Should I send save-the-dates to everyone I plan to invite?

Yes - everyone on your final guest list. Save-the-dates create implicit invitation expectations. If you save-the-date someone and then exclude them from the formal invitation, it creates social awkwardness and possibly hurt feelings. Build the guest list first, then send save-the-dates.

Do I need a wedding website?

Increasingly standard but not required. Free options: The Knot, Zola, Joy, Squarespace. The website hosts: full venue details, travel/accommodation info, registry (when ready), FAQ, RSVP system. For 50+ guest weddings or destination weddings, websites significantly reduce the questions you'll get. For 20-guest small weddings, a website may be unnecessary.

Physical card or digital?

Both are valid. Physical (mailed): more traditional, more meaningful for important relationships, more expensive ($75-$300 for design + printing + postage for 100 cards). Digital (email, text, social): faster, cheaper or free, more environmentally friendly. Many couples send physical to immediate family and digital to extended family/friends. Consider your guests' demographics - older guests often prefer physical.

What if I haven't booked the venue yet?

You can send save-the-dates with just date and city - the venue isn't required at save-the-date stage. Just write "Venue and timing details to follow in formal invitation." Don't delay save-the-date over venue details; getting save-the-dates out 6+ months before is more important than venue confirmation.

Should I include the registry?

No - registry is rarely on save-the-dates. Wait for the formal invitation, or include in a separate enclosure. Even better: put registry on the wedding website where it can be accessed without being prominently displayed in the invitation. Some couples prefer to direct registry only to the formal invitation; either is etiquette-correct.

Save the Date (Wedding)

Wedding save-the-date announcement — basic information for guests to reserve the date before formal invitations.

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╔════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╗

                          SAVE THE DATE

╚════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╝


                Alex Marie Johnson
                          and
                Taylor James Reed


                       are getting married


                    September 12, 2026


                Portland, Oregon


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VENUE / TIMING

The Dawes House — venue and timing details to follow in formal invitation

─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────

RSVP / DETAILS TO FOLLOW

Formal invitation with full details and RSVP information will follow approximately 4 months before the wedding.

─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────

TRAVEL AND ACCOMMODATION

For guests traveling from out of town:
  - Recommended hotels: Hotel Vintage (downtown Portland) and The Heathman Hotel.
  - Closest airport: Portland International Airport (PDX), 12 miles from venue.
  - Wedding-block hotel rate available; details in formal invitation.
  - Travel weekend recommendation: Friday Sept 11 - Sunday Sept 13.

─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────

WEDDING WEBSITE

www.alexandtaylor2026.com

─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────

We hope you can join us on this very special day.

With love,

Alex Marie Johnson and Taylor James Reed

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ABOUT SAVE THE DATES

  ► Send 6-8 months before the wedding (12+ months for destination weddings).
  ► Include: names, date, city, "details to follow" note, and wedding website.
  ► Do NOT include: time, full venue address, RSVP, gift registry — these go on the formal invitation.
  ► Format: physical card, magnet, photo card, or digital (email, text, social).
  ► Send to anyone you definitely want to invite. Save the date carries an implicit "you are invited" expectation; do not send to people you might not formally invite.

About this template

A save-the-date is the first formal pre-invitation communication for a wedding. Critical points: (1) Timing - send 6-8 months before the wedding for local guests; 12+ months for destination weddings or wedding-weekend events. Sending too early (over 12 months) is unusual; sending too late (under 4 months) defeats the purpose - guests may have committed to other plans. (2) Recipients - send only to people you definitely want to invite. The save-the-date carries an implicit "you are invited" expectation; later removing someone from the invitation list creates social awkwardness and possibly hurt feelings. Build your final guest list before sending save-the-dates. (3) Content - names, date, city, "details to follow" note, optional wedding website. Do NOT include time, full venue address, RSVP request, or gift registry - those belong on the formal invitation 8-12 weeks before the event. (4) Format options: physical card (most traditional), magnet (functional, stays on fridge), photo card (couples' engagement photo), digital (email, text, social-media). Digital is increasingly common for younger couples and for cost savings; physical retains higher emotional weight for important relationships (parents, grandparents, key friends). (5) Tone - matches the wedding tone. Modern/casual, traditional/formal, playful/whimsical, destination-themed are all valid. (6) Wedding website - increasingly standard. Squarespace, The Knot, Zola, and Joy all offer free wedding-website templates. The website provides space for travel info, accommodation, registry (when published 4-6 months before), and FAQ. Save-the-date wording etiquette: traditional uses third-person ("Mr. and Mrs. ___ request the honour of your presence at the marriage of their daughter ___"); modern uses first-person and informal language. Both are valid. Same-sex couples and second marriages have full latitude in wording.

When to use it

Announcing wedding date 6-8 months before formal invitation.
Destination wedding with 12+ month notice.
Smaller invitation list still requires advance notice.
Wedding-weekend events with multiple coordinated parts.
Any milestone where guests need significant lead time to plan travel.

What to include

Couple's names (full or first names depending on tone).
Wedding date.
City and state (or country for international).
"Details to follow" / formal invitation note.
Wedding website (optional but increasingly standard).
Travel and accommodation note (for destination or out-of-town-heavy guest lists).
Tone consistent with overall wedding aesthetic.

Frequently asked

6-8 months before the wedding for local guests; 12+ months for destination weddings or wedding-weekend events. Earlier than 12 months is unusual and sometimes confusing (guests may not yet know their schedule). Later than 4 months defeats the purpose - by then most guests have planned their schedule.

⚠ Legal disclaimer. Save-the-dates are non-binding announcements with no legal status. They establish social expectations but do not create contracts. Etiquette varies by region and culture. Wedding-website services (The Knot, Zola, Joy, Squarespace) are typically free for basic plans. Postage and printing costs vary; budget $1-$3 per save-the-date for physical cards plus design fee. Save-the-date timing is flexible; the 6-8 month window is industry standard but not legally required.