What is the etiquette for "Save the Date" cards?

[FishFright]

It's common, we often print them. Traditionally invites are only a month or two before an event but as people tend to need longer to organise child care, travel, work, even flights, then a save the date card comes in. Once the venue and times are arranged closer to the time the invites are sent.

In answer to the op, no response needed. An rsvp will most likely come with the invite.

You are Moonpig AICMFP

 

[ufkacbln]

We did this back in 1981!

We set the date, and because of drafting, duties and other issues with serving in the Navy, we informed everyone of the date so that they could sort out leave

Didn't work as some pesky Argentinians decided to upset our plans and then to compound their error hit my planned Best Man's ship with an Exocet as a wedding present!!

 

[Salad Dodger]

It seems like a sensible idea to me, but I have never heard of these cards until reading about them here.

What's the betting that, within the next week or two, I will receive one for some event or other that I am currently completely unaware of........

 

[Profpointy]

I might be being a teensy bit thick here but why not just send the invites out earlier?

Because the invite usually contains time and running order and so on. This usually isn't known nearly as early as the date

 

[Markymark]

I might be being a teensy bit thick here but why not just send the invites out earlier?

Because the timings or even the venue may not have been finalised and some people may need several months notice if, fir example, young kids and it's a whole weekend or people overseas needing flights and hotels .

 

[KneesUp]

On one ocassion I have saved the date for longer than the marriage lasted.

 

[snorri]

Really? A fridge magnet for the date of someone else's wedding? What egotism.

I didn't think so, in fact I appreciated the conspicuous reminder, it looked like a stick-on credit card.

 

[mjr]

Because the invite usually contains time and running order and so on. This usually isn't known nearly as early as the date

Isn't the time sorted when you book the venue and registrar? Surely it's unusual to announce a date before you've done that at least provisionally?

Running order? Isn't that basically "1. Wedding. 2. Reception. 3. Go away." or am I horribly old-fashioned?

 

[Pro Tour Punditry]

Because the timings or even the venue may not have been finalised and some people may need several months notice if, fir example, young kids and it's a whole weekend or people overseas needing flights and hotels .

Is it for London sorts, too busy fir such stuff?

 

[Dan B]

Really? A fridge magnet for the date of someone else's wedding? What egotism.

We've got one on our bread bin (fitted kitchen, fridge door is tediously non-metallic)

 

[perplexed]

It's common, we often print them. Traditionally invites are only a month or two before an event but as people tend to need longer to organise child care, travel, work, even flights, then a save the date card comes in. Once the venue and times are arranged closer to the time the invites are sent.

In answer to the op, no response needed. An rsvp will most likely come with the invite.

You and your fancy London ways - Up here, we just get flat capped, ragged jacketed urchins to run around the cobbled streets and deliver the messages scratched on a piece of coal. They give the time and date of the slag heap to meet at, whilst beaming up earnestly at you through the dirt on their faces...

 

[jefmcg]

Is it a "we got engaged! Buy us stuff" card?

Well, no. The engagement party covers that, and of course more gifts at the wedding, or sent with regrets if you can't attend.

A gift grab looks more like this (thank you, google)

Our wedding is coming but oh, what dismay.
The venue is small on our big day!
Though we can’t squeeze you in during our special hour,
Would you please come to our wedding shower?”

 

[CanucksTraveller]

Saving the date is very thoughtful and logical.
Cycle Chat really can be curmudgeon town sometimes.

 

[Markymark]

The idea isn't a bad one, I'd just never heard of it before. But if any of my friends were to think that I was so bound up in their wedding as to want a constant reminder of the date on a fridge magnet ... well, I understand the tendency to get carried away with all the plans - bridezilla and all that - and to begin to think it's the most important thing in everyone's world, but that's just silly.

As someone who has seen my fair share of happy couples over the years, groomzilla is no better than bridezilla.

 

[Hitchington]

Save the date? Only if you pay me. Or bribe me with beer.