In the midst of planning out your big day, deciding between doilies or chargers under the plates, tasting cakes, and trying to find the perfect compromise for your color scheme, it can be easy to miss or misunderstand the basics. But, one of the most important parts of your wedding is the people who will be there to celebrate you—so getting it right is a must. We will unpack the differences between the save-the-date vs wedding invitations here (and why we think you need both).

What is a save-the-date? 

Like many of us who start planning our weddings with little experience, you may wonder if the save-the-date is the same as an invitation. It is not. This card—whether physical or digital—displays basic information to let your guests know where they need to be and when. However, the information doesn’t have to be so granular. You may know your date but are trying to decide between two different venues with availability. In that case, you could send out the date and an approximate location, i.e., August 8 in San Diego. The purpose of this card is not to lay out the entire celebration with your guest (more on that later) but a wedding announcement to get them to mark their calendars and do a happy dance for you as they get excited about the celebration. 

Common Save-the-Date Questions

What is included in a save-the-date?

Your save-the-date will be pretty straightforward. You should include your names, wedding date, and venue or approximate location, with a note that they should expect a formal invite at a later date. The location allows your guests from out of town to begin setting their sights on travel, so it is even better if you already have your venue locked down.

When should you send out the save-the-date?

For most couples, sending out your save the dates six to eight months in advance is sufficient. However, if you are planning a destination wedding or know that most of your guests are from out of town, you may send it up to one year earlier. 

Do we even need a save-the-date? 

The short answer is yes. However, you do not need to spend an excessive amount of money on this invite. If you want premium cardstock with embossed lettering, that is beautiful. But if you want to save a few dollars, there are several digital invite companies that charge a nominal fee or even send them out for free in some cases. The important thing here is to get the information out.

What is a wedding invitation? 

Your wedding invitation is taking things to the next level. Think of the save-the-date as an appetizer and the invitation as the main dish. Your invitation is meant to introduce your special day to guests. You will include nods to your color choices and more information about the wedding day than the save-the-date. When we send out invitations, we want to inform our guests of everything they need to know. Also, in return, we want them to RSVP and likely send their menu choices or dietary restrictions back to us. 

What is included in the wedding invitation?

At a minimum, we suggest an invite with your names, wedding date, venue, important times, and an RSVP card for your guests to return to you before your wedding. However, you may want to include extra information like a local map, any hotel discounts you may have coordinated, dress code if applicable, any additional wedding activities you will be hosting, and menu choices for your guests to send back. These days, couples get very creative with their invitations, and there are no boundaries for how you want to introduce people to your celebration of love.

When should you send out your invitations? 

While a save-the-date can be sent out up to a year in advance, an invitation should land closer to your event. For most couples, eight weeks is perfectly acceptable. If you have lots of out-of-town guests or are hosting a destination wedding, it is thoughtful to send your invite earlier, at around ten to twelve weeks.

Do we need to send out wedding invitations? 

Absolutely. If you want guests to show up on time and ready to celebrate you, sending out detailed invitations is the best way to do so.

As you plan your wedding, remember to relax, take it all in, and remember this time in your life you will look back on fondly. Our website has lots of more wedding resources to help make your day spectacular. If you are looking for a venue in North County, San Diego, California, don’t hesitate to get in touch with us.