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Jennifer
Beginner November 2022

Save the date invitation or regular wedding Invitation ?

Jennifer, on June 7, 2021 at 2:33 AM Posted in Planning 0 18
Heyy everyone , so is my first time getting married and we have already chosen our wedding date (Nov. 26, 2022) - now I’ve seen that people send “save the date” invitations to their guest and then the actual wedding invitation idk if I should do both or just do the wedding invitations. Has anyone gone through this process? What do you recommend?

18 Comments

Latest activity by Kari, on June 8, 2021 at 2:04 PM
  • Rebecca
    Master August 2019
    Rebecca ·
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    Save the dates are NOT invitations.

    They are notifications to your guest list that they will receive an invitation in the future. It usually lists the date and the city/state of the wedding, MAYBE a wedding website. They are sent 6-8 months before the wedding, earlier if you are having a destination wedding, and are only sent to people you KNOW you will invite. They are also completely optional.

    Many people use them as a way to send out engagement photos.

    An invitation is a formal document with all the details - specific location, time, full names of the couple, RSVP information, and possibly a wedding website. They are sent 6-8 weeks before the wedding (earlier if you have an early headcount date, or a destination wedding), and are sent to people who received an STD, maybe some extra people if you found the budget.

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  • Jennifer
    Beginner November 2022
    Jennifer ·
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    Okay I see ! Thanks sooo much for clarifying.
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  • V
    Champion July 2019
    Veronica ·
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    I would definitely recommend save the dates for your wedding because it is the Saturday after Thanksgiving. Not everyone celebrates Thanksgiving on the actual day so this will give your guests a heads up so they hopefully don't make other plans for the holiday. However they might have outstanding plans every year so I would prepare for a higher decline rate unless both of your families are already in town for the holiday and are completely free. My husband's family always celebrates Thanksgiving the Saturday after because my mother-in-law worked in retail, but she has recently retired so this year might be different.
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  • AJ
    Super October 2022
    AJ ·
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    Agree with this 100%, absolutely send save the dates especially since you’re wedding is the weekend after Thanksgiving. You’ll want send save the dates about 6 months prior to your wedding, and then you send formal invites 6-8 weeks before your wedding having RSVP’s due 2-3 weeks before so you can have a final guest count for your venue.
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  • Jennifer
    Beginner November 2022
    Jennifer ·
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    That is very true. My family and my fiancé’s family also celebrates thanksgiving and it is sorta of an important holiday for both of our family’s. But we choose that day because it’s also our anniversary and I think it would be cute to get married on our anniversary day. But it’s very true I have to be ready for the declines because it’s also going to be a destination wedding and since it’s a holiday weekend flights and stays will probably be even more expensive then usually.
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  • Jennifer
    Beginner November 2022
    Jennifer ·
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    Yess thank you sooo much! You guys def. helped me out!!
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  • Hanna
    VIP June 2019
    Hanna ·
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    Echoing the PPs, I would definitely plant to send save the dates since your wedding is so close to Thanksgiving (people will need time to figure out their plans and book travel, since prices are always higher that weekend). For a destination wedding on the weekend of Thanksgiving, I would actually send save the dates 9 to 10 months in advance. Then you could send the invitations 8 weeks in advance.

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  • Jennifer
    Beginner November 2022
    Jennifer ·
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    Thank you soo much, I think 9-10 months is perfect and completely agree with you
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  • AJ
    Super October 2022
    AJ ·
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    If its destination wedding you'll send your save the dates a 8 months to year in advanced and send your invites six to eight weeks before.

    I agree its cute to get married on your anniversary, my FH and I are doing the same thing Smiley smile

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  • A
    Dedicated July 2021
    Ashley ·
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    I sent save the date onto my wedding invite & also rsvp in the same invite. So basically all in one! And it saved a lot of time & money.
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  • Meghan
    Master October 2019
    Meghan ·
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    Save the dates are not invitations. They are simply a card you send to let you guests know you are getting married and will be invited. This allows your guests to "save the date" and plan to attend. They are sent out 6-10 months before your wedding.

    Invitations are the formal invite for guests. These are sent 6-8 weeks before your wedding and are what your guests will use to RSVP with.

    Save the dates are not required, but formal invitations are.

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  • V
    Champion July 2019
    Veronica ·
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    Yikes! I think it is sweet that you want to get married on your anniversary, but it sounds super inconvenient and expensive for your guests. I would 100% recommend sending save the dates.
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  • Jennifer
    Beginner November 2022
    Jennifer ·
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    Sounds great, thank you sooo much for the info. Really did help! & yes is super cute to get married on the anniversary day, congrats to you & your fiance
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  • Jennifer
    Beginner November 2022
    Jennifer ·
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    That’s what I kinda wanted to do but is true what the other girls here said since is the weekend of thanksgiving I think I should do it just to give people a Heads up ahead of time
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  • Jennifer
    Beginner November 2022
    Jennifer ·
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    Yesss! Completely agree! I’m definitely doing the STD
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  • A
    Dedicated July 2021
    Ashley ·
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    Yeah I would say give people a heads up since it’s the weekend of thanksgiving ☺️
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  • C
    Super July 2020
    Cool ·
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    If you haven’t booked any vendors yet, I’d recommend re-evaluating your date choice. I was planning for a destination wedding the Saturday after thanksgiving. I did not think it’d be a big deal for most but the feedback I received was pretty negative! Fortunately/unfortunately covid changed our date but when I sent save the dates multiple people let me know they wouldn’t be able to make it (family comes to town, family is old, etc)
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  • Kari
    Master May 2020
    Kari ·
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    This 100%.

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