Guides
Save the date vs invitation: differences and when to send each
A save the date is an early notice that holds the date on your guests’ calendars; the invitation is the formal message with every detail and a request to confirm attendance. The first answers “when?”; the second answers “how, where and are you coming?”
The difference in one table
| Save the date | Invitation | |
|---|---|---|
| Purpose | Hold the date | Give details and ask for confirmation |
| When it goes out | Months ahead | Closer to the event |
| What it includes | Names, date, city or approximate venue | Times, exact venue, dress code, map, RSVP |
| Asks for a reply | No | Yes, with a closing date |
| Can it change | Yes, if you tell people in time | Details should already be firm |
When to send each
Timing varies with the type of event and how far your guests travel. As a common rule of thumb:
- Save the date: 6 to 8 months before. If many guests travel from another city or country, send it earlier.
- Invitation: 6 to 8 weeks before, with an RSVP deadline about two or three weeks before the event.
These are guidelines, not rules. For a graduation whose date is set by the school, you can send the save the date as soon as you know it.
What a good save the date includes
- The names of the hosts or the honoree.
- The full date.
- The city or approximate venue.
- A line saying more details are coming soon.
- A link to a place where updates will appear.
What a good invitation includes
- Every occasion with its time and place.
- A map and arrival tips.
- Dress code and, if relevant, suggested lodging.
- How to confirm and by when.
- A contact person for questions.
A common mistake: treating the save the date as an invitation
If the save the date asks guests to confirm too early, they will answer without knowing the details and then have to change. If it does not even include an approximate venue, it will not help people book travel. Let each message do its own job.
How to do it in Magno Events
In Magno Events the event has two stages that share the same link: first the save the date, with only the date and approximate place, then the full invitation. You switch stages when you like and never resend anything. See how it looks in the examples.