Congratulations on your upcoming wedding! Between your engagement and the wedding planning, it’s such an exciting – and busy – time. If you’ve been Googling when to send save the date announcements, you’re not alone: timing impacts guest turnout, travel costs and even whether your loved ones can get time off. This article will provide guidance on when to send save the dates, how timing changes for local and destination weddings, key save the date etiquette, what to include and a simple step-by-step timing guide.
- Send earlier than you think if guests need flights, hotels, childcare or passports. Timing directly affects attendance.
- Local wedding timeline: plan to send 6–8 months out; go closer to 8 months for peak season or limited lodging.
- Destination weddings: send 9–12 months out (and up to 12+ for international/holiday weekends).
- Short engagement (under 6 months): consider digital save-the-dates first, then printed once details are locked.
- Work backward with production and mailing time: design, proof, print, ship, address and mail can take longer than you expect – include buffers.
Save the date essentials
Before you get started on your save the date cards, you’ll need to have a few things taken care of. The best save-the-date timing depends on your wedding budget, how firm your details are and how much planning your guests need to do. Here’s what to consider.
- Your date. This may seem like a no-brainer, but guests can’t make a note on their calendars until you’ve committed to a date. If the date might move, hold off and send once it’s truly locked in. If you aren’t quite at that stage but want to share your good news, an engagement announcement may be your best first step.
- Your venue. Guests will need to know if it’s a local or destination wedding, so they can plan – and budget accordingly. If you’re still working out the details but know the city where the festivities will take place, it’s completely acceptable to list only that for now.
- Your website. A wedding website helps you share lodging, travel guidance and updates in one place, especially helpful for out-of-town guests. Add your website URL, or a QR code, to your save the date cards so guests can check back for more details.
- Your theme. If you know your wedding colors or overall vibe: classic, modern, rustic, beachy, etc., match your save the date with your look.
- Your save the date style. You can reflect your personalities with a photo save-the-date, a clean text-only design or a magnet that guests can stick on the fridge. You’ll also want to decide whether you’re sending printed save-the-dates, digital save-the-dates or a hybrid, because each format has different timing and logistics.
Why timelines matter
For any wedding, but especially for destination weddings and peak-season dates, your guests may need to request PTO, coordinate childcare, lock down travel budgets, renew passports or book limited hotel blocks. Wedding planning advice consistently emphasizes that earlier notice helps guests plan travel and avoid schedule conflicts. That’s why this article breaks down send-by timelines by wedding type, so you can choose the right window for your plans.
When to send save the dates for a local wedding: 6 to 8 months
Even if your wedding is close to home, guests still juggle work schedules, school calendars and other weddings. A good local wedding timeline is to send printed save the dates about 6 to 8 months before your wedding date. If your date falls during peak wedding season or your town is a popular weekend destination with limited lodging, aim closer to 8 months so guests can book early and affordably.
When to send save the dates for a holiday weekend or peak-season wedding: 8 to 12 months
Holiday weekends and peak-season Saturdays book up fast, for guests and for travel. If your wedding is on a major holiday weekend or in a location where hotels sell out for festivals, graduations or summer tourism, send your save the dates 8 to 12 months ahead so guests can lock in rooms and flights before prices spike.
When to send save the dates for a short engagement: ASAP
If your engagement timeline is short, your strategy changes. When your wedding is fewer than six months away, waiting for the perfect design can cost you attendance. Many couples choose to send a digital save the date immediately, then follow with printed pieces if desired. Digital can be created and sent quickly, which is one reason planners increasingly recommend it for compressed timelines.
If you’re inside the 4-month mark, consider skipping save the dates entirely and sending invitations right away, because guests need RSVP and logistics info, not just a heads-up.
When to send save the dates for a destination wedding: 9-12 months
Destination weddings typically involve longer stays, airfare, hotel bookings and childcare planning, sometimes even passports and time-zone math. That’s why most destination wedding save the dates should go out 9 to 12 months in advance, with international destination weddings often benefiting from the full 12 months – or even a bit more.
This is important because flights and hotels are usually cheaper and more available earlier. Naturally, guests may need longer to budget, request PTO and get passports.
When to send save the dates for a postponed wedding: As soon as you can
Change of plans? Whether you have a new date set or not, let guests know your plans as soon as you can because postponements affect travel refunds, PTO requests and childcare bookings. If you don’t have a new date yet, send a change the date notice that clearly says the original date is no longer correct and that details will follow on your wedding website. If you do have the new date set, send updated save the dates promptly and correct your website the same day.
What information to include on save the date cards
At minimum, save the date wording must include your names, the wedding date and the city. Add your wedding website URL so guests can check for travel guidance, hotel blocks and updates. If you already know your venue name, include it, if not, the city is enough for now. If you’re doing destination weddings or have multiple events, you can note that details will follow on your website.
Printed vs. digital save the dates
- Digital save-the-dates: Typically lower-cost and highly practical for short timelines because they are easy to create and send quickly. Plus, you can directly link to your wedding website. Digital save the dates are widely accepted, but can feel less formal for black-tie events. Watch deliverability: they may hit spam or get buried, so some guests may miss them.
- Printed save-the-dates: Usually higher cost with printing and postage, but more practical for many guests because they’re tangible and easy to display on the fridge. Often considered the more traditional option, especially for classic or formal weddings.
