Are save the dates necessary… or can you skip them altogether?
You may be wondering if you can save money and jump over these cards when you’re planning your wedding. After all, isn’t an invitation enough? Not necessarily.
Today we’ll tell you whether you can skip save the dates (and if it’s OK to do, etiquette-wise) or if save the dates are necessary.
Once you read this article, you’ll have a good sense of whether save the dates are vital to your event… or if you can cut costs and skip these cards altogether.
What is a save-the-date card?
The goal of the save the date is easy: to ask your guests to keep the date open. You officially set the date and know where you’re getting married: congrats! It is an exciting time for sure. This card has one purpose: to tell your guests the exciting news!
(PRO TIP: Read this to know the difference between a save the date and invitation.)
A save the date is a card sent in the mail informing guests of the date and location of your wedding. the date of your wedding and the location. Think of it as a “heads-up” but in a formal way; it’s one of the first impressions of your wedding day.
So, then, do you really have to send them?
Are save the dates necessary?
While some may think save the date cards are essential for travel plans, others may feel save the dates are an extra cost that isn’t necessary.
As a rule of thumb, save the date cards are optional… but definitely encouraged, especially for destination weddings or weddings that occur on a holiday weekend.
For 2022, most couples will send save the date cards as proper etiquette. Can you skip them? Well, technically, yes; as a rule of thumb, anything in your wedding is technically “optional”. It’s your wedding. But should you skip them? Not necessarily.
Here are three reasons when save the dates are necessary — and a courtesy to your guests.
PRO TIP: Save the date cards are an added cost, but when you want as many guests to attend your wedding as possible, that is money well-spent! Plus, you don’t have to shell out a ton of money for them: we found cheap save-the-date cards that look beautiful — on a budget.
1. Out-of-Town or Destination Weddings
If you’re planning a destination wedding, save the dates are essential. Your guests will benefit greatly from the advance notice for travel arrangements and time off of work; you’ll benefit from the possibility of more guests in attendance if you give everyone a complimentary heads-up.
2. Holiday Weekends
Your epic Memorial Day wedding weekend is going to be amazing, but your guests may make annual weekend plans with the extended holiday. In this situation, save the dates are needed in order to give your guests notice.
3. Peak Season Weddings
If you’re planning a wedding during peak season, save the dates are necessary for guests, 100%. For 2022 — and going into 2023 — weddings are at an all-time record high. You want guests to attend your wedding, so don’t wait until the last minute to let them know with an invitation. Send save the dates!
These are just the main reasons to send save the dates, but you may also enjoy a few benefits of mailing these cards out early.
4. Nail Down the Guest List Early
Nothing gets your guest list final quicker than knowing you’re on a save-the-date timeline! Since you send out these cards 6 to 8 months before the wedding (or longer, depending on these rules), and you only send them to guests who are on the list, you’ll be well-ahead on your wedding timeline. Go you!
5. Use Your Engagement Photos
If you’re taking engagement pictures, what are you going to do with them? Don’t leave those snapshots solely for social media; put them to good use on save the dates. I think save the dates are crucial in this situation to get your money’s worth! You won’t be able to brag over those engagement pictures forever, so enjoy them and use them while you can!
Custom Save the Dates
If you still think save the dates are not necessary, that’s up to you! It may not be the best choice for all couples, particularly if everyone is local and you are on a very tight budget.
However, many people skip save the dates because they don’t know where to start.
Don’t let that happen to you! There’s a helpful service many couples use, gaining confidence along the way to select the right card for them. This service is called Wedding Concierge and it’s free; you get a 15-minute virtual appointment with a Pro at Minted who can walk you through the design process and see if save the dates are necessary for you.
• Book a FREE Appointment: You can click here to make an appointment and see if cards are in the cards for you. If you ultimately decide to skip save the dates, that’s OK! But it’s worth testing out to see how beautiful your cards can really look, thanks to the help of a pro.
Sometimes, it feels like something is overwhelming or not necessary because it’s hard to get started; with their help, you may find the perfect card to suit your needs. To get started, browse some of the most popular save-the-date cards here.
Do you need to send save the dates?
So, what do YOU think? Are you planning to send save the date cards to guests, or not? Tell us why or why not in the comment box below. We’d love to hear from you!
P.S. If your wedding date is changing, you may want to use change the date cards instead.
Happy Planning!
xo
Emma
This is a sponsored post.
