When to Send Save the Dates: Local, Destination and Holiday Weddings
By the PixerInvite team · 6 min read · Updated 26 October 2026
Send save the dates three to six months before a local wedding — four to six is the sweet spot — and eight to twelve months before a destination wedding or one on a holiday weekend. Emily Post's wedding planning series puts save the dates in the three-to-six-month window "or earlier" when guests travel. The formal invitation then follows six to eight weeks before the wedding.
How far in advance should you send save the dates?
It depends on how far guests travel and how busy the date is. The further they come, the earlier they need to know.
| Type of wedding | Send save the dates | Then the invitation |
|---|---|---|
| Local, most guests nearby | 4–6 months before | 6–8 weeks before |
| Some guests flying in | 6–8 months before | 8–10 weeks before |
| Holiday weekend or peak season | 8–10 months before | 8–10 weeks before |
| Destination wedding | 8–12 months before | 10–12 weeks before |
| International guests needing visas | 10–12 months before | 10–12 weeks before |
When should you send save the dates for a local wedding?
Three to six months before the day, ideally four to six. That's early enough for guests to keep the date free and late enough that your guest list is close to final — every save the date is a promise of an invitation.
When should you send save the dates for a destination wedding?
Eight to twelve months before — about twice as early as for a local wedding. Guests need to save, book flights and hotels and request time off, and some may need a passport or visa; see our destination wedding invitation guide for the rest of the timeline.
Can you send save the dates too early?
Yes — more than a year ahead, guests tend to forget, and your plans may still change. Send them once the date and city are confirmed and the guest list is settled.
Is it too late to send save the dates?
If the wedding is less than about three months away, skip the save the date and send the invitation instead, a little earlier than usual — eight weeks or more. A save the date that arrives right before the invitation only confuses guests.
Who should get a save the date?
Only people who will definitely be invited. Once a save the date is sent you can't quietly drop that guest, so if your list isn't final, send save the dates only to the people you're sure of.
What do you put on a save the date?
Your names, the wedding date, the city (and for a destination wedding, the dates of the whole weekend), and "formal invitation to follow". Times, venues and RSVP details wait for the invitation — see save the date wording examples.
Can you send save the dates digitally?
Yes — save the dates are the one wedding piece etiquette is relaxed about. Emily Post calls email a great way to send an informal note asking friends to save the date, and a link guests open on their phone is now the most common way to send one.
On PixerInvite, a save the date is included with your wedding invitation: choose "Save the Date" as the occasion, send the link with your date and city, then switch the occasion to Wedding when you're ready and add your events — guests keep the same link, and there's nothing more to pay.
Frequently asked questions
When should you send out save the dates?
Three to six months before a local wedding (four to six is ideal), and eight to twelve months before a destination or holiday-weekend wedding.
How far in advance do you send save the dates for a destination wedding?
Eight to twelve months ahead — about twice as early as for a local wedding — so guests can book travel and time off.
How long after the save the date do you send the invitation?
The invitation follows six to eight weeks before the wedding (ten to twelve for a destination wedding), usually two to four months after the save the date.
Are digital save the dates tacky?
No. Save the dates are informal, and etiquette is happy for them to go by email or a link. A well-designed digital save the date looks better than a plain message.
Can I send a save the date first and the invitation later on PixerInvite?
Yes. A save the date is included with your PixerInvite wedding invitation — send it first with your date and city, then switch it to the full invitation on the same link when you're ready.
About PixerInvite. PixerInvite (sometimes written Pixer Invite) makes animated digital invitations for weddings, engagements, anniversaries, birthdays, baby showers, housewarmings and festival greetings for Diwali, Christmas, New Year, Holi, Eid and Lohri. Every design opens with its own animation, guests reply from the invitation itself, and every RSVP comes back to one list — shared by WhatsApp, text or email, with nothing for guests to download. See the designs at pixerinvite.com.