Save the date vs wedding invitation, do you really need both?
If you’re planning your wedding, you might be wondering whether you really need to send both a Save the Date and a wedding invitation.
The short answer?
Not necessarily.
Save the Dates and wedding invitations do different jobs, and whether you need both depends on your wedding, your guests and how much notice everyone needs.
So before you add another thing to the wedding to-do list, here’s what you actually need to know.
What’s the difference between a Save the Date and a wedding invitation?
Think of your Save the Date as the early heads-up.
It tells your guests:
We’re getting married. This is when. Please keep the date free.
Your wedding invitation comes later, once the important details are confirmed. It formally invites your guests and gives them the information they need to attend and RSVP.
So, in simple terms:
Save the Date
Sent earlier.
Announces your wedding date.
Contains the essential early details.
Helps guests plan ahead.
Optional
Wedding Invitation
Sent closer to the wedding.
Formally invites your guests.
Contains confirmed wedding details.
Tells guests where, when and how to RSVP.
Usually essential.
They may be part of the same wedding stationery suite, but they have quite different jobs.
What goes on a Save the Date?
You don’t need to have every detail of your wedding organised before sending your Save the Dates.
In fact, that’s rather the point.
Usually, you’ll only need:
your names.
your wedding date.
the general location.
your wedding website, if you have one.
a note that a formal invitation will follow.
You don’t necessarily need your ceremony time, detailed schedule, menu choices or all the information that will eventually accompany your invitation.
The aim is simply to give guests enough information to keep the date free and start making arrangements if they need to.
When should you send Save the Dates?
As a general guide, many couples send Save the Dates around 6–12 months before their wedding.
You may want to send them earlier if you’re planning a destination wedding, getting married during a particularly busy time of year, or have a lot of guests travelling from overseas or around New Zealand.
The important thing isn’t following an exact rule. It’s giving your guests enough time to make the arrangements your particular wedding requires.
When are Save the Dates particularly useful?
Save the Dates aren’t compulsory, but there are weddings where they can make planning considerably easier for your guests.
They’re particularly useful if:
you’re having a destination wedding.
guests will be travelling from overseas or around New Zealand.
you’re getting married during a busy holiday period.
accommodation in your wedding location books quickly.
guests may need to arrange flights, childcare or time off work.
there’s a long gap between booking your wedding and sending formal invitations.
In those situations, giving everyone an early heads-up can make a lot of sense.
Do you have to send Save the Dates?
No.
There isn’t a wedding stationery police force waiting to find out whether you sent them.
If most of your guests are local, you’re having a smaller wedding, or you’re able to send your invitations with plenty of notice, you may decide to skip Save the Dates altogether.
That’s completely fine.
Wedding stationery should work for your wedding, rather than becoming a checklist of things you feel you’re supposed to buy.
What goes on a wedding invitation?
Your wedding invitation is where things become more specific.
By this point, you should have the key details confirmed and be ready to tell your guests what they need to know.
Depending on your wedding, that may include:
your names.
wedding date.
ceremony time.
venue.
RSVP details and deadline.
dress code.
accommodation or transport information.
wedding website.
details of additional celebrations or events.
You don’t necessarily need to squeeze all of that onto the invitation itself.
A separate details card or wedding website can hold the practical information while allowing the main invitation to remain beautifully simple.
When should wedding invitations be sent?
For many weddings, invitations are sent around 2–4 months before the wedding.
But again, there isn’t one timeline that works for every couple.
If guests are travelling, your venue requires final numbers particularly early, or your wedding involves more complicated arrangements, you may need to adjust your timing.
The most useful approach is to work backwards from your RSVP deadline, venue requirements and the amount of planning your guests need to do.
And if you’re already feeling like there are rather a lot of dates to keep track of, that’s exactly why I created my free Wedding Stationery Checklist & Timeline.
Should your Save the Date and wedding invitation match?
They don’t have to be identical.
I prefer to think about wedding stationery as connected rather than matching.
Your Save the Date might be much simpler than your invitation, while still sharing elements such as colour, typography, illustration, paper choices or an overall design direction.
Then, when you move onto menus, place cards, signage and other stationery for the wedding day, that visual thread can continue.
The result is a wedding that feels considered and cohesive without every piece needing to look exactly the same.
So, do you need both Save the Dates and wedding invitations?
It comes down to your wedding.
If your guests need plenty of advance notice, sending Save the Dates followed by formal wedding invitations can be really useful.
If you’re having a smaller or more local wedding and can send your invitations early enough, you may be perfectly happy going straight to the invitation.
There’s no prize for ordering every possible piece of wedding stationery.
The important thing is choosing the pieces that make planning easier for you, give your guests the information they need and help create the experience you want for your wedding.
Not sure what wedding stationery you actually need?
Wedding stationery involves much more than invitations, and it can be surprisingly easy to overlook something until the final few weeks.
I’ve created a free Wedding Stationery Checklist & Timeline to make planning it all a little easier.
It walks you through what you may need, when to start organising it and the little details that are easy to forget when you’re planning everything else.
Frequently Asked Questions
DO I NEED TO SEND SAVE THE DATES?
No. Save the Dates are optional. They’re most useful when guests need plenty of notice to organise travel, accommodation or time away from work. For a smaller or predominantly local wedding, you may decide to go straight to formal invitations.
CAN I SEND WEDDING INVITATIONS WITHOUT SAVE THE DATES?
Absolutely. If you can give your guests enough notice with the formal invitation, there’s no requirement to send a Save the Date first.
HOW FAR IN ADVANCE SHOULD I SEND SAVE THE DATES?
Around 6–12 months before the wedding is a useful general guide. Destination weddings and weddings involving significant travel may benefit from more notice.
HOW FAR IN ADVANCE SHOULD I SEND WEDDING INVITATIONS?
Many couples send invitations around 2–4 months before their wedding, but your RSVP deadline, venue requirements and guest travel arrangements should help determine the right timing.
DO SAVE THE DATES AND INVITATIONS NEED TO MATCH?
No. They can feel connected without being identical. Using consistent colours, typography, illustration, or other design elements can create a cohesive stationery suite while allowing each piece to have its own personality.
DO I SEND A SAVE THE DATE TO EVERYONE?
Generally, only send a Save the Date to someone you’re definitely planning to invite to the wedding. Once you’ve asked someone to reserve the date, they’ll reasonably expect a formal invitation to follow.
Written by Amy Brailey
Founder & Designer, Poppyseed Design
Amy Brailey is the founder of Poppyseed Design, a New Zealand wedding branding and stationery studio. With more than 20 years of design experience, Amy creates considered wedding stationery that brings each celebration together beautifully, from the first Save the Date through to the details on the day.
About Amy & Poppyseed Design →
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