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Are you planning a wedding and wondering whether or not to send out save the dates? Well, they can definitely be an important step in the planning process and I thought I’d share a few reasons why to help you make your decision!
First and foremost, save the dates give your guests advance notice of the date and location of your event. This is especially important if you’re planning a destination wedding, if your event falls on a holiday weekend, or if you’re opting for a mid-week wedding as more and more couples do! By sending out save the dates, you give your guests the opportunity to make necessary travel arrangements and schedule any time off work well in advance.
If you want to make sure all of your favourite people are present, and you’ve picked a popular weekend or decided to travel, notice is key, and getting those save the dates out as soon as possible can be a game changer. You don’t need all of the exact details, but giving your guests a head’s up of the when and where can be just enough to make sure you see their happy faces on your big day.
Save the dates also serve as a kind of formal invitation. While they may not contain all of the details of the event (those will come later with the actual invitation), they let your guests know that they are invited and that they should start making plans to attend.
It might just stop a bit of (loving) pestering from those well-meaning friends and family about ‘have you set a date yet?’ and give you a little bit of a breather! This is a polite way of letting them know that you’d like them to be there to celebrate with you, without the pressure of having to have all of the details right away.
Save the dates are also a great way to showcase your wedding theme and style. They are a great way to give your guests a sneak peek into what your event will be like and to really set the tone early- introducing your wedding colours and style to your guests. It lets them know the overall tone, whether your day will be a rustic and very laid back affair, or something more upscale and refined.
If you had some beautiful engagement photos taken, or a pre-wedding shoot with your photographer… save the dates with a photograph of you both as part of the design can be a great way to really showcase these and give your guests a snapshot of the happy couple they’ll soon be celebrating.
Finally, save the dates add a touch of formality and excitement to your event. They serve as a reminder to your guests that something really, really, special is coming and help to build anticipation for the big day.
In short… save the dates can be a really important part of the planning process for any wedding. They give your guests advanced notice, show off a bit of what’s to come, and add a touch of formality and even more excitement to your big day.
If you’re aiming for a destination wedding, or have chosen a date in peak holiday or event season then I’d definitely recommend going full steam ahead and sending out those save the dates!
