Ask the Expert: Can I Send Out Save-the-Dates Before Confirming the Guest List?


We love this festive save-the-date the LoveLeigh team designed for a local couple.

We love this festive save-the-date the LoveLeigh team designed for a local couple.

Question: We’ve settled on a wedding date, and because it’s in the not-too-distant future, we want to get our save-the-dates out as soon as possible. Thing is, we haven’t completely settled on our final guest list yet. Is it okay if not every single person who will get an invite gets a save-the-date? Or is that bad form?

Answer: Since you’re still in the early stages of planning your wedding, the first draft of your guest list will likely be edited a few times before it’s made final, so it’s perfectly okay not to include everyone in the save-the-date mailing, says Danielle Lyons of LoveLeigh Invitations.

“Your most important guests—like your wedding party, closest relatives and friends and those who might be traveling from afar—and any other people that you definitely want to invite are the ones who should receive a save-the-date,” she says. But to play it safe, order at least 10-15 extra save-the-date cards just to have on hand if you do decide to add to your list.

And remember, too, that save-the-dates aren’t a requirement. It’s just that, as Lyon says, “They’re wonderful way to get guests excited—and prepared to set aside that day just for you.”

For more Ask the Expert questions, go here.

RELATED: Ask the Expert: Should You Send a Wedding Invitation to Someone You Know Can’t Come?

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