When to send save the dates
Six to eight months before the wedding, for most couples. Make it eight to twelve for a destination wedding or a holiday weekend. With less than four months to go, skip them and send the invitations.
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Save Our DateChecked on Thursday, October 1, 2026
The usual timeline
Count back from the wedding. The further guests have to travel, and the busier the date, the earlier the save the date goes.
| Your wedding | Save the date | Invitation |
|---|---|---|
| Most guests within driving distance | 6 to 8 months before | 6 to 8 weeks before |
| A holiday weekend, or a Saturday in June, September or October | 8 to 10 months before | 8 weeks before |
| A destination wedding, or plenty of guests flying in | 8 to 12 months before | 3 months before |
| Four months away or less | Skip it | As soon as you can |
These are the timings most US couples follow, not rules. Anyone who gets a save the date should get an invitation later, so send them only to people you're sure of.
If you're mailing them
Paper has to be ordered before the date you mean to send it. With the slowest printer we checked, an evening of addressing and First-Class Mail, the last card can take up to 5 weeks to arrive, so order that far ahead. A link goes out the evening you make it.
Dates that book up early
Guests plan these weekends months ahead and venues fill first, so a save the date for one of them is worth sending at the early end.
- Memorial Day, Fourth of July and Labor Day weekends
- Saturdays in June, September and October, the busiest wedding months
- Thanksgiving weekend, when people are already traveling to family
- Christmas and New Year's, when flights cost the most
With less than four months to go
Skip the save the date and send the invitations, which ask for an RSVP anyway. If they aren't ready yet, a link sent tonight puts the date in front of everyone while you finish them.
Questions
How early is too early to send save the dates?
More than a year ahead and people tend to forget, unless it's a destination wedding. Twelve months is about the earliest that's useful.
Should we send save the dates before the guest list is final?
Only to people you're certain of. A save the date promises an invitation, so leave anyone you're unsure about until the list is settled.
Does everyone who gets an invitation need a save the date first?
No. Late additions can just get the invitation. It's the other way around that matters: everyone who got a save the date needs an invitation.
When should save the dates go out for a holiday weekend wedding?
Eight to ten months ahead. Guests book long weekends early, and flights and hotels around them fill up and cost more.
Make yours
Making one is free, and you only pay $15 when you publish.
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