You’ve decided to send out save the date cards to your wedding guests. Now you just have to figure out when, to whom, and how you should send them. If you’re feeling a little overwhelmed by the seemingly endless rules of wedding etiquette, take a look at this simple save the date card overview.

Luckily, there are very few stringent customs and rules of etiquette when it comes to save the date cards. But there are some guidelines that will benefit you and your wedding guests.

When to Send out Save the Date Cards

The short answer to this question is around 4 to 6 months before the wedding. However, if you are planning a destination wedding, or the bulk of your guests will have to travel extensively, you may need to allow more time. Generally, giving your guests about a year’s notice allows them a chance to save money or arrange to take vacation time from work. Put yourself in your guests’ shoes and use your own intuition or your own timeframe calendar as a guide.

Who Gets a Save the Date Card?

Generally, everyone you intend to invite to the wedding should receive a save the date card. If your budget is limited, however, it’s perfectly acceptable to only send them to guests who will be traveling long distances, or to your nearest and dearest friends and family members.

What form Should Save the Date Cards Take?

Anything goes in this department. Your imagination can take free reign. You can go for fun or whacky, whimsical or formal. Save the date cards can be traditional, contemporary or anything in between. This is also a fun opportunity to give your guests a sneak preview of your wedding theme if it’s been established. They could also be a mirror image of what your wedding invitations will be. They can be highly graphic and feature pictures of you and your soon-to-be spouse, or they could be elegant and subdued.

They can take the form of a fridge magnet, bookmark, a sticker or something less expensive such as postcard. They can be professionally printed or hand written and decorated. They could take the form of a calendar, allowing the recipient to count down the days to your wedding or perhaps a coffee mug or an etched cocktail glass. If you are planning a Christmas wedding, you could print your details on a beautiful sparkling Christmas decoration.

Save the date cards could also be accompanied by something that will give your intended guests a taste of what to expect on your wedding day, especially if it is a destination wedding on an exotic beach — perhaps a message in a bottle of sand.

While it’s important to keep it concise, the wording can be formed in any manner you choose. The card needs to include your names and the date. If you are having a destination wedding it is crucial that you include the location details. If not, you don’t need to include the reception venue details unless you want to.

The wording could look something like this: "Please join us under the sun in Mexico to celebrate our wedding," followed by the date and your names. You can also include a contact number or email address if you wish. If you have a website address of your destination, you could include that or point them to your own wedding website for more information.

It may be prudent to add something that makes your guests understand that this not the wedding invitation, or else you might be swamped with word of mouth RSVP’s, far too early. A simple statement that reads, "invitation to follow," printed at the bottom of the card should suffice.

The wording, design and decoration can be as personalized or traditional as you wish. You can order the cards from professional wedding planners or make them up yourself. The options are totally endless and nothing is inappropriate, as long as you like the design and style.

How are Save the Date Cards Delivered?

How your save the date cards are delivered depends on your budget and how your message has been structured. While postal services are most common, electronic mail is fast becoming a popular way to deliver save the date messages. However if you are intending to use e-mail, your options for design will be limited.

You could employ a courier service to deliver your cards, or you could hand deliver them yourself. The choice is yours. If your cards are fragile or you have chosen some type of delicate ornament, remember that this could affect costs significantly.

Save the date cards can be a fun form of expression for the soon-to-be-wed couple, and they provide guests ample time to arrange travel plans. By following these easy guidelines, you can ensure a wonderful turnout on the big day.