When To Send Save The Dates For Destination Wedding?

Destination weddings are becoming increasingly popular as couples seek to create a unique and memorable experience for their guests. To ensure a successful destination wedding, it is essential to send out save-the-date cards between eight and 12 months in advance. For a standard wedding, save-the-dates usually go out around twelve weeks in advance. For destination weddings, it is recommended to send save-the-dates 10-12 months in advance, giving guests plenty of time to plan for time off, book travel and accommodations, and take advantage of the time off.

For at-home receptions, separate save-the-dates should be sent separately. The basic rule of thumb is to send save-the-dates 6 to 8 months before the wedding date. Some couples may send them earlier, such as 9 to 12 months ahead of the wedding, but this is not suitable for local weddings.

To set the tone for your destination wedding, use a simple engagement photo that hints towards the destination location, with a solid ocean background and destination wedding wording like “adventure” and “journey.” Include a call-to-action for excitement.

Remember that guests have their schedules, so set aside enough time to finalize your guest list and craft the words for and design your save-the-dates so they can be sent at the right time. Sending save-the-date cards and invitations 2-3 months before the wedding is recommended, but it is important to consider the specific needs of your guests and the timing of the event.

What is the RSVP rate for destination weddings?

How Many People Are on the Wedding Guest List?. The average wedding size in America is around 120 guests. That might seem like a lot of people, but once you start listing all the aunts, uncles, cousins, coworkers, college roommates, and friends, the list can fill up. For traditional weddings, around 60-75% of invited guests will attend the wedding. For destination weddings, the answer to “What percentage of invited guests attend a wedding?” drops to around 50-70%.

If you invite everyone you know, the percentage of “yess” may be less. If youre particular about who is invited, youre more likely to have a higher number of “yes” responses.The guest list can go a long way towards the average cost of a destination wedding. There can be very small, intimate weddings with only your closest friends, or celebrations with 100 people.

What your dream wedding looks like is up to you. Generally speaking, destination weddings have a smaller average wedding size and include close friends and family. Your chosen venue can also limit the number of guests you can have.

While there is no guarantee regarding what percentage of invited guests attend a wedding, there are ways to estimate a number before you receive all your RSVPs. The most effective way? Sit down with your partner, go through the invite list line by line, and ask yourselves “Whats the likelihood this person will attend?” Taking into account your relationship with them, their work and job schedule, economic factors, and if they have children can help you make a good guess for their RSVP.

How early is too early for save-the-date?

Sending them too Late. As a general rule, its best to send Save the Dates 8 to 12 months prior to your wedding (send themearlier for a destination or holiday weekend). Given enough notice, you may be surprised by the distance that family and friends will come from to be able to attend! The more time your guests have, all the more opportunity to ask for time off work, confirm travel plans, save money and organise. Any later than this and they wont have enough lead time. Given that the only information you need on your Save the Dates are your names, wedding date (or dates, if its a weekend)and location – just the city and state – you dont even need to have your venue booked yet – it should be relatively easy to create your Save the dates. Including yourwedding websiteis a nice touch, but not necessary.

Not being clear about who is invited (and those plus ones). Its best to be as clear as possible about whos invited to the wedding, even this far in advance. By including the actual names of every intended guest on the envelope, youre less likely to have any assumed invitees or general confusion. If you know that you want one of your guests to bring a plus one at this stage, add this to your save the date card. It will help them to arrange hotel bookings, transport and so on, the earlier they know the better. Being clear about who is invited early on also gives parents time to plan for child care.

Sending a Save the Date Card but not an Invitation. Think carefully before sending out save the dates because they have to go to people that you are actually inviting to the wedding. You cant send a save a date to someone who you might only invite to the wedding ceremony at a later date. Once your Save the Dates are in the mail, theres no second guessing. So only send them to those guestsyou definitely want to be with you on your wedding day.

How long do you give guests for destination wedding?

Add Extra Time for Destination Weddings. Because destination weddings require arranging flights and accommodations, theres a different RSVP timeline. RSVPs should be due two months before the wedding, and the wedding invitations should be sent out approximately four months before the wedding. This will give guests ample time to make travel plans if they didnt when they first received your save-the-date.

With a destination wedding, youll be glad you have an early RSVP deadline because then youll have plenty of buffer time to make sure every guest is accounted for, as well as get a sense of when people will be arriving and departing so you can plan pre- and post-wedding events accordingly.

Make the RSVP Date Clear. It might seem obvious, but make sure the RSVP date is in an extremely legible font on the card itself. If youre including an option to RSVP on your wedding website, a countdown ticker is a good option.

How early should I send invitations for a destination wedding?

