In an earlier post, I said not to do them. Save-the-dates is something that is definitely on my list of things my daughter and I would have done differently. It’s not the cost– they can be done inexpensively– and they do have high cute factor. 

The biggest negative is that it locks you in to a list a bit too early in the process.  If you DO send them out, do it just a couple of months before invitations are mailed, not a full year. 

Ours went out nearly a year before the wedding, and when invitation time came around, my daughter regretted sending a few of them out. Again, a lot can change in a year! 

And don’t for one minute think that knowing about your wedding in advance means that some people you’re “really close with” won’t ditch your big day at the last minute if something better comes along. The people nearest and dearest to you WILL save the date. More on the guest list, including good and bad guest etiquette, later!