After getting engaged, setting a date was the first task Tyrell and I completed on our wedding checklist. The date that we chose is 6/20/2020. And even though we decided about 18 months prior to that day we knew we had to act quickly as it is a popular day in the middle of wedding season. We reserved our venue in January of 2019 and we sent out our first set of Save The Dates in June of 2019, one year in advance.
We quickly began getting questions about our decision making. Why are you sending these so soon? Why are you sending more than one set? Will everyone on your list receive every Save the Date? Well, I am here to fill you in on our Save The Date timeline!
Just some quick info – we included our engagement pics on the invites and Save the Dates!!
First Set of Save the Dates – One Year Prior to Wedding
After doing some research online, we found most sites suggested 6-8 months prior to the wedding. However, many noted that for destination weddings or if you know people are traveling to give them extra time. While we decided against a destination wedding (that was a definite possibility!) we still have majority of our friends and family that we knew would be traveling long distance to attend our celebration. Between Tyrell and I we had guests on our list from 4 countries and 18 states. So yes, we decided to send out save the dates one year in advance.
This first set of Save The Dates did not go to every single person on our list. This first set only went to friends and family that do not live in Idaho or Utah. Our wedding is set to be in Salt Lake City, UT but we are both originally from Idaho. The reason these two states did not get early save the dates is because they are so close and easy to travel between.
On this first set of Save The Dates we included the date, location, and then informed our guest that hotel and travel information would be coming at a later date.
Second Set – 8 Months Prior to Wedding
This second set of save the dates fell into the safety zone that majority of websites recommend. We decided to stay on the earlier end of the recommended time because 6/20/2020 is a popular day to get married! We have quickly realized this as we try to reserve venues, caterers, etc.. Not only is it numerically pleasing but it is a peak Saturday in the middle of wedding season. Honestly, we have already spoken with so many other couples planning weddings for summer of 2020 that we wanted to ensure our day was in everyone’s minds ASAP.
This set of save the dates went to everyone on our list. We will use the exact same list as we send out invites. In addition we printed extra and keep them on hand in case we realize that someone was forgotten or it gets lost in the mail. We did not do this with the first set as we knew we would be sending out another round.
One important thing we did was send these Save the Dates to the obvious people as well. What do I mean by that? My grandma and I speak on the phone or text nearly daily. She knows every detail about my wedding planning and has been a huge help getting Tyrell baptized. I still sent her a Save the Date in the mail and IT MADE HER DAY!!! I also sent one to everyone in our wedding party, our parents, and our siblings. Just because you think they should already know your date, does not mean they don’t deserve a Save the Date!!
This set of save the dates included travel tips, hotel recommendations (we have one blocked off), and a note about attire. We also included our wedding website on this save the date. On the website we have our registry info, more details about travel, what to do in Salt Lake City, and a question section on our website! We didn’t want to send this out on the first set since we weren’t sending them to everyone.
Invites
Again, we chose to send these out 3 months in advance which is on the earlier side of recommendations. The reason we did this is because we needed an accurate head count for the hotel and also catering. With so many people traveling we wanted to ensure that we had rooms and food for everyone!
Obviously, every family received the invites! We did ensure to address them so that families know kids are welcome and all of our single friends and family can bring a plus one! We also printed extra invites so that my dad could hand them out as people came into his restaurant for anyone he had forgotten to add on our list. (Dad has literally forgotten my name so we did NOT trust the accuracy of the list he gave us.)
With the invites we included all of the necessary info! On the invite was of course date, time, and location. We reiterated hotel and travel info. Our wedding website was also listed again. We added additional details of attire and a schedule (ceremony & reception times). Then separately was the RSVP. The RSVP included number of attendees, drink idea, and a request for a picture! I will keep you updated on what the pics were for later.
There you have it! We were very ahead on the schedule but it worked out perfectly! This is honestly the ideal timeline for destination weddings or people like us who have family across the globe! My biggest piece of advice is to be super respectful of your guests and their planning / traveling. Give them adequate time without making them feel rushed!
Best of luck and send me any wedding planning tips you may have! I am in the trenches here!
I have read your post. Thanks for such a nice post, It’s really informational.
Thanks for telling it, actually after getting married we just wait for completing our one year so that we can make our wedding anniversary. But you told that we should make it task for dating after getting married so that we can be happy and spend our time together thanks for it.
Thanks for telling me that we are advised to send out our invitations 6-8 months prior to the date to give our guests enough time to prepare and free their schedules. We finalized our guest list and realized that we’ll be inviting more than a hundred relatives and friends to our wedding. To manage and organize the event properly, I guess it will be better to hire a full-service wedding planner who can handle most of the work for us.
That is totally your call! We had invited 450 guests and were planning to do it without a planner but I know every bride is different. You have to do whatever is best for you!!!
I totally agree with you.
All the points listed out are valid…a sure way to truly save wedding dates.
I must say your pctures are beautiful!
Keep up the good work and thanks for sharing this article with us.
Victoria recently posted…CERAMIC VS ALUMINUM PAN
Yes absolutely! And thank you so much 🙂
I liked your suggestion about getting some special food catered for your wedding. That can help make your wedding stand out and be more fun. This is good to know because I also starting to plan for my client.
Yes food is the most important! I think it is what everyone remembers!
Thanks for this useful information. We’ll try and put it to good use over at https://vector-bookkeeping.com/
Setting the perfect date for the wedding is really is challenging! As a person who has friends who are getting married and as a wedding photographer this is one of the concerns we discuss the most. But anyways great tips!