Send the Your Save-the-Dates (and Invitations!) Sooner. The first thing to keep in mind is timing. While a regular wedding invitation goes out eight weeks before the wedding and save-the-dates go out around four to six months in advance, a destination wedding invitation should go out at least 12 weeks in advance. And those save-the-dates? Plan on sending them a minimum of six months in advance and up to eight months before the big day. This will give your guests plenty of time to compare flight options, arrange to take days off from work, and plan an extended trip before or after your wedding, if they so desire. If six to eight months sounds like too much of a time crunch, consider sending save-the-dates by email.

Include an Information Packet. Now come the details. Instead of a simple postcard, consider sending out a packet so you have room for additional information. This means treating your save-the-date as more of a pre-invitation than just a notice that youre having a wedding. You should have a general timeline for the weekends events, from the welcome party and brunch to any group activities youve planned. And make sure youve already secured a room block at your hotel. That way guests can figure out which days to take off from work and reserve their hotel room.

Ask Guests What They Want to Do. Still figuring out what other activities youd like to include? Ask your guests. Whether its a response card with your save-the-date or a poll on your wedding website, provide a few options for everyone to choose from. Have everyone pick what theyd be interested in participating in, so you can plan accordingly.

When should RSVP be due for destination wedding?

Image via Southbound Bride; “Fronds of Paradise” by Paperless Post.. When should guests RSVP for a destination wedding?. If youve decided that white sand beaches and a tropical breeze—or perhaps the bright lights of a big city—will be part of your big day, youll want to give your guests as much notice as possible so they can make travel arrangements. Ms. Lee says, “For destination weddings, sometimes we need to know a little sooner than one month, so you could send your invitations three months ahead and have the RSVP due six weeks before.”Simplify your destination wedding planning with Paperless Post digital invitations. Its as easy as adding Blocks below your invitations with helpful details like convenient travel options, hotel booking information, and activities in the area you know your guests will enjoy.

“Laurelwood” by Paperless Post; Image via Martha Stewart.. When should guests RSVP for a holiday wedding?. Planning a wedding during the holidays is a fantastic way to celebrate, and venues are often less expensive in off-season times. Much like a destination wedding that requires more notice, its also a good idea to apply this notion to a holiday wedding. As holidays like Christmas, 4th of July, Memorial Day, and Labor Day are already a busy time to travel, guests will appreciate having an early notification for booking travel and arranging accommodations. Adding information to your invitation page, like any special holiday events that are happening, is a nice touch for out-of-town guests who might have some free time before and after your ceremony.

What to do if a guest doesnt RSVP. Even with careful planning, you might find yourself in a situation where your wedding RSVP deadline arrives and youre still missing confirmation for some of your guests. In this case, its perfectly acceptable to follow up with any guests you havent heard from. Ms. Lee says, “We set it on a specific date, usually the Friday before the one-month deadline. Then come Monday morning, if youre missing responses you can send a follow-up that says, ‘We hope youve received our invitation, wed love to know if you can make it or not.”

How far in advance do you send invitations for a destination wedding?

Send the Your Save-the-Dates (and Invitations!) Sooner. The first thing to keep in mind is timing. While a regular wedding invitation goes out eight weeks before the wedding and save-the-dates go out around four to six months in advance, a destination wedding invitation should go out at least 12 weeks in advance. And those save-the-dates? Plan on sending them a minimum of six months in advance and up to eight months before the big day. This will give your guests plenty of time to compare flight options, arrange to take days off from work, and plan an extended trip before or after your wedding, if they so desire. If six to eight months sounds like too much of a time crunch, consider sending save-the-dates by email.

Include an Information Packet. Now come the details. Instead of a simple postcard, consider sending out a packet so you have room for additional information. This means treating your save-the-date as more of a pre-invitation than just a notice that youre having a wedding. You should have a general timeline for the weekends events, from the welcome party and brunch to any group activities youve planned. And make sure youve already secured a room block at your hotel. That way guests can figure out which days to take off from work and reserve their hotel room.

Ask Guests What They Want to Do. Still figuring out what other activities youd like to include? Ask your guests. Whether its a response card with your save-the-date or a poll on your wedding website, provide a few options for everyone to choose from. Have everyone pick what theyd be interested in participating in, so you can plan accordingly.

Is 13 months too early to send save the dates?

But, there is a fine line between giving enough notice and sending your invites too early. You certainly dont want to be sending them out a year before your wedding. Dont be mistaken. Its OK to send your save the date cards out 6 -12 months before. However, if you send your invites as much as 4-6 months early, you risk them getting lost or your guests actually forgetting the date as its so far off in the future.

While there is a lot to remember when planning a wedding, its always best to stay ahead and ensure you leave yourself and your guests plenty of time.

