The Importance of Save the Date Pre-Wedding Invitations

Modern society has become busier – with no signs of slowing down. This fact even applies to your closest friends and family members, and therefore, acknowledging their busy schedules by sending save the date cards for your wedding will help ensure that no one important is absent on your big day.

Why Sending Save the Date, Pre-Wedding Invitations is Necessary

Although save the date cards aren’t required, it won’t be long before this rule is written into wedding etiquette as a vital step in wedding planning. Save the date cards are functional by providing advanced notice of your upcoming wedding and hopefully securing your date on guests’ calendars instead of another. Save the date cards don’t have to take a large part of your budget, but should be sent, whether you’re inviting ten people or 200.

If you’re planning a destination wedding, then it is critical to send save the date pre-wedding invitations to guests. You are essentially asking guests to plan a mini-vacation around your wedding, and it can be expensive. If you give them time to plan and make arrangements, you are more likely to experience a good turnout.

You should also consider your out-of-town relatives and friends who will need to travel, even if your wedding will take place in your hometown. A final consideration is your wedding date. Is it on a holiday or during a tourist season if you live in a metropolitan area? If so, giving guests extra time to prepare will be appreciated.

Save the Date Pre-Wedding Invitation Details

You don’t need to include every detail that will appear on the actual wedding invitation, but certain elements need to be present on your save the date card.

For instance, the date and general location (city and state) need to be included in the save the date pre-wedding invitation. This allows anyone planning to travel to know exactly where they need to be and on what days. If you are planning for a large number of out of town guests and you have arranged a discount or block of rooms at a local hotel, then include the hotel information. You will typically include travel information with your wedding invitation, so you don’t necessarily need to include it with your save the date cards. These save the date pre-wedding invitations should be mailed 6 to 8 months in advance or at least 1 year prior to a destination wedding.

Save the Date Card Ideas

Now you should understand why save the date cards serve such an important purpose for planning a well-attended wedding, but what about style? Save the date cards do not need to match your wedding invitations, either in style or format. So be as creative or restrained as you want!

Photo cards are especially popular since guests often only know half of the couple and receiving an engagement photo in the form of save the date can really get guests excited. Or, instead of a photo card, you could choose a shape, such as a circle or a flower, or incorporate colorful patterns such as paisley, brocade, or stripes. You can also apply a theme that ties in with an aspect of your wedding, honeymoon, or interests as a couple. As long as they include the relevant information, guests will enjoy receiving a save the date pre-wedding invitation that is a reflection of your personality.