- A practical hybrid: Send digital now if time is tight or details are still evolving, then follow with printed once your location and website are fully set. Or, in a different cost-saving scenerio, you may opt to send digital cards to more tech savvy or familiar guests and mail print options to guests who would appreciate having a physical card rather than having to navigate your website.
Save the date card etiquette
Save the date conventions can be tricky, so use the guidelines below to make sure your notices go to the right people, at the right time, with the right expectations.
Send save the dates only to the people you’re truly planning to invite
It’s tempting to include everyone for now, but once a save the date is sent, guests reasonably assume a wedding invitation is coming. If your guest list is still in flux, finalize your must invite list first, then consider sending a second wave later if you expand.
Include households thoughtfully
Send one save the date per household and address it to the exact people you intend to invite. If you’re still deciding on plus-ones, wait to word it until you’re sure, because unclear addressing can cause confusion or hurt feelings later. For example, don’t address to “Taylor Smith + Guest” if you might not actually offer a plus-one, and don’t send “The Smith Family” if you’re only inviting the parents and not the adult kids. Those choices can unintentionally signal that extra people are invited, which makes it awkward to backtrack after invitations go out.
How early is too early?
For most weddings, sending much more than 12 months out may backfire because guests forget, move, change jobs or lose the card, especially if you’re unsure when to send the wedding invites. That said, if you’re doing an international destination wedding or a holiday weekend, the practical need for early planning can outweigh the risk.
Step-by-step workflow
Here’s a simple workflow you can use with any printer or digital tool to plan backward from your target send-by date.
Step 1: Start designing earlier than you think
Include a 2-4 week buffer before you want to mail. This covers choosing a template, uploading photos, revising wording and making sure names, date and location are correct. If you’re using a photo, build in extra time for selecting a high-resolution image and getting feedback from a trusted friend. This is also the perfect time to line up your wedding website timeline: aim to have your website live before you finalize the design so you can include the URL or a QR code that links to it.
With VistaPrint: It’s easy to start with a polished template, customize quickly and add finishing touches like QR codes without needing design experience. To help elevate your DIY design to “Who was your designer?” – we put together a helpful guide to wedding invitation design for you.
Step 2: Order with shipping in mind
No matter where you order, account for production time and shipping time, and remember that these vary based on your paper choice, special finishes and the vendor’s current turnaround. Always check the estimated delivery date at checkout and consider upgrading shipping if you’re close to your deadline. If you’re ordering anything beyond a standard flat card, like magnets or premium finishes, you might need extra cushion.
With VistaPrint: For an order of 100 cards, there is a “Rush” option which can get them to you in 3 days, “Express” in 5 days, “Standard” in 9 days, and “Economy” in just over 2 weeks. Plus, delivery is free on orders over $100!
Step 3: Build a mailing buffer
When thinking about how to mail save the dates, after your order arrives, you still need time to prep and mail. This includes finalizing addresses, assembling cards and envelopes, applying stamps, and dropping everything in the mail. Plan at least a week for this step, and add 1–2 extra weeks if you’re hand-addressing, using specialty envelopes or waiting on late guest list details.
With VistaPrint: Printing mailing labels and coordinated designs can save a heap of time and make this tediou step feel more streamlined.
Step 4: If timelines slip, pivot without panic
If you’re behind, your goal is simple: get the date on calendars now. Send a digital save the date immediately using a wedding or emailing service that supports easy delivery and tracking. Then follow with printed invitations when ready. Digital is fast and practical, but it can get buried in inboxes or filtered, so follow up with key VIPs like parents, wedding party and anyone traveling far, especially if you’re relying on email.
With VistaPrint: You can keep the look consistent across digital and printed pieces, so even if you pivot, everything still feels cohesive and intentional. And, don’t forget that “Rush” option!
Give your guests the time they need
Knowing when to send save the date announcements is really about giving your guests the time they need to show up for you. Use the timing benchmarks above as your baseline, then adjust earlier for destination weddings, peak-season Saturdays and holiday weekends. Lean on digital save the dates if you’re working with a short engagement. Plan with real production and shipping time in mind, plus a little buffer, so your save the dates arrive when they’re meant to, not after your guests have already committed to something else.
FAQs about when to send save the dates
Who should receive save-the-dates?
Send them only to guests you’re confident you’ll invite. Save-the-dates imply an invitation is coming, so it’s best to finalize your core guest list before sending.
What if we don’t have our venue yet, can we still send them?
Yes. Include the wedding date and the city, plus your wedding website where details will be posted. That gives guests enough to plan without locking you into a venue name too early.
Are digital save-the-dates acceptable?
Yes, modern etiquette generally accepts digital save the dates, and they’re especially helpful for short engagements because they’re fast and can link directly to your wedding website and travel info. The downside is deliverability and inbox clutter, so consider a hybrid approach if you have guests who might miss an email.
How far in advance should we order printed save-the-dates from VistaPrint?
Work backward from your send by date: give yourself time to design and proof, then check delivery estimates during checkout (free shipping from VistaPrint is 2 weeks) and add at least 1–2 weeks for addressing and mailing. Shipping options vary and expedited delivery may be available on qualifying orders, so confirm the delivery date before placing the order.
