Save the Dates: Do You Actually Need Them?
- Andrea Cooper-Badkin
- 2 days ago
- 4 min read
Save the Dates are often the first piece of wedding stationery couples think about ordering. But here's the question nobody seems to ask: do you actually need them?
Let me give you the honest answer: it depends.
Save the Dates aren't a mandatory part of wedding stationery. They're a practical tool for a specific purpose, and whether you need them comes down to your individual circumstances.
What Save the Dates Actually Do
A Save the Date does exactly what it says: it tells your guests to mark their calendar for your wedding before you send the formal invitation.
That's it. They don't need to include venue details (though you can mention the general location if it helps), and they don't need all your wedding information. They're simply a heads-up that says "we're getting married on this date, invitation to follow."
When Save the Dates Make Sense
You should consider Save the Dates if:
Your wedding requires travel for most guests. If people need to book flights, arrange accommodation, or request time off work well in advance, Save the Dates give them that early notice. A destination wedding or a wedding in a location far from where most guests live is a prime example.
Your date is during a busy season. Getting married over a bank holiday weekend, during school holidays, or around major events when accommodation fills up quickly? Save the Dates help guests plan ahead.
You have a long engagement. If you got engaged 18 months or more before your wedding, Save the Dates keep your date fresh in people's minds without sending invitations absurdly early.
Your guest list lives far apart. If your families are in different countries or scattered across regions, the extra notice is genuinely helpful.
When You Can Skip Save the Dates
You probably don't need Save the Dates if:
Most guests are local. If the majority of your guests live within an hour or two of your venue and don't need to arrange complicated travel, you can just send invitations earlier instead.
You're having a shorter engagement. Planning a wedding 6-8 months out? You can send invitations at the 5-6 month mark and skip Save the Dates entirely.
Your wedding is small and intimate. If you're inviting 30 people, you've probably already told them your date in person. Formal Save the Dates might feel unnecessary.
You're budget-conscious. Save the Dates are an additional cost. If your budget is tight, it's absolutely fine to skip them and put that money toward something else that matters more to you.
The Timeline: When to Send Save the Dates
If you've decided Save the Dates make sense for your wedding, aim to send them 9-12 months before your wedding date.
For destination weddings or peak season dates, you might push that to 12-13 months to give guests maximum planning time.
Any earlier than that and you risk people genuinely forgetting. Any later and you're not giving them enough notice to be useful, so you might as well just send invitations.
What Information to Include
Save the Dates should be simple and clear:
Your names
Your wedding date
General location (city or venue name, or just "Northumberland, UK")
A note that a formal invitation will follow
Optional: your wedding website URL if you have one
That's genuinely all you need. You don't need venue addresses, accommodation suggestions, or schedule details yet. Save that for your invitations or website.
Design Considerations
Save the Dates can set the tone for your wedding stationery, but they don't need to match your invitations exactly. Some couples choose a completely different design for save the dates and invitations, while others prefer a cohesive look.
At Thoughtfully Wild, I offer Save the Dates as part of semi-custom collections or as standalone bespoke designs. If you know you want matching invitations later, there's a combined design fee that works out more cost-effectively than designing them separately.
Save the Dates are typically more relaxed in tone than formal invitations, which gives you room to be creative. They might include engagement photos, illustrations, or a more playful design that reflects your personality.
Format Options
Postcards are the most popular and practical format. They're cost-effective to post, easy for guests to stick on the fridge, and don't require envelopes.
Flat cards (A6 or A5 with envelopes) feel more formal and can work well if you want something that feels more substantial.
Digital Save the Dates are an increasingly popular option, especially for tech-savvy couples or those prioritising sustainability. They're instant, free to send, and eliminate paper waste entirely. The downside is they can feel less special and are easier for guests to overlook.
My Recommendation
Think about what your guests actually need. If you're genuinely unsure whether Save the Dates would be helpful, ask yourself: would my guests benefit from knowing the date 9-12 months in advance, or would 4-6 months notice (via invitations) be plenty?
There's no wrong answer. What matters is that your guests have the information they need when they need it, not that you've ticked every box the wedding industry tells you to tick.
If Save the Dates don't serve a practical purpose for your wedding, skip them. Use that budget for better wine, your photographer for an extra hour, or save it for your honeymoon.
Your wedding will be just as beautiful, and your guests will be just as informed.
Ready to discuss your wedding stationery? Whether you need Save the Dates or want to skip straight to invitations, I can help you figure out what actually makes sense for your celebration. Get in touch at info@thoughtfullywild.com.
