The Wedding Timeline

Sally
Jan 9
2 min read

It's so important when planning a big event to get the details right, and that is no different with wedding stationery. There are different timelines for the various pieces of stationery you send and create for your wedding, and in this post, I'd like to go narrow that down, and start at the very beginning, with save the dates.

Why send save the dates

Save the dates are a brilliant way of telling your guests that you are getting married and what date you have chosen, but without having to explain the other details, many of which you often haven't finalized yet. It's reassuring to send them knowing your guests will mark the date in their diaries and not book other holidays or events on that date. But when should you start planning your ideas, and when do you contact a stationery designer about them?

When to Start Talking to a Stationery Designer?

You should ideally talk to a stationery designer 1-2 years before your wedding day. It may be that you have ideas that take a while to execute, and a Stationery Designer will be able to tell you how long it will take to execute these ideas. At the same time, they may say that your ideas are simpler and can be designed, printed, and delivered quickly. Whatever the outcome, talking to a professional will give you important answers.

OK, but when do you send them?

Save the dates should be sent between 18 months and 1 year before your wedding day, to allow enough time before your invitations are sent, but not so much that your guests will forget the date. If you are having a wedding abroad, or many of your guests will be taking long-haul flights to get to your big day, you should consider sending them nearer to the 18-month mark.

Do you send save the date to everyone?

No, only send them to your day or weekend guests, not to evening guests. Why? Because save the dates imply that guests are invited to the whole day, which can cause confusion or disappointment when only an evening invitation arrives. If you feel strongly about sending one to everyone, consider sending a slight variation that says 'Save the Evening'.