The first set of save the date is indeed the most practical step for your wedding. Thank you for sharing this insightful article, Brittany!
Rafaela Luna recently posted…A Quick Guide To Renewing Your Wedding Vows
Great! You always come with new blogs that provide different kinds of info.
I’m getting to know your blog here from Brazil and I really enjoyed it! The photos are beautiful and the tips are very valuable for planning! Thanks for sharing!
Thank you so much! 🙂 We appreciate you!
Great Pics & timeline is very helpful for planning. Thanks for sharing !!
Thanks so much!
I’ve heard this question so many times over from our clients and you provided an answer that is legit! This is what I always remind them as well. Weddings are once in a lifetime event and as much as possible we’d want people dear to us to be present on that day. As such, it’s important that there’s a timeline followed and thorough planning. Sending you best wishes and luck on your journey as man and wife. Cheers!
Thank you so much!! More than anything I just want to celebrate my special day with the people I love most in this world 🙂
So true, the first thing is to set the date that way all the other things you have to get down can be placed on a timeline leading up to the big day…stress free planning!
Sheereen | Cups of Coco recently posted…How To Design Your Small Living Space Like You’re The Next Joanna Gaines
Yes! Couldn’t agree more!
Gorgeous pics and the timeline is very helpful for planning.
I’m a former wedding photographer and used to get asked this question all the time!
We had just 9 months from proposal to wedding day and it was tough making plans. I agree with you that there are phases to planning and more time is needed for some pieces of the planning.r
Supermompicks recently posted…Comment on The Ultimate Mermaid Gift Guide for Girls by Marie, Mamma’s Cooking
Yes! I know we could do it with less time but I definitely want to utilize all of the time we have and make sure everyone else can plan ahead!
Oh wow! That’s so interesting! I didn’t know that that was the best way to do it when I was preparing for my wedding. We only sent invitations.
It may not be the best for everyone but it was definitely a necessity for us! We have so many family members across the world that we needed to give them time to plan.
I am loving the pictures!
Hina Siddiqui recently posted…How to Start a Blog – The Ultimate Guide
I think that’s SO smart to give people that have to travel extra time! And you’re right–June is a super popular month to get married! Our anniversary is June 22. 🙂
It is so true! We have had to travel to many weddings and quite honestly had to miss a few because we did not have enough time to plan the travel. Happy almost anniversary! 🙂
Great tips! I think sending save the dates as early as you can is a good idea – especially for friends and family that might need to travel to you!
-Lauren
ShootingStarsMag recently posted…Early Movie Reviews: Booksmart + Rocketman
What a great idea to have stages based on where the people live. That really makes sense!
First of all, congrats on your engagement! Your photos are beautiful 🙂
Cristina – Memories of the Pacific recently posted…Madrid for Foodies: Best Brunch and Breakfast Spots
Smart tips! It’s always best to be prepared early!
Couldn’t agree more!
Such great tips girly!!! Thanks for sharing this!! have a great week
Thanks! You too!
These are some great tips! Have to pin this post for when our kids get older. Your engagement photos are beautiful!
Lori Geurin recently posted…Overcoming The Shame Of Chronic Illness
This truly gave me pause for thought for when my little ones get married. A great topic to talk about.
Aditi Wardhan Singh recently posted…I Want to Raise Happy Kids : Not Just Miserable Overachievers
Super cute engagement pictures!
Shani recently posted…April In Numbers
Thank you!!
Love these tips! I love the idea of having people know way in advance. Sure doesn’t hurt!
Jackie recently posted…Fashion Accessories That Will Transform Your Outfits from Boring to Scoring
Right?! It makes everyone’s lives so much easier.
Super cute photos, and great guide on when to send out the invites! We did ours three months in advance too since so many people were going to be coming in from out of town.
Leigh Suznovich recently posted…Rose Petal Jam
How funny! Me and my girlfriends were just talking about when to send save the dates and invites for a holiday weekend wedding.
I was married 6/21, but never realized it was a “popular” date, but we did send everything well in advance like this.
Samantha recently posted…38 Things to Do with Your One Year Old All Year Round
These are some great and helpful tips! I often wonder when “the best time” would be to send out those invitations!
Glenny recently posted…At Maan Farms You Can Enjoy an Unforgettable Country and Wine Tasting Experience
Awwww…if only I knew these tips for planning my March 2018 wedding! I had absolutely no help (family/friends all back home in WA, while I’m with hubby in CA) & did all my research online. It was soooo stressful! Great tips here! Also, congrats!
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Oh man! I totally understand though, my family is all in UT and we are in ID!
I agree you cannot do your invites too early. I really appreciate getting the save the date early. Congratulations!!
When I got married, Save the Dates were a big deal. Everyone was sending them. I really appreciate them even today. Especially if you really want me to come to your wedding. It helps to know way off in advance – mainly to make travel and childcare arrangements. Good luck as you continue your journey to your big day.
Natalie – Katarina’s Paperie recently posted…Valentine’s Day Cookie Mix in a Jar
It is so true! Being able to plan ahead of time is so important!
When I got married, Save the Dates were a big deal. Everyone was sending them. I really appreciate them even today. Especially if you really want me to come to your wedding. It helps to know way off in advance – mainly to make travel and childcare arrangements. Good luck as you continue your journey to your big day.
Natalie – Katarina’s Paperie recently posted…Valentine’s Day Cookie Mix in a Jar