Once you have finally said ‘yes’ to your man’s romantic proposal and the initial elation will finally wear off, you are faced with the rather daunting task of organizing every detail of your very own wedding. If you have already agreed to hold the big day on a certain date, the most logical thing to do would be to attend to your guest list. Whether you are planning as ostentatious affair, or a simple gathering, you would naturally want all your guests to be there are partake in the celebration and share in your joy as you exchange “I Do’s” with the man of your dreams.

The most practical option available for you is to send out save the date cards, which will help you extend courtesy to guests by notifying them well ahead of time. Save the date cards are especially important if you have scheduled your wedding on a particularly hectic month such as the holiday or summer season where everyone seems to have plans already lined up. For people who you know keep frenetic schedules, a save the date card becomes and invaluable courtesy to allow people ample time to pencil you in on their calendars. You don’t really expect everyone to drop everything or put on hold important activities just because you have decided to finally tie the knot, right? And this will relieve you with the guest of putting a burden on your guests for giving such short notice.

Since you wont normally expect all your friends and relatives to conveniently live in one state or region, save the date cards is a perfect way to inform out-of-town guests in advance and give them time to set their schedules and make plans for the trip. So the question is, what would be the most appropriate time to send the save the date cards? Normally wedding invitations are sent about eight weeks before the wedding, so your save the wedding date cards should be well ahead of time. Otherwise, it basically defeats the purpose. You can give advance notice as early as six months to a year. There are actually no hard and fast rules when it comes to sending save the date cards, but it would be wonderful if you will be able to incorporate the theme of your wedding in the design of the cards. However, if you have nothing definite yet, or haven’t made any concrete plans, then it’s best to play it safe and opt of the simple and classic designs. However, if you prefer the cards to reflect your personality and preferences, then by all means add your own personal touch and don’t hesitate to stand out from the standard practice. Contemporary designs today even include the couple’s photo or other equally striking details that would ensure a more lasting impression.

It would be quite unthinkable to find out that you have given a save the date card to someone who eventually wasn’t able to receive the wedding invitations after a few months. Not only will it cause unspeakable embarrassment on your part, but also it will undoubtedly offend the person and hurt feelings. So make sure to make a checklist on the list of individuals you are planning to invite to ensure than everyone would be given proper notice and courtesy. When you are planning a wedding, it’s generally not a great idea to solely rely on your memory, no matter how sharp you claim it to be. With all the thousand and one details that you need to attend to, you are bound to slip up and forget some important details. So make sure you keep tabs on your progress and never forget to take diligent care in tackling your guest list, especially if it is a particularly long one.