DC Wedding Planning - Are Save The Dates A Waste of Money

Planning a DC Wedding can be complicated. There are so many things to think about from colors to caterers from floral to first dance steps; it can seem overwhelming!

As an award-winning Washington DC Wedding DJ, I love what I do. Being a part of the best day of a couple’s lives is an honor that we never take for granted. While music and entertainment are our forte, I want to serve as a resource in all aspects of event planning.

Answering questions is one way that we can serve and “Save the Dates” is a question that is often asked.

This article is one in a series of articles intended to help not only the DC wedding couples we serve but to help anyone who is planning their dream wedding.

Do we have to send save the dates?

When deciding on the timeline for your pre-wedding events, from when to have your engagement party to what weekends work for all of your besties for the bachelorette party, one of the many to-dos on your DC wedding planning agenda is deciding whether or not to send a save-the-date announcement to your guests.

A save-the-date essentially alerts them that they are going to be invited to your DC wedding in the coming months, along with sharing the very basic date and location information, so that they can save the date in their calendars.

Save the dates are typically sent a few months after you have gotten engaged and have decided on a wedding venue and a ceremony date. They are not mandatory, and for some couples, they might not even be necessary.

So, should the two of you spend the time and money to send save the dates at all?

Here is a breakdown of some of the pros and cons.

The Pros of Sending Save-The-Dates

They give your guests a heads up.

People’s calendars can fill up fast. One of the benefits of sending save-the-dates is that they alert guests of your official DC wedding date and location. This is especially important when travel is involved. Your guests will appreciate the advance notice that may allow them to snag a deal on the cost of airfare.

Your guests can decline other commitments.

Everyone hates to cancel previously made plans. Letting your guests know early increases the odds that your event will be marked first on their calendar. In addition to avoiding double- booking they will have plenty of time to make plans around your wedding weekend.

Don’t overlook this advantage!

Many personal and professional events and travel plans are confirmed months in advance—including work trips, conferences, and annual family vacations, to name a few.

The more notice you give your guests, the greater the likelihood that they will be able to attend.

They'll know for sure that they are invited.

You might assume your friends and family know for sure that they are going to be invited to your wedding, but just because they are close to you does not mean that they are automatically expecting to receive an invitation. Your guests know that you cannot possibly invite everyone to your celebration. Weddings in Washington DC can be expensive and most guests know that.

A save-the-date confirms for your many circles of friends and immediate and extended family that they are indeed on the guest list and can start planning accordingly.

The Cons of Sending Save – The – Dates

You will need to finalize your guest list asap.

If you choose to send save-the-dates, you will need to make some decisions about who you are inviting to your wedding shortly after booking your wedding and reception venues. The Washington DC Wedding Venue you choose, your wedding budget, and your personal preferences will dictate the maximum number of guests you can have in attendance.

Keep in mind that once someone receives their save-the-date, they will assume that they are invited to your wedding.  You cannot choose to not send them an official wedding invitation later!

Choose wisely and thoughtfully to avoid any guest list drama down the line.

They take time and money.

Creating and sending save-the-dates is another expense that you will have to add to your DC wedding budget. Depending on how many you need and how elaborate they are, they could cost several hundred dollars. The average cost for 100 Save The Date cards is $150.00 plus postage.

Additionally, designing, printing, and mailing your save-the-dates takes time and effort; and you will need to collect everyone's mailing addresses. Even if you opt to send digital save-the-dates to reduce costs, you will still need to collect everyone's email addresses.

Conclusion

So, are Save the Date’s worth the cost and the time? I think that at an average cost of less than $2.00 per invite, it is very inexpensive “guest insurance” to make certain that those who matter most are present to celebrate with you.

If you have already sent your Save The Dates to your guests, do you have any vendor recommendations?