones.

2. Who Is Invited

Remember to be clear of who is invited to the wedding.  Anyone you want to attend the wedding should receive one of the save-the-date cards. However, if there are some people you’re not sure about, don’t send them one and give yourself a time to think. Because once they go out, people will make plans. It would be rude to not send an invitation to anyone who goes to all that trouble to be with you on the most important days of your life. Pro Tip: If this is an adult-only wedding, include that information on the wedding save the date card.

3. What to Include on a Save the Date Card

Key information you should on your save the date cards are all the details you have available at the time you’re sending the card, especially:

• The date of the Big Day or the weekend of the wedding event
• The location (city) of the ceremony and reception
• Names of the couple
• Your wedding website (if you have one)
• Accommodation for the guests

Plus, let them know that they’ll receive an invitation with more details at a later date. It isn’t necessary for them to RSVP to the save-the-date announcement.

4. Design of the Save the date Card

There are no rules that your save-the-date card should be all matchy with your invitation. If you still haven’t decided on the design of the invitations, do not worry. There is plenty of time. A lot of websites offer free save-the-dates template designs, for an affordable price or a great discount, such as Minted, Vistaprint... You can choose anything you want. Pro tip: Including a photo from your engagement shoot may be the best idea.

5. How to address the cards

By now, you know that a save the date card should go to every guest you are inviting to your wedding, including the wedding party and family members. Here are some examples to follow:

• To a single guest, use the titles, “Mr.”, “Mrs.” or “Ms.”
• A married couple, use titles “Mr. and Mrs.” and the husband’s first and last name.
• An unmarried couple, use the titles “Mr. and Ms.” and add first and last names.
• A married couple with children, including the first names of the children underneath the parents.
• A guest with a plus one, use the title Mr. or Ms. with the last name of the primary guest and write “and guest or plus one.”