It’s common courtesy to not spring wedding plans on any of your guests at the last minute, but it’s especially crucial to make sure you give your out-of-towners plenty of notice. After all, they need time to book flights, make accommodations, and iron out any potential scheduling conflicts. Expecting them to join you on your special day after flight prices have increased for the third time or when it’s too late for them to get time off work may not only prevent some guests from attending altogether, but it can come off as inconsiderate.
While the general rule is to send your save the dates to more local guests roughly six months prior to the wedding, you should give those traveling a long way more notice. As Shutterfly recommends, you’ll want to make sure your guests who will need to make travel plans have their save the dates eight to 12 months before the big day.
Though the use of social media and email for less formal wedding-related events like bachelorette parties and bridal showers has become increasingly popular, traditional wedding etiquette still calls for sending formal stationery save the dates and invitations by mail. If you do opt to send digital invites for the big day, The Knot recommends still sending a formal, physical version as a backup; there’s always a chance of a digital invite getting lost in a guest’s inbox.