Do we need to send Save the Dates

I have often been asked by newly engaged couples  'Do we need to send a Save the Date?' and I always reply with 'Well that depends' 

So I thought we would go through a few things to help iron this one out.

You may want to consider sending a Save the Date if:

If you are planning a wedding in a different country then it would be advisable to let your guests know the date and where it is in good time. They need time to plan their trip, with where to stay and work out their travel arrangements. A good 9-12 months notice would be advisable to send them off.

If you are getting married in the school holidays, bank holidays or Christmas time, you need to ensure your guests are free for the date you have picked to avoid disappointment for both them and yourselves.

You may have family and friends who will be travelling a long way to your wedding, therefore they need to plan there trip.

You may be celebrating your wedding over the entire weekend or a few days in the week, where your guests can combine your wedding with a mini break. Letting them know in advance allows them to book time off of work and get organised with there arrangements for coming.

As well as you and your fiance's names, it should include the date and where the wedding is being held. It should include 'Formal invitation to follow' at the bottom.

This way your guests will know they are invited and make a note of it if they wish to attend.

It is also a chance to add your wedding website address, where guests can be updated with all your wedding day details.

Big question! Think carefully when sending your Save the Dates.You want to avoid any confusion. You wouldn't want to send a save the date to your guests who are only invited to the evening, then when the invitations go out they find out they are not invited to the whole day.

A nice idea to avoid upsetting guests is to have a 'Save the Evening' card which allows them to know the date in advance but they know straight away they are only invited to the evening part of your wedding. Job done!

Save the dates are a personal preference as personally we did none of the above list,  but still sent 'Save the Dates' and 'Save the Evening' cards out a good year in advance. I wanted to give my guests a heads up that we had got engaged and had set our date letting them know we would like them to attend.

Save the dates are more informal, so it is not essential that they match the rest of your stationery. Have fun with them, show your guests how excited you are, you have just got engaged so express your personalities and they will look forward to the day as much as you are. Remember, this is the first little glimpse of the wedding day and a save the date is your chance to set the tone!

Think about what colours you want to include, this will give subtle hints to your guests. Think about your theme? Is it an outdoor wedding, vintage affair, rustic or modern.How formal will your day be? Casual or glamourous?

All this needs to be thought about , but you will be naturally drawn to the style you like.

If you are having a more formal wedding you may want to stick to the traditional Save the Dates and carry that through to your other stationery.

If you are having a more casual wedding you may chose to include your engagement photos for your Save the Dates, or use a calender style as shown below.

If you are having a destination wedding you may want a post card or a luggage tag style.

If you haven't decided on a theme just keep your Save the Date simple and timeless.

So there you have it, I hope I have cleared up any confusion with sending Save the Date's out.