Save the
Dates
When Should I Send Out My Save-the-Dates?
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Save-the-dates play a pivotal role in the wedding planning process, acting as a prelude to your official invitations. They not only alert your guests to reserve your wedding date but also set the tone for your big day. Understanding when to send them and what to include is key to ensuring a smooth lead-up to your wedding.
The general rule is to send save-the-dates 6 to 8 months before your wedding. For a destination wedding or if you’re marrying during a busy travel time (like holiday weekends), sending them 9 to 12 months in advance is advisable.
In most cases, your guests at this time will only need to know the date. However, if you are planning a destination wedding or something that may involve more in depth travel plans, it may be worth giving your guests a heads up of this to allow them to plan ahead for the weekend / week away!
Invitation
Numbers
How Many Invites Do I Actually Need?
The number one mistake clients make when reaching out for a quote is regarding how many invitations are actually required. In most cases, there will be a difference between the number of guests attending the wedding and the number of invitations required to be handed out.
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When sharing numbers with me, remember to take into consideration couples and families who are likely to only need one invitation between them. This will help to keep your costs lower and keep within your budget.
Evening
Only
…But Won’t It Come Across as Rude?
No, it’s not rude at all to invite some guests to the evening reception only. It’s no secret how expensive weddings are, after all. Any sensible person will understand that most people simply can’t afford to feed a 3-course meal to everyone they know. Anyone that receives an evening invitation will be happy that they get to experience a part of your special day.
RSVP
Timefram
How Long Should We Give Our Guests to RSVP?
You should aim for your RSVP responses to be back to you on average four weeks before the wedding. Assuming that you share your invitations with between six and ten weeks notice, this should allow your guests enough time to officially make up their minds as well as giving them time to arrange for any travel and accommodation plans. Leaving too much time between handing out your invitations and requesting your guests' responses could run the risk of your guests putting it off and forgetting about it.
Your venue or chosen caterers might need certain information shared with them by a certain timeframe. Be sure to check with each of them and take this into consideration before setting a deadline for your RSVPs.