Wedding Save the Date Cards | Wedding Invitations Etiquette | Wedding Announcements | Wedding Reception Cards

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Save the Date Cards

Save the Date cards are almost a necessity for events taking place on holiday weekends and/or that require travel for guests. Save the date cards with a destination wedding location give an exciting opportunity for guests to plan a vacation around your wedding. These are sent 6 - 12 months before the wedding and include the wedding date, couple's name, city and state location of the wedding and "invitation to follow". Additional accommodations information can be sent, if desired.

There are also a few advantages to sending save the date cards from the perspective of wedding planning. First, you must get the guest addresses and then it can be checked off the "to do" list. This will be appreciated later when it is time to send the invitations. If accommodations information is sent with the save the dates, it gives guests additional planning information well in advance of the date. Again, when it comes time to plan the invitations, there will be less to do and more attention can be given to the invitations themselves, and other areas of the wedding.

Wedding Invitations

Traditionally, it is advised to send out wedding invitations six to eight weeks before your wedding date. If you have previously sent a "Save The Date" card, you may have some flexibility to send out invitations four to eight weeks before the wedding date. Individual factors to be considered when choosing the invitation mailing date may include time of the year (summer or holiday) or out of town guests.

If the final guest list is too long, invitations might be divided into a two-part mailing, with the A list being sent invitations first and if some of those guests send regrets, invitations can be sent to guests on the B list. A caution is to send invitations no less than three weeks before the wedding. Also, the response date should be after any invitation is received by a guest.

Announcements

Announcements are sent out the day after the wedding, or can be mailed up to several months later. They are sent to friends, family, business or social acquaintances who were not invited to the wedding. Usually they are sent by the bride's parents, but can be sent by the bride and groom or the groom's parents. The announcement card is simply that, with no implication of gifts, making them an easy way to share the news. Traditional wording includes "have the honour of announcing the marriage of their daughter (or son)" from the parents, or "announce their marriage" from the bride and groom. Wedding ceremony location is included if held at a house of worship, not included for other locations. The date, city and state are included.

Reception Cards

Reception cards are included as inserts with the wedding invitation, if applicable. Traditional etiquette mentions these as separate cards when guests were sometimes not invited to both the ceremony and reception. Only guests invited to the reception were sent the reception card with the invitation to the ceremony. Today, almost everyone invites their guests to both, and often the ceremony and reception are held at the same location, making the extra card unnecessary. If a reception is at a later time than "immediately after the ceremony" and/or at a different location than the ceremony, they can serve a useful and practical purpose. Their wording format is standard, and includes occasion, time, and location:

Reception immediately following ceremony

Oaks Country Club

203 West Oaks Boulevard

South Beach, New York

The time is included if it is more than 2 hours after the ceremony. The reception address may or may not be included, depending on familiarity and if a directions card is included.

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Wording Etiquette

Wedding Accessory Cards - What and When to Send