For more detailed advice, check out my timeline for stress free wedding invitations.

What is the save the date etiquette for destination weddings?

When should you send the save the dates?. As soon as possible! If youre asking your guests to book travel and accommodation, its best to give them plenty of time to organise their plans. So it should be longer than it is for a home-based wedding where six to eight months is the norm. For a destination wedding, we would suggest sending your save the dates nine to twelve months ahead, if you can, to make sure its in the diaries of the people you want to be there. You might also want to include travel details for your guests at this point, rather than in the invitations.

Who should pay for what?. The couples only requirement is to pay for the ceremony, including all the food and drink, and you neednt pay for your guests travel and accommodation. As your guests will be splashing out more than for a wedding at home though, its nice to help them out as much as possible. So let them know the best ways to get there, when flights to your destination go on sale, and links to places to stay – you might even want to book reasonably-priced accommodation for your guests and then ask them to reimburse you. If you do that, you could arrange welcome gift bags for them on arrival – with items that they can enjoy during their stay such as local delicacies or, to help ease the morning after the grand celebrations, paracetamol.

Should the couple host events in addition to the wedding?. Its customary for a destination wedding to last longer than just the day itself so that guests can make the most of the journey theyve taken to celebrate with you. This could be a dinner the evening before, lunch the day after, or both. All of which, the couple would be expected to pay for.

Can I send save the dates 5 months in advance?

• Choose your location and set the date. These two items are intertwined. You may fall in love with a location and select from available dates. Or you may choose a special date and a venue in your preferred location later down the line. The location can be approximate—a city will do.
• Take your engagement photos. You can schedule your engagement photo shoot any time after the proposal.
• Design your save the dates cards. Use your engagement photos in your design for the ultimate personal touch.
• Mail your save the dates. The basic rule of thumb is to send save the dates 6 months before the wedding. For a destination wedding, it is customary to mail save the dates 8 to 12 months in advance. For a local affair, send save the dates 4 to 6 months in advance.
• Follow your save the dates with your formal invitations roughly 8 weeks before the wedding.

Can you send a digital save the date? Modern etiquette allows for electronic correspondence in the age of the Internet, but theres nothing more polished and personal than a personalized save the date sent through snail mail with love. With the variety of customizable designs available with just a few clicks, its easier than ever to find a beautiful and true-to-you option for every budget, color and style.

What to Include on a Save the Date Card. What key information should you include on your save the date cards? Your save the date card should include three main pieces of information:

What is the etiquette for destination weddings?

There are two scenarios in life that allow you to get to know a person on a whole new level; living with them and travelling with them. Dont let your destination wedding be the reason for fallouts with friends or family; keep the guest list short. Invite only the people who absolutely need to be there, that you would regret not having around to share the special moment. You can always arrange a reception later for everyone else once youre back at home.

Though a decision to have a destination wedding can sometimes be spontaneous, it is important to allow enough time for your guests to plan their own travel, and other arrangements. With a destination wedding, ideally, youll want to send out save-the-date cards about 8 to 10 months ahead of the wedding, and mail out invites a minimum of three months before. This gives guests plenty of time to plan and RSVP.

Photo credit: Stanislav Ronchkovsky/Shutterstock.com.

Is 5 months too early to send wedding invitations?

When to send your wedding invites. As previously mentioned, youll want to give your guests plenty of notice for your big day. So around the three to six-month mark is a good time to send out your invitations.

Also ensures theyve got time to arrange days off work, baby sitters or whatever they may need to do to make it to the day.

But, there is a fine line between giving enough notice and sending your invites too early. You certainly dont want to be sending them out a year before your wedding. Dont be mistaken. Its OK to send your save the date cards out 6 -12 months before. However, if you send your invites as much as 4-6 months early, you risk them getting lost or your guests actually forgetting the date as its so far off in the future.

While there is a lot to remember when planning a wedding, its always best to stay ahead and ensure you leave yourself and your guests plenty of time.

When to send STDs for destination wedding?

For those reasons, its best to order save the dates for a destination wedding about 12 months before your wedding date. Then address and mail them as soon as possible but no later than 9 months before the big day. Thats enough time to get a hotel room, even at more popular destinations, ensuring your friends and family can be by your side when its time to celebrate.

Youll then follow up by purchasing your Wedding Invitations six to nine months before your destination wedding and mailing them out no later than four to six months prior to your I dos. Obviously, this timeline isnt set in stone and certain circumstances — like a short engagement — could cause things to shift. But the general idea is to give as much notice as you can so nobody has to miss out because they couldnt get flights or score a hotel room.

What to include on the save the dates for your destination wedding. Now you know when to send your save the dates, but its equally important to know what to put on those small but mighty cards.